Tres Chic Tags

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

I have a couple of tags for you today that are inspired by the "Tres Chic" challenge going on this week.  Have you ever tried something out of your norm?  Every challenge expands your creativity and it's fun seeing where your imagination will go.  Plus it's extremely inspiring to others!  Please join us for this challenge.  Check out the tab above for details and a chance to win a free stamp set.  WhooHoo!! 

Both tags were made with many of the same die sets but produced quite different looks.

My first tag uses the #5367 Birdcage die.  I die cut it twice, once with black cardstock and one in a pattern paper.  I placed the black die cut behind the pattern piece slightly to the left to create a shadow look, plus to offset to give it more dimension.  I also used #5132 Tag Stitched Die and #5591 Journal Rectangle Frame die.  I inked all of the edges with Distress Oxide Vintage Photo.  The wood bird, heart, ribbon and flowers came from my stash that I have had for years.  Finally I can say I used them.  😄  

For my second tag, I used #5592 Harvest Journal Dies for the pumpkins, leaves and the "Hello Fall" die cuts.  I also used the #5132 Tag Stitched dies as well as the #5591 Journal Rectangle frame die.  Again, I inked all of the edges to give them a distressed look.  Placed a checked ribbon around the frame and at the top of the tag and, voila, tag is complete.  

I hope my tags today have inspired you to try something outside of your norm.  You never know where your imagination and creativity will go.  Have fun with it!!

Have a great day and keep creating!!

Love Birds and Friendly Blue Birds

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

I have two cards for you today that were inspired by the "Birds of a Feather" challenge (see the Bi-Weekly Challenge tab at Art Impressions blog for more details).  Both cards feature the #5367 - Birdcage Dies, the #5892 Easter S2 paper pack, the #5817 Potting Garden Shed plus several others.

  Let's take a look at the first card.

        Friendly Blue Birds:

I first stamped several of the birds using Memento Black ink on cryogen white cardstock and colored with copic markers.  I die cut each of the birds out with the coordinating dies that come with the stamp set.  Using a few of the sheets from the #5892 Easter S2 paper pack, I die cut the birdcage and also hand cut a backing for the birdcage.  I made the frame by cutting individual leaves (including the leaf from the #5591 Journal Rectangle Frame) from white cardstock and layering behind the arch frame.   The pattern paper behind the arch frame and the gingham paper are from the Easter S2 paper pack.  The sentiment is from the new stamp set #5817 Potting Garden Shed.  The arch frame and other leaf dies were from my stash. 

       Love Birds:

The patterned paper background and the birdcage die cut is from the #5892 Easter S2 paper pack.  I just love the Art Impressions paper packs.  Double sided, strong and soooo pretty.   What's not to love? 

I began by stamping the tree branch from #5034 Tree Twist Ties, leaves and birds from #5100 Woodland Tree Cubbies with Memento Black ink onto cryogen white cardstock and colored with copic markers (see list below).   The tree branch was stamped at the top of a 4" x 5" piece of cryogen.  I very lightly inked clouds into the sky around the tree branch to minimize the white space.  I stamped several of the leaves onto the branch and several I stamped, colored and die cut to place around the other leaves to add dimension.  I stamped and colored a poppy from the #5273 Poppy Border stamp and fussy cut it to place at the bottom of the frame along with two of the leaf springs from the #5591 Journal Rectangle Frame.  Lastly I stamped the words "Love" and "Friend" from the #5817 Potting Garden Shed stamp set and die cut with the #5132 Tag Stitched Die.  I attached the word tags to the birdcage with a safety pin.

I hope you enjoy my cards today and decide to play along in the current blog challenge "Birds of a Feather" for a chance to win a free stamp set. 

Have a wonderful day!

Copic Markers Used:

YG03, YG17, YG67

Y13, Y15, Y17, B00, B02, B14

E30, E33, E35, E59 & E97