Texana Birdhouse Stamp and more

I had so very much fun this month playing with the wonderful birdhouse and mini flower stamps that I just didn't know where to stop.  I played with brayering.  I played with punches.  And I played with mods (see last card) if you dare.

Stamps: Texana Designs – Birdhouse, Wildflower Border, Mini Cactus and “Wild about Texas Flowers”

Papers:  Tag

Distress Inks for brayering:  Broken China, Bundled Sage, & Peeled Paint

Pens:  Marvy Brush Markers, White Signo Paint Pen, Stardust Gelly Pens & Silver Metallic Gelly Pen

Stamps: Texana Designs – Birdhouse, Mini Daffodil

Papers:  Cardstock
Punch:  Martha Stewart – Punch around the page - Wildflowers

Pens:  Red & Blue Sharpies, White Signo Paint Pen, Stardust Gelly Pen & Silver Metallic Gelly Pen

CAUTION:  Mods below!!!!

I just couldn't help myself.  I kept seeing a mailbox when I looked at the birdhouse and I got to thinking "what if I just changed the front a little to make it a door instead of a hole?"  And it worked... I stamped the image with black stazon on metallic tape and was able to modify the front slightly.  I added a brad for the knob and "US Mail" and voilà!  I stamped it again on thin wood paper for the post.  I painted the roof with sharpie markers and a white pen.  I liked what I was seeing.


Now how was I going to design the card?  Well ya know the mailbox is down the dirt road by the fence, so I cut my Sizzix Halloween die (Fence, Spook) from the thin wood paper and distressed it a little.  No one can water little flowers around the mailbox, but the cactus like to grow there and the mailman is okay as long I keep the thorns under control.  The mini cactus was a bit too small, but the cactus border was about the right size.  However, I didn't want them in a straight line so I cut several apart and staggered them along the dirt road and around the mailbox.  Some were pop dotted for added dimension.  Now I could see the mini cactus a little further out for depth.

Well the design is coming together, but I needed a card background.  I thought I would try the new brayering techniques that I am attempting to perfect.  It's gonna take lots of practice to be as good as Ms. Zindorf, but I'm working on it.  The sky was easy - just a couple of colors of blue.  The ground was a little different story, so I started with a  light green, then added a bit of brown and tried to mask in the dirt road.  The more I look at it today, the better I like it.

Now I just need a little house in the background.  I'm loving the new house stamps.  They have a large single house and a mini single house and a medium sized border of multiple houses.  Guess which one was the right size?  Yep... I stamped the house border on the thin wood paper and cut out a single house and added a tin roof (from tape again).  The house just didn't sit well at the end of the road.  I needed to cover up some imperfections.  Ah... yes.... a yard.... a little torn piece of Tim Holtz distress paper did the trick.  A white pen for the door, windows and rock walkway.  Nice... a touch of red curtains and we are about done.

Are you ready for it????


Scroll down.... if you dare.....


Really?  You are brave.....


Remember... modify the products you have on hand to create new, exciting creations....

Stamps: Texana Designs – Birdhouse, House Border, Cactus Border and Mini Cactus

Papers:  Creative Imaginations – Real wood thin cherry, Ranger Inkssentials Specialty Stamping Paper – matte coated, Core’dinations Distress Collection, Silver tape for roof and mailbox

Distress Inks for brayering:  Broken China, Faded Jeans, Bundled Sage, Tea Die & Gathered Twig

Pens:  Red & Blue Sharpies, White Signo Paint Pen, Red Stardust Gelly Pen

Sizzix Die:  Fence, Spooky

Thanks for looking!