Birdies

A growing collection

 

My Artist Trading Card collection so far consists of.... two cards. Well it's a start! I have a lot of card protectors in a folder, ready to be filled up, and I'm entering a few ATC swaps, so I'm hoping I will have some new ones to show you very soon.

 

So I have been making some ready to trade, and I have become hooked on the theme of birds.

 

 

 

I'm not really a bird fan to be honest. I like looking at them, and feeding them from a distance but my neighbour had a parrot that used to attack me so I tend to avoid bigger birds! But I found a book in a charity shop that I thought I could take home and use in my crafting. I have been cutting out the photos of different wildlife and the inspiration hasn't stopped! :)

 

I'm currently participating in a private ATC swap with a lady from Wales, she mentioned that she likes animals, but I checked her Swapbot profile and it turns out she's very interested in the local flora and fawna of the areas people live. So I've made her two ATCs of some birds I have seen in the countryside around Leicestershire, my birthplace.

Here they are!

 

 

Items used to make these:

300sm card background
Poster paints
Cut out bird photograph from magazine
Backing paper for photo
Embellishments (Brad, Gems, flower)
Copper coloured embossing powder
Heat embossing gun

 

 

To make these:

•  I cut out pages from another charity shop book I bought, painted them and glued to cardstock.
• Then, I stuck the bird photos onto the painting (although the owl has a spotty background because I thought it would look too dark if I stuck it straight on.)
•  Then for my favourite bit! I heat embossed a stamped pattern around the edges. I used a copper coloured embossing powder and I think it really compliments the regal posture of the owl and the bright flashes of colour you get from watching kingfishers speed past.
• Finally, I added a few gem embellishments and dah dah! Prettiful :) 

Returning home after a week away

I went back to my parents house for a week last week. It was lovely to be home, in a warm house (us students can't afford to have the central heating to be on all the time) with the cat sat on my lap clawing away at my leg 

/\  /\

meow  =0.o= ouch!

 

When I had to leave I was pretty down... even though I'll only be away at uni for about 4 weeks before the Easter Holidays. But it's still horrible having to leave for the 3 hour drive in the opposite direction from family. 

 

I was practically falling asleep in the car (no I wasn't driving, don't worry!) My lovely boyfriend Luke was driving. He lives with me, making travelling in his car a hell of a lot more comfortable than having to catch 3 trains and the London Underground.

 

So I was moody and tired and we finally arrived at our house at about 10pm, I opened the door and WOAH!!

 

So much mail waiting for me from my swapbot trades. All of a sudden I was very hyperactive, it took a lot of concentration not to tear all the pretty decorations as I opened each envelope. It actually felt like it was my birthday.  :)

 

I do wonder though, if I put half as much effort into my dissertation as I do for my penpalling... I probably would have finished it by now!