Hints of Spring

Hi everyone.  Time for a new challenge at Mixed Media Card Challenge - #9 - Hints of Spring with optional element:  bird.

Officially it's still winter here, but we have had a very mild winter and the plants are totally confused by the warm weather and have started sprouting. :)  The leaves are starting to come out on the trees, and lots of little birds are returning from down south.  Even my camellia bush is confused and thinks it's spring as it is in full bloom. :)

I am celebrating this warm weather with lots of leaves on my card. :)  The background is Brushos watercolour crystals that I sprayed with a shimmer mist to add a bit of sparkle.  Then I sponged bright green over top of a leafy stencil.  I received this bird die as a gift from my friend Susan --- thanks Susan!!  I cut it from white card stock and then sponged the bottom with soft brown, and along the top with dark brown.  Then I took my blender pen and added strokes of more shades of brown so it hopefully looks a bit like feathers.

I die-cut the branch from dark brown and sponged the same ink over top to give it some interest.  Then I die-cut dark green leaves, drawing in the vein lines with my marker and sponging more of the same colour along the edges to give the leaves some visual depth.  I shaped them with my stylus and mat and then glued them onto the branch.  The bird looks happy perched among the leaves. :)

I hope you'll make a mixed media spring card and join us!  So fun!! :)

Stamps:  A Little Sentimental (Clearly Besotted)
Paper:  White (Neenah; Watercolour (Arches 140 lb. cold press); Early Espresso and Garden Green (SU!)
Ink:  Turquoise (Brushos), Gumball Green, Early Espresso, Garden Green, Crumb Cake (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Water mister, Leafy stencil (cut with my Silhouette Cameo), sponges; Grove Branch die, Tender Leaves die, Perched Reed Bird die (all from Memory Box), blender pen (SU!)