Ink to Paper :: April 2021 Release :: Day One

Well, hey, how are you?  Did you notice it's April 11th?  That means we're back on our regular Ink to Paper/Papertrey release schedule, with all the new products hitting the shop on April 15th at 10pm EST.  We've got some fun new sets to debut over the next few days, and if you're on the hunt for some masculine items, we'll have plenty of those as we look ahead to Father's Day.

First up for today, though, is #10 in the Feathered Friends Mini stamp and die series.  I made several projects with this little gal/guy for this post, and this is my favorite one--a bird house.  It was super-simple to turn the Holiday House into a bird house by cutting out the circular window die from that set in the center of the house front.  I chose kraft card stock, and also used the Woodwork dies to add some more nature-looking texture.

I cut the hole in the wood grain strip first, then laid it out on the house front where I wanted it to go, and traced the inside of the circle cut-out on the house so that I knew exactly where to die cut the hole.

The house is decorated with branches, leaves, and flowers from the Blossoming Branches set--one of my all-time faves!  I wanted something really colorful to set against the kraft-colored house, so I used lots of oranges and greens in both the flora and the bird itself.

Finally, a little tag with a sweet message and some itty bitty hearts that are left over after cutting out a Skinny Heart Frame on a previous project.  This cute package can be filled with a bag of real bird seed for a bird lover, or a healthy snack like trail mix or even a bag of edible seeds like flax or chia for a health nut.  Lots of possibilities--chocolate is usually appreciated, as well :)

A few tips:

1. The bright shades of the orange and green bird really pop against the kraft background but still stand out when paired with the lighter shades of orange and green in the leaves and flowers

2. Turn the Holiday House into a bird house by cutting out the circular window die from that set in the center of the house front

3. When looking to add texture, the shorter Woodwork die panels fit perfectly across the house

Supplies:

Stamps: Feathered Friends Mini 10, Feathered Friends Mini 5, Holiday House, Blossoming Branches

Ink: Orange Zest, Canyon Clay, Green Parakeet, New Leaf, Melon Berry, True Black, Watermark

Paper: Classic Kraft, Stamper's Select White, Orange Zest Bitty Big

Dies: Feathered Friends Mini 10, Holiday House, Holiday House Accessories, Blossoming Branches, Charming Tags 1, Woodwork, Border Bling: Skinny Heart Frames

Other: peach twine, blending brush

I always like to sit these Feathered Friends on leafy or plain branches, and an older set called Dear Friend is a great choice for that.  After stamping the bird in pretty shades of pink and yellow, I set about inking up some card stock in shades of aqua and turquoise.  I simply used a blending brush and a mix of Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, and Tropical Teal inks to do it.

Once all of the leaves were cut out, I arranged them against of backdrop of Pale Peony cardstock and a frame of fir branches.

The hug sentiment is found in the FF #10 set, while 'sending love' is from Dear Friend.

A few tips:

1. Add dimension to the bird (or any die cut!) by adhering it with 3-D foam adhesive to a duplicate die cut underneath 

2. Achieve beautiful color variations by using multiple inks and a blending brush.  Use a heavy hand for a more saturated hue and a lighter one for a softer finish

3. The Fir Branches frame die isn't just for winter--use it all year long, especially on nature-themed cards

Supplies:

Stamps: Feathered Friends Mini 10, Dear Friend

Ink: Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Tropical Teal, Bright Buttercup, Sweet Blush, Berry Sorbet, True Black

Paper: Pale Peony, Stamper's Select White

Dies: Feathered Friends Mini 10, Dear Friend, On the Border: Fir Branches

Other: blending brush

To wrap up the day on this birdie buddy, I created a set of tags to have on hand.  With a Mint Julep base and the largest Charming Tag 1 die, I added some pinks to the mix, going back to last year's A Mother's Love collection.  The circular wreath die cut and some leaves and florals at the bottom make a pretty perch for the Pale Peony and Honey Nut-colored bird.

I know this bird isn't exactly flying, but I think it's all right to use that sentiment here anyhow.  I chose a couple of different messages to pair with it, figuring these two will work for most occasions.

I used the hole reinforcement die from the Pop-Up Envelope die set to make the ribbon hole sturdier.  I've also backed the thin patterned paper with a duplicate cardstock tag to make it stronger. 

A few tips:

1. Leaving some areas of the bird white makes them stand out against the more colorful areas

2. Save time by creating multiple tags to have on hand; choose different sentiments to make them more versatile

3. Using more than one trim is a quick way to add texture and fancy up any tag; the seam binding and tulle used here are inexpensive and offer a soft touch

Supplies:

Stamps: Feathered Friends Mini 10, Flying By, A Mother's Love

Ink: Pale Peony, Honey Nut, Melon Berry, Raspberry Fizz, True Black

Paper: Mint Julep, Stamper's Select White, Mint Julep Bitty Big, gold glitter

Dies: Feathered Friends Mini 10, Flying By, A Mother's Love, Charming Tags 1, Pop-Up Envelope

Other: seam binding, tulle

We've got a couple of other sets we're checking out today, which have a nautical theme--Seas of Life and Weaved Background.  My card is very simply designed, but I like it that way.  I grew up on the lake and it makes me think of a tranquil summer day from my childhood, watching the sailboats and listening to the seagulls.

The tone-on-tone of the Weaved Background stamped on a Stitched Frame, both in Ocean Tides, creates a nice, subtle frame around the water scene with the waves, sailboat, and seagulls.

Supplies:

Stamps:  Seas of Life, Weaved Background

Ink: Ocean Tides, Pure Poppy, Honey Nut, Dark Indigo, Soft Stone, Bright Buttercup

Paper: Ocean Tides, Stamper's Select White

Dies: Seas of Life, Border Basics: Rectangle Frame, Border Bling: Stitched

That does it for Day One!  Thanks for coming by today.  You'll want to stop by the Papertrey blog if you haven't already done so for the full details on today's sets, and of course to have a look at the beautiful projects by the Design Team.  All new products will debut in the shop on April 15th at 10pm EST.  I'll be back tomorrow with more fun stuff for the dads in our life!