Ringing in Spring (I wish)

With great joy, I got involved in a swap. Must be I love pressure and deadlines. Or I miss it. Reminds me of my prior life. But I will say it was good. Good for the soul, good for the creative juices and for the first time in years, I was sewing again.

I started with some wool felt that was washed and ironed. I then stamped the felt with a background stamp using Ranger's Distress Ink in Walnut. I just loved the subtlety of the ink on the felt. I used my embroidery software and digitized the little QuicKutz bird so that I could use the embroidery machine to complete the applique and sew the bell together, inserting the hanger ribbon in the process.

The bird's wings are dry brushed with white paint. When they were dry, I swiped glue over the paint and adhered some glitter. I cut a twig off of a tree and added lace leaves and French silk flowers.






The Spring stamp is from Hero Arts and stamped with Adirondack's Cabin Fever stamp pad, die cut and embossed with a Spellbinders rectangle die. Then apply glitter on the edges and adhere to the bell with glue. Add ribbons and a silk flower with a pearl center and your spring ornament is complete.

And because the swap wasn't enough, I thought I'd try the whole process with handmade paper. I wish I could say that I'd made the paper, but alas, no. Purchased somewhere in my travels. However the steps were the same. Albeit a bit more tedious since paper doesn't give as easily as fabric.

One more thing, each little birdie has a Swarowski crystal for an eye. He's so regal. Just what one needs for a spring tree. This little fellow is headed to a friend so that she too can herald spring when it finally arrives!