SIMON SAYS SHOW A WORD ... "WINGS"

The SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW CHALLENGE for this week is "A Word".  Hmmm.... there are so many words!  How can you choose just ONE?  I could have chosen an obvious one like "CREATE" or "BELIEVE" or "ART".  All great words!!  Then it came to me......"WINGS"!!  So many things I love have "WINGS"; especially birds, butterflies and Angels.  So, here are my .... "WINGS".

I started with one sheet of Pink Paislee's new paper "Butterfly Wings" from their "Butterfly Garden Collection".  I absolutely love this entire collection!  This particular sheet of paper already had the image of the birdcage, so I cut around it and backed it with a piece of chipboard for strength.  Then I distressed the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  I made a semi-circle pattern for the bottom of the cage and cut it out of chipboard.  I covered it with more of the paper from the same sheet and inked it with Vintage Photo around the edges.  Then I hot glued the bottom to the back of the birdcage. 

Next I made the front of the cage using Tim Holtz' Scallop On The Edge die cut.  It was perfect for anchoring the "bars" I wanted to make for the cage!  It was not quite long enough to go from side to side, so I simply cut out another strip and pieced what I needed for a perfect fit.  I added some little antique brass brads on both sides for an accent.  Next I stamped some vintage birds on the front of the cage, inked the edges with Vintage Photo and hot glued the cage front to the upright birdcage and the outer edge of the
semi-circle.

I wanted "bars" on my cage but I didn't want metal bars for this sweet little piece.  So, I took 24 gauge gold wire and threaded some 1/4" pale yellow organza ribbon on it.  Still looks like bars but not harsh...more dainty and sweet.  I attached the bars through the holes in the scallop die at the bottom and pierced a hole in the birdcage top, ran the wire through and using Wonder Tape, secured the wire to the back of the birdcage.

Now it was time for someone to move into this new little "nest"!  I found these vintage images of children and sized them to fit the birdcage.  I printed them out on semigloss photo paper.  They were black and white images.  I colorized the dress of the little girl standing outside of the cage with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink and a Cut N Dry Pen Nib.  Very simple technique...just rub the pen nib on the ink pad and lightly begin coloring in the area you want to colorize.  You can keep lightly adding more ink to areas that you want to darken or shade.  (This technique works best on photo paper rather than just cardstock).  Then I very lightly added some blush to the little girl's cheeks.  Finally, I lightly added just a touch of Vintage Photo to her face and hand.  For the finishing touch, I added some Tropical Tangerine Stickles to the collar of the dress and ribbons in the little girl's hair.  I got a little more creative on the other little girl.

I colorized her dress with Scattered Straw Distress Ink.  Then I drew some sweet little vines and flowers on her dress using Bundled Sage, Victorian Velvet Distress Inks and pen nibs.  Yes, you can actually draw your own designs with the pen nibs! It's so much fun!  Next I added just a touch of Tropical Tangerine Stickles on some of the flowers I created on the dress and a little bit of Eucalyptus Stickles on some of the greenery.  If you look at the bodice of her dress and also on the lower portion of the dress, you can see the vines and flowers that were drawn in for more detail.

When my little vintage Angels were dry, I touched all around the edges of them with a Colorbox Black Cats Eye Ink Pad.  That really makes them "pop".  I inked the backside of my Angels with Vintage Photo and added some Pink Paislee butterfly wings. 

I put some brown excelsior grass on the floor of the birdcage and placed my little yellow Angel inside the cage.  Then I added three colored eggs to keep her company...impending brothers and sisters maybe?!  I stamped "WINGS" on a piece of cardstock and made it into a banner.  I highlighted the letters and the edges of the banner with Platinum Stickles.  Then I rolled up the edges and hot glued the banner onto the Angels' hands.  I attached the pink Angel just outside of the birdcage.  She's showing you her pretty white petticoat!

I attached a flower to the lower left side of the birdcage by using an image still from that one sheet of paper.  I highlighted it with Tropical Tangerine and Eucalyptus Stickles and glued it into place.  Then I attached a paper butterfly onto the "bar".  I hot glued him at his body so his wings could be bent upward.  It too, is highlighted with Tropical Tangerine and Eucalyptus Stickles then edged with a Chestnut Roan Cats Eye Ink Pad.  

Finally, I added the ribbons and flower bouquet to the top of the birdcage.  The ribbon was white.  I sprayed it with Pink Bubblegum and Vanilla Breeze Glimmer Mist.  I had the little pink roses and the teal roses are from Prima Flowers.  I also attached a teal rose to my yellow Angel's hand.  The butterflies were made to look like they are hovering around the bouquet by attaching them to some clear fishing line and hot gluing it into the bouquet.  Finally, for a really sweet finish, I dangled little antique brass dragonfly and butterfly charms from a teal rose in the bouquet.  These charms are also part of the Butterfly Garden collection.

The back side of the birdcage is covered in more paper from that one sheet that I used for this project.  I found another vintage photograph of a little girl that was already colorized.  I added the wings behind her shoulders and inked around the edges of the photo with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  I added photo corners and centered her on the back of the birdcage with Wonder Tape.

I encourage you to try the Distress Ink colorizing technique.  You won't believe how easy it is and when you start to add color to a black and white picture, it's like you're bringing the image to LIFE! REALLY!!!  

"WINGS" ... how fun!!  Now it's YOUR turn!  Think of a WORD and turn it into a work of art!  Then enter it into the SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW CHALLENGE!  You could be the lucky winner of a $50.00 credit voucher to the SIMON SAYS STAMP STORE!  Or you could be recognized as a TOP 3 WINNER for your incredible work and receive a BLINKIE to proudly display on your blog! 

  

I invite you to pop on over to the SIMON SAYS STAMP AND SHOW CHALLENGE BLOG!  The Design Team at Simon Says are amazingly talented and "BRING IT" for you every week with their unique and imaginative creations!  Check 'em out! 

Have a great week and remember....take time to PLAY...It's SOUL FOOD!!!