Twofer challenge #40: Birds...

 I really love the Twofer Challenge Blog because it pushes me to make two cards at once that are for different occasions. Now that I am regularly donating cards to the thrift store (and having a hard time keeping up with demand), I need to make cards at a quicker pace. This challenge helps me do just that.

This month the Twofer theme is "birds," and here is what I created:

I had a NBUS die set that I wanted to use, so this was the perfect impetus to move me in that direction.

My first card is a mini-slimline, 6" X 3.5". I adhered my DSP to the front and then cut an aperture with an oval die.

My sentiment--thanks--was stamped on the inside of my card towards the top of the oval opening.

I used a brown colored pencil to add some feather lines to my bird, and I also inked its edges with distress ink. I tried to give it a reddish abdomen, like a robin. I used some Nuvo Drops for the eye and the flower centers.

Dies for the leafy branch and flowers were included in the set with the bird, so I cut those out of CS and adhered them across the opening.

The weatherperson is once again predicting that our daily high temperatures will be 90+ (32+ C) for the next few days. This heat wave made me think of an old Spanish idiom that originated in Chile and has to do with a certain bird: "Ducks are falling already roasted!" That means its really hot out!!!

I was inspired to make this second card by one I saw on Pinterest. I loved the idea of the woodgrained background, since we always think of birds in trees. 

This time I pulled out some leafy sprig dies and some different tiny flower dies.

The center white circle is popped up on dimensionals, as is the bird and the bird's wing. I used Nuvo Drops for the bird's eye and the flower centers.

While the clear sequins aren't too noticeable, I did add two of them to my white circle and one at the top of my card near the sentiment.

I stamped a sentiment on the inside and added a couple leafy sprigs that I had cut out, but didn't use on the front of the card. 

I hope you'll join in on the fun at the Twofer blog. You could probably use a couple more cards in your stash, couldn't you?

Finally, I thought I'd share one more idiom factoid with you. When we call someone a chicken in this country, we mean they are afraid. The Italians have another take on chicken name-calling. I guess they don't consider chickens to be very bright, because when an Italian says someone "is really a chicken," he means that person is easily fooled.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and remember to laugh--a little or a lot--every day.

Cheryl