Chickadee

Hello everyone!  A dear friend of mine just found out she has a malignancy and is scheduled for surgery this Thursday.  I usually do not like to ask for favors, but I am asking a HUGE one of all Christian bloggers that may read this to add my friend to your prayers this week. I am a true believer that God hears each and everyone of our prayers and thoughts, and desires us to pray together.  Thank you!

I've made this card for my friend to remind her that God is with her every step of the way and hopefully bring her some quiet Christmas cheer.  I was inspired to paint a chickadee as the focal point when I saw a pair of them sitting on my feeder just singing their little hearts out. I love their sweet little voices!  These are one of my favorite birds and I could watch them for hours.  They are not shy, and often hang around when I'm working in the garden. This is a year round bird in this area, but seem to increase in numbers in the winter season.

My background is painted with Distress paints which I  swiped on my craft mat, spritzed with water, and then I dragged a high quality smooth paper through the puddle.  Dried and re-swiped several times until I got the look I was happy with. Once completely dry, I spritzed with Perfect Pearl spray mist.  I embossed with a Sizzix folder , sanded the raised areas and swiped on Distress ink.

I cut a piece of  plain white card stock using Nestibilites  Labels Twenty-Two die, embossed with Sizzix folder, swiped some gesso over random raised areas with a credit card and dried.  Once completely dried I inked with Distress ink and wiped with a damp paper towel.  This provides such an beautiful array of shades using just one ink color.  This is one of my favorite techniques.  I wiped on some Distress stain on the raised areas and around the edge with my finger.

The rectangular strip was a done in the same manner, but instead of the stain I heat embossed areas with Ranger embossing tinsel.  I also spritzed with Tattered Angels glimmer mist before the embossing. The embossing folder for this layer is a Tim Holtz Texture Fade.

I cut the frame with Nestibilities Opulent Ovals die, left the die in place to use as a mask, and inked with Distress ink. I embossed with the die, dabbed with Ranger's embossing dabber, and embossed with the Embossing Tinsel used above.

I cut the oval from watercolor paper with Nestibilities  Classic Ovals Large die, left the die in place, stamped with a unidentified chickadee stamp from 100 years ago, and watercolored with Distress inks and markers, using a water brush.  Who needs watercolors anymore?  When dry, I removed the die. A close resemblance to the birds I see out my window.

My foliage was cut from Kraft Core cardstock using Tim Holtz'  Festive Greenery strip die and sanded.  I added some Stickles Rock Candy and Distress Rock Candy Glitter for a little frosting effect.  The berries were rescued from an old wreath and hoarded to use in my crafts. They were given a little Distress glitter treatment.

I chose this sentiment, as it is what we were talking about the other day, and my friend asked me to remind her daily that God is indeed walking with her through this uncertain journey. I put the sentiment inside to keep the card face uncluttered.

I hope my card will give her a little Christmas cheer that she will so terribly need in the upcoming weeks. Sadly, her Mom passed away from cancer 2 Christmas' ago. Thank you for visiting my blog, for your prayers if you wish and also for the very heart warming comments you leave.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:

Frilly and Funkie "A Vintage Holiday"

Country View Challenges Festive December Challenge "Nostalgic Christmas"

A Vintage Journey #20 "Birds of a Feather"

Craft Hoarders Anonymous "Celebrate the Season"

Inspiration Journal "Sing, Sing It Loud!" The birds outside my window which inspired this card were singing their little hearts out!

The Artistic Stamper Creative Team "Anything Goes"

Fashionable Stamping Challenges #87 Winter Wonderland

Just Us Girls #270 Word Week "Sparkle" It's hard not to have a little sparkle this time of the year!  What a fun challenge blog!