Another Retiring Cutie – Bird Banter

There is only 10 days left in the month of May (seriously where did the time go?) and I'm sharing a really cute stamp set that will leaving after May 31st when some of the products from both the Annual Catalogue and Occasions Catalogue will be retiring and leaving the Stampin' Up! offering in future.  I can tell you from experience that customers ask me all the time for stamps/accessories that have retired in years gone by and sadly I can't help them so they end up paying sometimes double the price on auction sites.

Today I'm sharing a card using the Bird Banter stamp set from the Occasions Catalogue.

I love these little parakeets – they remind me of my daughters little budgies she had over the years.  Her first budgie, Kiwi was so clever she could do little tricks and often sat on her shoulder when she did her homework.

I stamped the budgies in Basic Black Archival ink (also retiring in the new catalogue but being replaced by Tuxedo Memento Ink and/or Jet Black StazOn) and then watercolored them with classic inks and Aqua Painter brush.

I stamped the birds on the little squares from the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies and then layered them on Lemon Lime Twist (my favourite colour) and then everything was affixed to the Pool Party layer that's been embossed using the Layered Leaves Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.

The Dynamic folders are really thick so you have to use a different Big Shot "sandwich" with them or they'll be too thick to pass through your Big Shot rollers.

You have to leave out the extra Standard Cutting Pad that you would normally use with the thinner Embossing Folders.

Here's how to create today's card:

Measurements:

Whisper White Thick – 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Basic Black – 5 1/4" x 4"
Pool Party – 5" x 3 3/4"
Whisper White – 2 1/2" x 4"
Lemon Lime Twist -3 1/2" x 4"

Instructions:

1. Fold the Whisper White Thick cardstock in half to form card base.
2. Emboss the Pool Party cardstock layer with the Layered Leaves Dynamic Impressions Embossing Folder and Big Shot. Glue to the Basic Black layer.
3. Wrap a piece of Lemon Lime Twist ribbon around the lower part of the layers and affix to the back.
4. Stamp the sentiment on the Lemon Twist cardstock (leave room for the two scallop squares to be cut) and cut out with the Petals & More Thinlits die. Pop up with Stampin' Dimensionals on the ribbon.  Add a pearl to each end of the label.
5. Stamp the birds in Basic Black ink on the Whisper White piece and cut out with the small square from the Stitched Shapes Framelit die using the Big Shot.
6. Watercolor the birds using Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party and Daffodil Delight classic ink and Aqua Painters.
7. Cut out the cooresponding scallop squares from the Lemon Lime Twist piece and glue behind the stamped squares.
8. Pop up the stamped pieces to the top of the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.
9. Glue the Basic Black layer to the front of the card.

Here's what you'll need to make it (click on the pictures and you'll be redirected to my online store):