a brace of cardinals

i didn't set out to make two quite plain cardinal cards, it just sort of happened. i needed a couple of wintery--but not christmassy--thank you cards, and when i saw this picture on the cover of the ll bean catalog, i thought how perfectly suited it was to the task! there's a bit of a winter-themed poem by shelley* on there, and some machine stitching, and some rhinestones... (which are covering up the spelling error in my first attempt at typing the poem) ...and that's it.

i liked the first card enough that when i needed another, i decided to look for a cardinal picture in broderbund printshop's clipart gallery, and i really liked this watercolory, slightly abstract one:

i put the sentiment on digitally, printed the whole thing on photo paper, and distressed the edges...and it looked pretty good...but you know i can never stand to have something just be *flat* so i decided to enhance the main branch with some machine stitching, and then i attached the image to my card in the same way.

ok. i'm ready for spring now. :)

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(materials for both cards: core'dinations cardstock; photos from a catalog and a clipart cd, respectively; michaels gems; "you are loved" font; tonic edge distresser; sewing machine; manual typewriter)

*excerpt from "the question" by percy bysshe shelley:

i dreamed that, as i wandered by the way,

bare winter suddenly was changed to spring,

and gentle odours led my steps astray,

mixed with a sound of waters murmuring

along a shelving bank of turf, which lay

under a copse, and hardly dared to fling

its green arms round the bosom of the stream,

but kissed it and then fled,

as thou mightst in dream.