I'mmm Baacckk!!!

Hello! I know----it's been forever since I posted anything (hanging my head in shame!). My dear daughter is making me look bad with all her manic crafting, so I've decided I need to try to create something . Not that I haven't been creating---I've been painting. But I'm still stuck on Christmas ornaments, so I thought that probably wouldn't be the best thing to be talking about now that Christmas is a (not so) distant memory!

So, I dug around in my cupboards a little and came up with these bird shapes. They're a little heavier than chipboard, so I'm not exactly sure how to identify them. I don't think they're wood--some kind of composite material. I have a whole bag of them, so this project is just a drop in the bucket when it comes to  reducing my stash. But I'm kind of inspired, so maybe I'll do more with them.

Please forgive a couple of kind of blurry photos. If I stop to go take better ones, I may never get back here!  So, here are some of the ingredients I gathered for this project. The bird, some kraft paper with a scrolly design on it. This was actually a brown paper bag that I acquired someplace where I shopped. I couldn't bear to throw it out. .

 Also some crinkly paper shreds, spools, ink and a magazine that had an idea that inspired me. My project looks nothing like this, but it provided the inspiration to get started.

 I intended to use a large spool that I had in my stash, but decided it was too short. It was large but kind of short and stubby!  So I found a small, tall round paper mache box that I thought would be more in proportion. I used the kraft paper to cover the little box & lid and the front and back of the bird, using glue stick to adhere it.

 I fastened a small nest to the top of the little box. but first I put some of the shreds on the lid of the box, to give the nest a place to snuggle into. I hot glued it all in place..

I then cut two wings from some corrugated cardboard that I removed the front cover from, so that the ripply corrugation showed. I inked it and used stickles type glittery glue in the ridges and glued it to the bird..

 I also applied the glittery glue to most of the black designs on the kraft paper, both on the bird and box. I found a  bouquet of little yellow posies that I fastened in the nest. Then I cut some egg shapes from a glittery cardstock yellow leaf stem and added them in among the flowers. Then I used a similar green sprig to add a little "greenery" under the flowers.

 I inked the words "nest" and "fly" on the kraft paper and cut them out in little squares, which I attached to the front of the box and the bird. It's kind of hard to see, but I used the black butterfly from the kraft paper design, cut it out, covered it with the glittery glue, and attached it to the box also.

So, there we have a bird/nest assemblage. I used only things I had in my stash. I could probably craft for months without ever having to purchase a thing! Tania and I have that in common!

My next project is some greeting cards. I've had a "kit" stashed away for-EVER, so I got it out and am working on it now. I'll post some pictures soon, and try to be a little more active here than I have been lately. Now that the Christmas rush is over, I should have more time!

Happy belated New Year!