Carta Bella Christmas Market Rustic Cardinal Mixed Media Card
Hello, Friends! This Christmas Market Rustic Cardinal Mixed Media Card celebrates my favorite winter bird. I just love the way a cardinal’s bright red plumage brightens up a dreary winter day. And they have such a cheery song. So when I found this vintage rusted cardinal embellishment in a local flea market, I just had to add it to my stash!
This is a simple 7″ x 5″ top fold card base. Stitch together layers of the patterned papers to create the background. Then get your Mixed Media Boots out of the Closet of Shame and have fun!
Christmas Market Rustic Cardinal
I decided to take Carta Bella’s Christmas Market into the woods this time. Our son kindly cut me some thin-ish slices from a Bradford pear that fell in their front yard. This one is about 1/2″ thick and about 4″ in diameter. Here’s how I created this rustic cardinals lofty perch:
- Begin by thinning white gesso with a little water. Then brush lightly over the surface of the wood slice. Don’t forget the bark! The white gesso will immediately winterize the wood.
- Next, while the gesso dries, die cut a whole pile of festive greenery. I like to use scraps of designer paper for this as the patterns add interest to the grouping. This time, I used Tim Holtz Skeleton Leaves and Mini Greenery. (Links below)
- Once the gesso is dry, tap the surface of the wood slice randomly with Versamark Embossing Ink.
- Now, sprinkle the surface with Seth Apter Blizzard Baked Texture and heat emboss.
- TIP: Keep heat embossing until the Baked Texture melts completely. These chunky powders can take a while to fully blossom. You can stop at any point, of course, but I really baked this one, and I loved the effect. Experiment and find the perfect stopping point for your personal taste.
- Next, tap the cooled surface with Art Institute Dries Clear Adhesive. Then immediately sprinkle with Rajni Chawla’s Crystal Clear. Looks just like freshly fallen snow!
- TIP: cut a piece from a make-up sponge to dab on the adhesive. Rinse and re-use!
- Pile on the greener, then tuck in your cardinal and berries.
Christmas Market Rustic Cardinal: A Peek Inside
Here’s a fun way to use washi tape to hold a honey stick in place! And who wouldn’t love a buffalo plaid treat pocket?
Chocolate, tea and honey? Sa-weet! So you get eye candy and tummy candy all in one!
To see more projects made with Carta Bella Christmas Market, look HERE and HERE.
I think this card would be gorgeous on a Christmas mantel or side table, too. In real life, it glistens and sparkles like fresh fallen snow. You can find this one in my ETSY shop!
I hope I shared some tips, tricks and techniques that you can use in your next crafty adventure. If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.
Thanks for stopping by!
Cheerio,
kathy
SUPPLY LIST
- Carta Bella Christmas Market
- Dies
- Mixed Media
- Ribbon: 3/8″ Red Satin Swiss Dots
- Flowers and embellies from my stash
Growing up in the mid-west, cardinals were always a joyful sight. Well, the West Coast is a nice place to live, but no cardinals or fire flies (lightning bugs) here…miss them both. Daughter’s family resides in St. Louis, home of Cardinals Baseball! this is such a lovely project…featuring that cardinal is a wonderful focal point. LOVE those rusty bells!!! they look terrific on country and vintage holiday themes. My order should be arriving any day. Looking forward to using them. Turns out my last craft show was a nice success…didn’t have much to offer with holiday themes, but did well anyway. Next year will be a better year for show inventory production! This week I;m working on a Christmas countdown projects for the grand..always fun to create. Then comes a bunch of cards made from Gracious…LOVE the colors of that Authentique collection! I’ll be referencing your projects. Spent time matching solids at JoAnn’s…my basket looked beautifully coordinated! Lunch before making my usual crafty mess!
Wonderful card, Kathy! Equally wonderful tute and your tips are priceless! xoxo
So pretty with the cardinal–love watching them through my window.
Where to start?!! LOVE the white slice from your pear tree…a good son you have! LOVE that bird…a stunner! Gorgeous make and all the details a delight!
Another beautiful card Kathy. We don’t have Cardinal’s up this far but with the climate changing the way it is, we may have them one day. They are so pretty. Great work Kathy. Thank you.
Each day I am blown away with your talent and lovely designs. Love the theme and old rusted bird. Tea & chocolate puts it over the top – Earl Grey please! Well Kathy, today I started a spread sheet for your tips & sources, as i don’t want to forget a one. Thank you for providing such a treat with my cuppa and lounge by the fireplace this morning.
I love this paper collection and you have made a beautiful card with it. I dont think Ive seen you do the washi with the honey straw before. Perfectly matches!! This card is thin enough…you could put a thin piece of bubble wrap on top and mail it in a regular envelope….may have to use 1 extra stamp but still…..I love it!
Love this card and love the rusty look of the Cardinal, and using wood slices from your own yard – very clever and was the Cardinal die from Tim Holtz? Everything so coordinated, as usual from you!!!
Such a beautiful card, Kathy! I do love the cardinals too. You have such a great eye and imagination for gathering distinctive and unique embellishments. Your cardinal is awesome! And his nest is so pretty! So helpful to read how you make things look the way they do. Love the way you used the washi tape too. How clever! I think I have become a Washi tape collector. LOL Thank you for sharing this lovely card! Hugs!