Woodland Stories Archives - Kathy by Design

Really Reasonable Ribbon August 2021 Blog Hop with Little Birdie Crafts Woodland Stories

Hello, Friends! Welcome to the Really Reasonable Ribbon August 2021 Blog Hop! You should be coming here filled with inspiration after visiting Ginny’s gorgeous blog. This month we are featuring the glorious Autumn Ribbon Collection. Fall is my favorite season of the year, and I look forward to this Club Assortment with great anticipation! You can see why!

A Woodland Stories Walkabout

Having grown up in New England, I have fond memories of leisurely walks in the Autumn woods. Leaves crunch beneath your feet as scolding squirrels chatter nervously in the branches above your head. Vibrant leaves flutter in the crisp fall breeze and above it all a crystal blue sky hangs high in the heavens. It’s an experience not to be missed, I tell you!

I tried to recreate those sensations with this 6″ x 8″ mixed media hanging card. Here’s how to put it together:

First, cut a 6″ x 8″ panel of orange textured paper from Little Birdie Crafts Woodland Stories. Set this piece aside.
Next, cut a 5 5/8″ x 7 7/8″ panel of the small floral pattern from the same collection.
Top this with a 5″ x 7″ panel of the teal background pattern and a 4 3/4″ x 6 3/4″ panel of the bird/floral corner pattern.
Now distress the edges of the last 3 layers lightly and paint the edges with white chalk paint. Then adhere them together.

The Details

Here’s where the ribbon takes center stage! Wrap the 3 layers with Tornado Blue Taffeta and Autumn Leaves on White Satin Ribbon. There is a slight metallic shimmer to the Autumn Leaves ribbon that really brings this whole piece to life.

Now you can adhere the bundled layers to the orange background panel. Create a bow/flower cluster with Tornado Blue Taffeta, Natural Burlap String and lots of gorgeous Boho Chic flowers from Little Birdie Crafts. As a finishing touch, tuck in some turquoise and gold feathers. Then spritz a little hanger (found in my stash) with Copper Mica Spray and attach the hanging card.

On With the Hop!

Now hop on over and see what paper pretties Cheryl has in store for you. Be sure to finish up the hop over at the Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog. If you answer Bonnie’s question of the month, you’ll be entered in a drawing to win your very own August Ribbon Club Assortment!

If you’re not a member of the Ribbon Club yet, now is a great time to join! Each month you’ll receive a lovely package of themed ribbons in your mailbox. It’s like getting a birthday present every month of the year. You can find out how to sign up HERE.

You’ll find a linked supply list below this post.

Thanks for hopping!

Cheerio,

kathy

SUPPLY LIST

Really Reasonable Ribbon August Ribbon Club Assortment
Little Birdie Crafts Woodland Stories Paper Collection
- Glitter Ephemera
- 4×6 Journaling Cards
Circular Lattice Primed Chipboard
Primed Chipboard Grasses
Vibrant Flowers
Hanger, Feathers and Mist from my stash

Little Birdie Crafts Woodland Stories Mixed Media Home Decor Tutorial

Hello, Friends! This Woodland Stories Mixed Media Home Decor Tutorial is the perfect way to while away a sultry summer afternoon. Beautiful flowers, cheery stacked teacups, and cheeky little birds beckon you to slow down the pace. Stop and smell the flowers.

Mixed media is not my area of expertise. But I do love to dabble. There’s something liberating about slapping down paint and gel medium and a bunch of different textured layers. This 8×8 wall hanging was pure fun to make. And, as you will see in the video tutorial below, it comes together very quickly! That’s always a bonus. I won’t belabor you with a lot of tips and such in this post. You can hear me talk about them all in the video. So we’ll just hit a few highlights and move things along quickly.

Decoupage Paper

The inspiration for this project is the stacked teacups and birdie image. Little Birdie makes wonderful decoupage paper, and I finally had a chance to play with it. It’s lovely stuff, and so easy to work with. As you can see, the colors are rich and the images are wonderful. Each package comes with 2 sheets of 2 different designs.

After distressing layers of Woodland Stories Cardstock, I tore the focal image from the sheet of decoupage paper. Be sure to ink the edges so that it will blend in nicely with the background. Then, seal it to the base with gel medium. Do both sides, front and back for a really good seal.

Although this was my first play with this paper, it won’t be my last. It’s wonderful stuff!

Mixed Media Details

Here are some quick and easy ways to add mixed media details to a project.

Distressed edges add wonderful texture to the edges of cardstock. Use a distressing tool, or simply run the blade of your scissors along the edge of the paper. Little tears are even better!
Chalk paint is one of my favorite mediums. You can paint edges, paint metals, spatter on the finished project, or brush on flower petals to add a wonderful shabby feel to your project.
Machine stitching adds texture, subtle pattern and helps to frame a piece.
Check your spice cabinet! Mustard seeds and green peppercorns lend an organic feel to the composition.

Little Birdie Metallic Wax adds another layer of distressing to painted metals and resin. I just rub it on lightly with my finger. Primed chipboard can be used as is, rubbed with metallic wax, or painted and spritzed with mica sprays. All these elements work together to make mixed media easy to do!

Woodland Stories Mixed Media Home Decor Tutorial on YouTube

If you’d like to see the steps that went into creating this bit of home decor, you watch me play in the video tutorial below.

I hope you enjoyed viewing this project as much as I enjoyed making it! You can find a linked supply list below this post, just in case you feel the need to shop for some of these paper pretties!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy