Goldfinch and Happy Moments - Shabby Naturalist Style Card

Both my guys love birds just like I do.
There are a number of them on their wall murals:
H for hummingbird, O for Owl, S for Sandpiper, and soon
(once I'm in the clear to get up on a stool again) W for Woodpecker.
Yeah, these murals have only taken me the past two years but hey, life happens! 
And with acrylics, once you start you really do have to finish quickly.
It's tricky.  I got to letter T (a rainforest tree-frog) and just ran out of energy for awhile.

But I digress.  Back to our bird sanctuary garden!
(Follow the link for a tour from last June!)
Last year we planted a bird-friendly perennial area out front on our hill
for the sake of the goldfinches and other seed-eating birds.

The coreopsis in particular came back strong this year, along with the echinaceas and
rudbeckia, which will bloom around midsummer.
To our delight,
this past week we saw our first goldfinches.
Jay is all ready to do a bird report for homeschool now, and since I'm all for
student-driven initiative, I will help him make that happen,
even though we covered animal classification in February and March.
What matters is that he's finding out what he's interested in,
and then he's finding out how to learn more
and to help others become interested in things too.

I promised him we could make some bird paintings or maybe cards this week too,
so we'll see what my Guest Designer and 5yo artist comes up with :)

For now, here's one I made while the boys played chess this afternoon with DH.

 

The textural mesh in the background is what you might call a super-recycled
"found item".  It's drywall mesh leftover from my renovation of the laundry area
about 5 or 6 months ago.  It was originally attached to a thin piece of sheet metal
as a wall patch, but as I didn't end up needing that patch piece I found a new use for it.
That new use--as a die-cutting shim--did tear up the adhesive mesh though, so I saved it
for mixed media and other uses.
In planning this card I thought a nesting finch might just find something like that
useful in his own seasonal building project.

 

 

Once again as in my Bluebird Anniversary card of a few months ago,
the songbird takes center stage here as part of my self-titled
"Shabby Naturalist" style.




My Mr. Goldfinch was just a little too snazzy at first for the naturalist look
that I wanted, so I dirtied him up a little bit with some
Tattered Angels gold glimmer mist on his back and tail.  Some I wiped off, but it
was mostly to tame the pre-applied glitter on the chipboard.  Now,
it mostly looks textural instead of quite so glitzy-sparkly.



The sentiment I think is a very versatile one, so this card could be used for anything
from an anniversary to birthday or just-because.
But for me, it was all tied to my time with my bird-watching buddies.
Happy moments, happy memories.
This is so much of what childhood is all about, this solid foundation-building.
A safe place to explore the world, ideas, and feelings within a loving and nurturing
environment where we can help each other and teach one another.
The other day, Jay melted my heart with happiness when he said going places was fun,
and he liked doing adventures together, but home was best because it's where we
can do special things together.
You better believe I gave him a giant hug, dropped what I was doing and made sure
to make another special memory together right then.
Happy Moments.
Ever realize it starts with Happy Mom?

...Just something to think about.



Here are the challenges:

My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge #283

Simon Says Stamp and Show: Summer Garden

Deep Ocean #130: Furry & Feathered Friends

JUGS Word Week: BIRDS

The Crazy Challenge #224: Tic tac Toe

Bottom row: Die cut (circles), DP, flowers

Cardz 4 Galz #23: Vintage or Shabby Chic - 3rd and last entry

 {PIN}spirational #166: Anything You Can Do

Crafting from the Heart #115: Always ATG

 

 

Materials Used on this Card:
Cardstock {Rustic white, Dark chocolate - Papertrey Ink}
Patterned papers {Paper Pizazz, Making Memories}
Sentiment Stamp {Papertrey Ink}
Kraft tag {The Paper Studio}
Ink {Archival black - Ranger}
Goldfinch chipboard sticker {Paper House}
Glimmer mist {Gold - Tattered Angels}
Distress spray {Peeled Paint - Tim holtz/Ranger}
Pastel lime mini-brads {the Paper Studio}
Foliage, hydrangeas, wooden buttons, twine {stash}
Drywall mesh



Thank you so much for visiting!

 I hope you have enjoyed yourself,

and I wish you a wonderful day.

If you get a chance before you go, there is still time to

enter for my Spring Giveaway before next week!

Actually it's more of a destash.  Everything is all packed up and ready to ship ASAP.

Inlinkz is so quick and I've opened the giveaway to both US and

International crafters as well.

Picture and link are on my right-hand sidebar. :)

 

Take care,

Be well,

and enjoy the sunshine,

 

--Kathryn