Giving some detail and dimension to bird punches

[Cre8ive Mind]

Hi wonderful SCS friends,

Has anyone got any ideas on how to give some life and interesting details to the bird punches available? I have the two Martha Stewart and one McGill bird punches and find them kind of plain looking on my cards. I always put a dot for the eye which only has a minor effect. I tried drawing on some feather lines but didn't have a clue where they should go.
Thanks for any ideas you might have.

[gr8cards]

Stamp a design on the paper and clear emboss after punching....
Use a little gold pearl or black gem for the eye.
If the wing is separate, pop it up or make it a different color.
Punch 2 birds and pop one up on the other for a 3-D effect.
Outline it in gold ink.

I love putting birds on cards! Good luck!

[Cre8ive Mind]

gr8cards- thank you - those are super ideas. I can see myself using them all. My imagination has been waning lately...I haven't had much crafting time lately and am out of the groove. You have kick started my mojo, thank you!

[SophieLaFontaine]

I got some awesome bird punch-outs in the mail from a fellow SCSer (can't remember who!) a long time ago... they were so awesome! She had adhered bits and pieces of other papers, and drawn on them so that they resembled different species of birds! Maybe google bird images and look at the ones that most resemble the shapes of your punches and then use other scraps to customize each punch-out to resemble a specific bird?

[stampin stacy]

Depending on the size of the birds do you have a small circle, scallop or flower punch/die that you could put on eye area before adding the black dot or rhinestone.

If the wing isn't a separate die then use an exacto knife to parially cut the bottom part of the wing and use foam tape under that area so it sticks out slightly higher that the rest of the bird.

Add texture (gasp by hand, lol) with a stylus to the wing, tail feather or other areas. I've even done this to stamped bird images, looks great. You wouldn't believe what just a few simple straight lines in the tail feather area can do.

Sophie mentioned doodling; I would think zentangled birds, even on colored paper could be pretty amazing.

Main thing is to not be afraid to play, if something doesn't work - toss it. You have probably only wasted pennies not $$$$.

[Crafter 4 Life]

As others have said, if the wing(s), why not use an embossing folder to add texture. The texture doesn't have to be 'real' feather lines, it can be anything just to add interest.

Good luck

[DianneB1030]

I have the SU Elegant Bird die and have cut out many using white shimmer cs for the bird and white glitter cs for the wings.

[Cre8ive Mind]

Thanks everyone! .... they are all great ideas .... I can envision lots of pretty birds on my future cards using them one by one. I will apply these ideas to butterfly punch outs too.
Barb

[mlhaun]

Make it into a cardinal cut out 3 wings one for top of head and a small heart for the black part of face. I used a black fastener for eye.

[diecuts4u]

I love using birds, always run them thru an embossing folder
or cut and extra wing and pop it up for dimension. I always put a tiny rhinestone for the eye
add some diecut scrolls behind it or a diecut branch, a birdcage, love tim holtz birdcage.