Proud as a Peacock

A little story to make you smile for which my daughter will probably never forgive me!!

Some 5 years ago on a sunny Boxing Day morning, a peacock walked up my drive and adopted me. Yes, I say adopted me as he is most certainly ‘the boss’. 

A few weeks later my daughter Melanie arrived from the UK in search of sunshine. She arrived in Cape Town after a 12 hour flight and then had a 5 hour drive to where we live. On arrival she was greeted by myself and my ‘new friend’ and exclaimed “Oh look Mum a penguin!” Education is a wonderful and expensive thing. Let’s hope it was ‘jet lag’. We named him, very imaginatively, Pete.

Just recently I was in the UK for 2 months and when I returned Pete had grown a new set of tail feathers and strutted very proudly into my office demanding food with menaces - no change there then.

To progress, when I saw this Creative Expressions Art Nouveau Peacock set amongst my ‘home work’ on my return I was delighted and determined to express his grandeur.

So, I cut out 2 gold squares using the Spellbinders Grand Squares, folded a quarter inch on one of them and joined them at the back with double sided tape to create my card base. 

For the background, I die cut a smaller square from purple card stock. This I spritzed with Cosmic Shimmer sprays: Blue Lime and Ancient Copper and left it to dry. 

Meanwhile I cut out a smaller purple square and another gold square.  Using Versamark and Cosmic Shimmer gold embossing powder I stamped the peacocks, patterns and sentiment. 

Now comes the part I enjoy most, which is to paint them. This time with Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Drawing Ink: Peacock Teal, Blue Blush, Lime Burst and Meadow Lush (from the Persian and Garden sets) and left to dry.

Persian

Garden

Going back to the now dry spritzed purple backing sheet. I stamped it with Versamark using the feathers from the peacock set and embossed them with Cosmic Shimmer Lapis Pearl.

This small piece of old gold ribbon I found in a draw (when I was supposed to be tidying up) and it works perfectly with a couple of Chinese coins and a bit of gold twine. Fixed to the back of the top layer and using a little mounting tape to raise it I was finished. 

What do you think? I think Pete would be proud!

Enjoy playing around with your versions and let us know how you get on.

Linda