For the Birds!

Today I have a BUNCH of birds - two flocks and a flamboyance!  I recently got these dies from Spellbinders (Tropical Friends & Grand Tropical Flamingos - Large & Small Die of the Month for May 2024).  I had seen a video where someone shared about laying out dies on one piece of card stock and then taping the dies together so they could move them as a set from to cut another piece of card stock the same way - allowing one to cut several colors but only having to arrange them once. It sounded like a great idea and time saver, and I figured I'd try it with these new dies.  

It WAS a great idea, but I got carried away and made WAY too many of these critters.  They're cute, but how many of them can I use?  I have 24 toucans (see above).

I've finished 16 parrots, but have more of them to make because I hadn't die cut enough eyes).

And finally, my flamboyance of flamingos - I have 36 of them! I don't have a CLUE how I'll use so many, BUT . . . I shouldn't have to make more for awhile!!!

Also with the sets were some tropical flowers - I think I'll be more likely to use them.

Here are the largest ones:

And here are the little flowers:

If you look closely, you'll see that I shaped these last ones.  (And I'll probably go ahead and shape the bigger ones at some point.)  I shaped them using a small stylus and bending the petals around the shank of the stylus.  It took awhile, but I really liked the result.  My fingers, were definitely getting sore by the time I was done, though.  I also die cut and shaded/put together a bunch of leaves & branches, but don't feel like taking pics of those.  I'm sure I'll be using plenty of flowers and greenery on future cards, though - and even occasionally some of those birds! :)