hedwig

I usually use Memories permanent dye ink because it gives a nice, strong black color that will not run if you color in your scene using watercolors or markers.

1. Stamp the window; mask with a reverse mask (also called a mortise mask: a mask that covers the surrounding portion, but leaves the window opening exposed for stamping)

2. Stamp smaller owl, making sure part of his wing is stamped onto the reverse mask

3. Remove reverse mask, put regular mask over the window

4. Stamp stone wall, remove mask

5. Stamp large owl on separate cardstock, color, then cut out, making sure to cut around her beak with a craft knife so you can slip the envelope under the beak. Be sure to put some glue on the back of the envelope so it will stick to the owl. Then adhere the owl to your scene. (You could also begin with stamping the large owl, then masking it and proceding from step one above. I did the scene this way because I wanted the large owl to stand out a bit from the rest of the scene. You can't tell by the scan, but in person the owl does seem to stand out more this way.)

6. I colored this scene using regular colored pencils on the owls, sky and window frame. I colored the wall lightly with a taupe colored pencil, then went over that with gray and black chalk. I also went over the sky with a bit of white chalk.

7. Cut around smaller owl's beak with a craft knife, put a bit of glue on the back of the envelope and carefully slip envelope under the owl's beak.

* For those who may not know, Hedwig is Harry Potter's mail owl, and a Howler is a special kind of letter that arrives in a red envelope. When opened, the letter shouts at the recipient.

(My nieces are Harry Potter fans, too, so I'm going to send them this card in a red envelope, with the message typed out all in capital letters.)