Butterfly Kisses

Happy Saturday Friends!

Do you have something exciting planned for this weekend?

I have a busy 'crafting' month ahead so you'll most likely find me in my 'cave'

 if by chance you are looking for me!  LOL!

Today I have a card to share that I created for a couple fun challenge blogs.

I LOVE ribbon so of course I had to partake in the latest challenge offered at Really Reasonable Ribbons called 'Things With Wings' ... and, another favorite of mine is butterflies so I'd also like to share in the latest Butterfly Challenge which is Butterflies + M for Music Notes.

Here's what I came up with ...

Although I have several butterfly dies, I chose this beautiful K&Company chipboard butterfly for my focus today.  I love how it has the printed acetate layer to give it more dimension.

And I'm thinking with the musical notes, this card is perfect for a birthday, 

so that is what the inside reflects.  

Inside

By simply die cutting the Spellbinder Framabilities 'Scallop Edge Frame' from white card stock, it showcased this pretty butterfly perfectly.  Of course with butterflies you'll always find a touch of sparkle from the sunshine or dew on the flowers.  So, I decided to add a touch of sparkle with Diamond Stickles around my frame as well as on the wings of the little Martha Stewart punched butterflies I used to adorn the centers of my ribbon bows.  So pretty IRL!

The new April Ribbon Club Assortment over at Really Reasonable Ribbons is just beautiful and worked perfectly to pull out the touch of blue on my butterfly.

Like my cute little ribbon bows?

I made them with my Craft-Dee Bowz bow making tool.  Easy to use and a perfect bow every time!   I would also like to enter this card into their current Craft-Dee Bowz April Challenge.  I'm honored to tell you I was their March winner ... thanks so much Craft-Dee Bowz ladies!

A few other challenges:
Mod Squad Challenge - Butterfly Focal
 The Paper Shelter - Birthday with Sentiment
Scrapy Land Challenge - Anything Goes with dies sold at ScrapyLand
Digi Choosday Challenge - Use a Die
Moving Along With The Times Challenge - Photo Inspiration

Scrap & Craft Challenge #6 - Frame It
~Jo's Scrap Shack Challenge - Florals and Butterflies

Well, as I said, I have a busy month ahead plus I have a group of ladies coming to purchase cards this afternoon so I'd best 'tidy my crafting cave up' a bit!  LOL   There are pieces of paper everywhere ... goodness!  how does that happen?  LOL

Have a WONDERFUL weekend everyone and as always . . .

Recipe:
Papers:   White cs, the Paper Studio 'Kirby Teesdale Studio' dp
Stamps/Ink:  Stampabilities, Serendipity Stamps, Versafine Onyx
Dies:  Spellbinder Framabilities 'Scallop Edge Frame', Memory Box 'Party Music', Cheery Lynn Designs 'Whistle A Happy Tune'

Accessories:  Martha Stewart '3 in 1 Butterfly Punch', Diamond Stickles, Really Reasonable Ribbons 'April Ribbon Club Assortment' satin ribbon, K&Co dimensional butterfly

The Sweet Signs of Spring!

Hello Friends!

As my post title suggests, the sweet signs of Spring are finally starting to be seen & heard here in Akron, Ohio!  YAY!!

One of my favorite creatures in all the world to watch are butterflies.

They are so delicate looking and so attentive to their pollination duties.

So today's card is based around the beautiful butterfly.

I had a couple of challenges in mind when designing today's card and one of them was the 'Think Spring' Challenge at the Impression Obsession Blog.  

This beautiful Impression Obsession 'Fancy Butterfly' die set was perfect for a technique I spotted while blog hopping (as soon as I remember where I saw it I'll come back and give credit) and wanted to give a try.  I LOVE how this card came together.  

This die set is two parts ... a solid panel and a 'decorative cut out' panel ... so you can layer your butterfly.

For this technique:

• I die cut two butterflies on my focus forward panel
• positioned 'scraps' of pattern paper behind my cut out
• and adhered my ' decorative cutout' butterfly on top of the pattern paper but just in the center so the wings would have dimension.

I also added a touch of sparkle to the middle and wing tips ... so pretty IRL.

The other challenge I had in mind when creating this card is for the current Butterfly Challenge - "P is for Pattern Paper" + a Butterfly of course.  

The pattern paper I used behind the white butterflies is K&Co.  The pattern paper I used as my mat came from my scrap drawer and don't recall who the mfg. was.  But it was purple and green so worked perfectly with my K&Co scrap pieces.

A little sponging of Tim Holtz 'Dusty Concord', Kaiser pearls, a sentiment from the Close to My Heart 'Butterfly Kiss' stamp set and this card was complete!

Other challenges to share in:
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Things with Wings
 DL.ART Thankful Thursday Challenge - Anything Goes
Scrapy Land Challenge #13 - Anything Goes using Scrapy Land Dies (Impression Obsession)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

I hope you'll give this quick, easy and awesome technique a try!

As always ...

UPDATE

Here are two more cards using the same technique.

Butterfly Love . . .

Hello Dear Friends!

We are expecting a big snow storm today so, 

I'm staying in where it's warm & safe!  

Today I have a card to share using the sketch from the current sketch challenge at Splitcoast Stampers (must be a member to see challenges) and the theme of  'V for Valentines' (+ butterfly) for the new challenge at the Butterfly Challenge Blog.  I'm thrilled to say the card I created for the previous challenge at the  Butterfly Challenge Blog was chosen as one of the Top 3 ... how cool is that!  Thanks ladies!

Card Recipe:

Papers:  White cs, Red cs, Me & My Big Ideas dp

Image:  Crafty Secrets 'Love Mail' Creative Scraps

Dies:  Cheery Lynn Designs #DL112 Exotic Butterflies Small, #B227 Love, Spellbinder Classic Hearts

Accessories:  White Gelly Roll Pen

I have truly been enjoying working with a few sketch challenges lately.  

When I'm stumped or the mojo is 'not so good' ... all I need to do is look through a few sketch challenges and the creative juices start flowing.  I have always found this to be a good 'starting' point for me when I'm stumped ... give it a try the next time you are struggling on 'where to begin'!

Challenges to share in today:

Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge - Love, Valentine's Day

Shopping Our Stash Challenge - Love Me Do (everything used is more than 1 yr old)

Through The Craft Room Door -  Anything Goes (Jan 27 - Feb 2)

Bunny Zoe's January Challenge - Hearts
Design Team Showcase #4 - DT only (Jan 24th - Feb 7th) 
Classy Cards n Such Challenge - Letter It
Simon Says Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by and I hope if you are getting snow today like I am, you'll be able to stay in where it's warm and safe too.  If not, then please be careful out there! 

And remember ... Spring is on the way!

As always ...

Butterfly Thank You

Hello Again my friends!

I have a second card to share with you today!

One of my New Year resolutions is to create a few cards 'just for fun' ... not any DT requirement or personal order obligation ... just because I want to and that's what this card is all about!

I have always enjoyed working with a 'sketch'.  In fact, that's where I started my card making journey ... doing the sketch challenges over on Splitcoast Stammpers (OMG I haven't joined in those challenges for so long ... must do something about that!).

So, with that being said, today's card combines two fun challenges!

The sketch challenge at the Mojo Monday Card Sketch Challenge Blog

and the Butterfly Challenge which is to make a Thank You card (using butterflies of course).

I found this beautiful image on Pinterest.  After printing, trimming, and distressing I decided to die cut a black butterfly to give added dimension over top of the black butterfly that is in the image.

I hope you are taking the time to be creative JUST FOR YOU and take the time to play some of your favorite challenges.  I can always use more thank you cards in my stash and love how this one came together so quickly by using two fun challenges.

Let's see if I can find a few other challenges to share my creation in today:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #1 - Anything Goes (c10)

Scrappy Hands Challenge #30 - Layers

Scribble and Scrap Challenge - Always Anything Goes (c15)

Stamping Sensations January Challenge - Dies and Punches

That Craft Place Ltd Challenge - Monochromatic
Design Team Showcase - DT Only

Thanks so much for stopping by again today!!  And, I hope you'll stop back again tomorrow when I'll have an inspiration card sample to share using dies from the Dies R Us Store.  With all the New Releases coming out, Dies R Us shelves are full and you'll want to go check 'em out!  I'm expecting an order today and can't wait to see them/and play of course!  LOL!

Happy Day all and as always . . .

Recipe:
Papers:  White cs, Black cs, Basic Grey 'Basics Kraft Paper Pad' design papers
Stamp/Ink:  Hero Arts/Versafine Onyx
Accessories:  TH distresser, Cheery Lynn Designs 'Exotic Butterfly Small' #DL112, Martha Stewart Butterfly Border Punch, Pop Dots

Butterflies and Flowers

HAPPY MONDAY!

I hope you had a nice weekend!  

Pretty quiet around here ... still cold, still snowing ...

what better to do than stay in where it's warm and craft!!

A friend told me about a new challenge blog called Butterfly Challenge

 and I was anxious to check it out and play along!

Their debut challenge is BUTTERFLIES and FLOWERS! 

Now THAT is right up my alley!

ALSO, the new challenge this week at Classy Cards 'n Such is to use Twinkling H2Os so that's what I've used for my 'coloring' agent on this card.  Be sure to check out the line of fabulous H2Os that Beverly carries in her store HERE.

Mind you, this is a style far from my regular 'vintage', 'lots of layers' style but I'm trying

to create using different styles and techniques during these cold winter days.

I have used the Memory Box 'Butterfly Vine' designer stencil #88524 for the base of my card.  I simply held it down on white card stock and stippled the entire stencil using Memento 'bamboo leaves' ink.

Then I used my LuminArte' Twinkling H2Os and a small artist brush to paint in the colors of the butterflies... yep, right over top of the stippling.  I have used the following H2O colors:  Sky Blue, Pink Azalea and Bougainvillea.  The camera just doesn't do the beautiful finish justice!  I've shared a couple of closeups (which you can click on to enlarge even more) to give you an idea how gorgeous these paints can be.

Additional Challenges:

One Crazy Stamper - February Anything Goes

Sister Act Challenge - Anything Goes

I hope you've enjoyed my card today!

Using stencils is a RARE thing for me ... especially on a card.

Using Twinkling H2Os ... something I haven't done in a VERY long time.

And a SINGLE LAYER card ... nearly unheard of for me!

Okay I admit it ... 

 I couldn't do the single layer thing so I cut my A6 card panel that I had used to do my stippled stencil on ... matted it with black cs and placed it on an Old Olive Green 5x7 card base.

You got me!!  LOL!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today!  

Wishing you a F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S week ahead!

Recipe:

Papers:  SU Old Olive cs, Black cs, White cs

Accessories:  Memory Box 'Butterfly Vine' designer stencil #88524, LuminArte' Twinkling H2Os, Stampendous Diamond Dots, Darice flowers, Memento Bamboo Leaves ink, Stipple Brush