Beautiful Butterflies

I've made another new card this week, using a beautiful stencil from Clarity Stamps and papers from Craftwork Cards.

I started with an 8x8 white card blank to which I attached the heart/leaf Clarity stencil using low tack tape. I inked through (and around) the stencil using distress ink (lipstick?). I removed the stencil and then used thin double sided tape to apply gilding flakes around the border left by the edge of the stencil. The butterflies were cut out of a Craftwork Cards paper stack (Pretty in Pink) that has been in my stash for a while. I carefully bent the wings of the butterflies and then attached the body part using PVA glue.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
Crafty Boots 'butterflies' 1.2
Crafting for all Seasons 'things with wings' 2.2
In the Pink 'pink & pearlie' (tricky to see but the butterflies are all pearlescent) 5.2
Pink Elephant 'anything goes' 5.2
Craft your Passion 'anything goes' 2.2
Crafter's Cafe 'make your own background' 4.2
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenges 'anything goes' 3.2

on top of the world...

I just had to make the most of the sunny weather this weekend to get some cross stitch done as I'm desperate to finish my Hogwarts crest that I started back in July but it's so detailed, I can only do it in perfect daylight and that's hard to come by most of the time right now! That means that I've only had time for 1 card, but I think it's a goodie...

It's another really simple card made using 'Gorjuss' products from DoCrafts that I've had for ages. I started with an 8x8 white card blank onto which I matted some striped 'gorjuss' paper. I took a sheet of blue 6x6 paper (also from the gorjuss range) and stamped the image using just a black memento ink. I also stamped the message which is from the same stamp set. I used a stencil to trace the stars onto double sided adhesive sheet and then cut them out with non-stick scissors! I added these stars to the card and then used gilding flakes over the top of them. When I went to mount the topper onto the stripe paper, it needed something to make it stand out so I added a layer of black mirror card which I distressed the edges of using sandpaper. I rubbed in a circular motion giving the loopy edge to the distressing.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
Papertake Weekly 'anything goes'
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges 'anything goes'
Crafty Catz 'anything goes'
Totally Gorjuss 'stars'
Catch the Bug 'anything goes'

Truly, Madly, Deeply- Songbird Challenge Blog DT call

When I saw that the Songbird Challenge Blog was looking for some new DT members, I knew that I had to give it a go. I love music and I love crafting so it's a blog I love! Here's the card that I've made for the DT call... (I've even managed to sneak a song title into it)

This card reflects my crafting style in many different ways. It has a broadly CAS style, includes stamping & colouring, has a little bit of sparkle and isn't your run of the mill design. It also has a technique that I'd not tried before today. I love to try out new things & always have a wide range of crafting projects on the go (at the moment it's cards, scrapbooking, cross stitch (picture & phone cover), wax crayon melting & shoe decoration)!

I started with a square of black card that I had cut from an A4 sheet to 19cm. I used my Inkadinkado circle stamping gear and my new 'Halloween' stamps to create the skull design around the card. I stamped using Indigo Blu 'Flitterglu' so that I could use my gilding flakes on them. This is the first time I've used the Flitterglu even though I've had it for a while. It worked brilliantly.



I then stamped the goblet (from Sheena Douglass' 'a little bit magical' stamps) onto card using a memento ink (so I could Promarker it) and onto acetate using stazon. I used 3 green promarkers to create the liquid inside the glass on the card version and then painted silver stencil paint onto the back of the acetate goblet so that when I layered them together, it looked more like a realistic glass. I stamped the potions bottles onto card and again coloured them with a range of promarkers before adding glossy accents to the glass areas. I attached the goblet & bottles to the black card with double sided tape and then stamped the 3 word sets to look as if they were coming out of the goblet. I stamped them in a Versamark ink and then used silver & green mica powders to colour them.

I am entering this card into the following challenges (as well as the DT call):-
Songbird Challenge Blog 'DT call'
Challenges 4 Everybody 'anything goes'
Love to Create 'Clean & Simple'
Creative Inspirations 'Clean & Simple'
Graph' It 'no characters'