One layer at the Butterfly Challenge

Challenge No. 10 at the Butterfly Challenge is One Layer. I decided to see whether I could recreate the card in my previous post in a one layer format. It involved a lot of masking! My base was a 7" x 7" blank card.

To begin with, I outlined the main image area very lightly with pencil, so that I could see where to place the masks. I used a waterproof masking film. The first ones went around the outside of the area so that I could stamp and clear emboss the grasses inside. With the masks still in place, I then sprinkled on some Brusho (this time sandstone rather than black, for a change), lightly sprayed it with water and blotted off the excess. The butterfly was then stamped with Versafine ink. As before, all stamps are by Chocolate Baroque.

I removed the outside masks and then masked the main panel instead. Next I stamped the grasses at the edge of the card. By this stage it was looking okay but a bit untidy where a bit of the Brusho had leaked under the mask. The final step was to draw the black frame around the main image with a drawing pen, which covered the untidy edges and pulled everything together.

Looking at the two cards side by side, I don't think this one is quite as crisp looking as the original version and I think I prefer the effect of the black Brusho rather than the sandstone. Perhaps brown ink rather than black would have gone better with the sandstone. However, given the limitations of the one layer format I was quite pleased with it, and it was an interesting exercise to try.

Magic Weekend!

Last weekend I made one of my biannual visits back down south for the Stamp Magic show at Doncaster, staying overnight with Sally. The June one is always a flying visit, as it's not during the school hols, unlike the October one, but it's amazing how much we can pack into the weekend.

I wasn't particularly looking forward to the journey down, as thunderstorms and torrential rain had been forecast, but apart from some good downpours along the A66, the rest of the way wasn't too bad and by the time I got to Sally's it had brightened up enough for us to sit out in her garden with a cuppa. The next day dawned warm and sunny, and we were soon on our way to Doncaster. Stamp Magic is definitely our favourite show, just the right size, great selection of exhibitors including many of our favourite companies, and everyone is so friendly and helpful.

Our first port of call was the Inkylicious stand, which usually accounts for the greater part of my show spending. True to form, Deby had some gorgeous new stamps, which soon found their way into my basket. I also stocked up on her silk art card, which is perfect for using with ink dusters, and a few other bits and pieces. For a long time I have debated whether to get a stand for my ink dusters, thinking I would use them a lot more if I had them to hand all the time, instead of put away in a drawer. This time I really wanted one, but having decided on my budget, and being determined to stick to it, it was either the stamps or the stand, and the stamps won. I reasoned that I couldn't make the stamps, but if I put my mind to it, I should be able to make myself a stand. Another factor was that the commercial stands hold eight dusters, and I have nine!

By the time I got home, an idea was beginning to take shape. I scouted around in my craft room for some raw materials. Some offcuts of thick cardboard and a good strong cardboard tube, both which had been in my stash for about a million years. (Well, at least 30, which just goes to prove the value of never throwing away anything which might one day come in handy.)

I also found a sheet of paper (K & Company) with a lovely butterfly design all over it, rolls of self adhesive tin foil, clear self adhesive film and green baize, an old cotton reel and a button.

I cut five circles from the thick card, stuck three together to make a firm base, and the other two for the top. The trickiest part was cutting the slots for the ink dusters to hang in. Once I had all the elements cut to size and shape, I neatened all the edges with the tin foil and then covered the pieces first with the butterfly paper, followed by the clear film for durability. The base was covered with the green baize. I painted the cotton reel and stuck a button on top to hide the hole. Finally, everything was ready to assemble. Some glue seeped out at the bottom when I was joining the base to the cardboard tube, so I stuck a diecut (Spellbinders) round to cover it up. It looks quite pretty, so if anyone asks I'll just say it was part of the original design.

And here's the result.

And here it is with its cargo.

I must admit to being quite pleased with it, not least that it cost only pennies to make, with the added bonus that I've freed up a bit of drawer space and used some old stash too!

It so happens that it fits with the theme for the Butterfly Challenge No. 8, which is "Butterfly Bingo", so I am entering it there. My stand has used the line Die Cut - Butterflies - Designer Paper.

Now to go and put those ink dusters to use ........

Bluebells

This is proving to be an excellent year for bluebells. Indeed, there are some growing on the bank opposite my craft room window.

The photograph was taken one evening last week. The dramatic lighting was accounted for by the fact that the sun, low and bright, was shining over us, but a rainstorm was rapidly approaching.

I was inspired to make a bluebell card for Butterfly Challenge No 7, the theme for which is butterflies and a doily.

I used my Wild Rose Studio bluebell die, and one of the papers from the "Bluebell" paper pack, also by Wild Rose Studio. One of the papers in the pack is a gorgeous all-over bluebell design, which I had thought to use, but it would have overwhelmed the focal elements. Instead I stamped some bluebells and a little butterfly (both Chocolate Baroque) on one of the plainer sheets from the pack, and coloured them with Promarkers. The die-cut butterflies (Cheery Lynn)  and the bluebell diecut were also coloured with Promarkers. The doily is the French Pastry die, again by Cheery Lynn.

I was hoping to give the impression of butterflies fluttering amongst the bluebells, just as they have been doing on the bank outside my window this week, but they are mostly Orange Tips, which I haven't managed to photograph yet as they rarely settle for long. I was able, however, to capture this beautiful song thrush today as it surveyed the garden from its vantage point on the shed roof.

Glamorous Butterflies

Just flying in by the skin of my teeth with an entry for this fortnight's Butterfly Challenge. The theme is "Glamorous Butterflies", so they have to glitter and sparkle!

I began by spraying the card with diluted Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink, then stamped the flowers and sentiment with the same ink (undiluted). The butterfly was stamped on a separate piece of card and cut out with the matching Hero Arts Framelits die to give a bit of dimension. I used a water brush to draw some of the ink into the flowers and the butterfly for a hint of colour.

 All that remained then was to add the glamour! I tend not to use a lot of shiny stuff on my cards, preferring a subtle sparkle to bags of bling, so I just added a bit of glitter glue to the spots and body of the butterfly and the centres of the flowers. I hope that's enough for Mrs. A! You can see it better in the following detail shots.

 

The flower and butterfly stamps are by Hero Arts and the sentiment by Stampingallday. Thanks for looking!

A Butterfly Stepper Card

Following my win on the Butterfly Challenge, I was thrilled to be invited by Mrs A to make something for a guest DT slot. So here it is. The theme for the challenge is to use a charm on your project (along with a butterfly, of course!). I haven't made many stepper cards before, and the design for this one evolved by trial and error!

Having got the base sorted, I covered it with papers by Prima (Fairy Belle collection) and then simply added various elements to complete the design. The circle & butterfly circle were cut with Nestability dies, the larger butterfly dies are by Cheery Lynn, and the tiny one is a Dovecraft punch. Leaf punch by Leone Em, flowers by Prima. The sentiment was a freebie from Simple Cards & Papercraft magazine. I added some glitter glue to the butterflies, and brads to the flower centres. The little charm says "believe". I've had it in my stash for years, just waiting for the right project to add it to!

I really enjoyed making this project, so thanks, Mrs A for letting me be a guest DT for you!

Spring Butterflies

 It's a Spring theme for the Butterfly Challenge No. 4, so Mrs. A would like to see yellow on our projects. Had to think about this one for a while, as yellow is not a colour I use very often. However, though I don't like bright acid yellows, I do love the spring flowers, such as daffodils and tulips, and I think that the more muted shades of yellow, coupled with fresh spring green, can be very pretty.

I decided to use a technique which I first saw done by Julie Hickey in her book "Flower Power Papercrafts". Julie used punched flowers for her card, but I have used my favourite butterfly dies (by Cheery Lynn) to make the openwork panel. A simple sentiment (Hero Arts) was all that was needed to complete the card.

Here's a closer look at the butterfly panel.


















And another view of the card.



The daffodils are all out here now, both in our garden and along the bank across the road from our house. Not much sun in evidence lately though, so the cheery daffs are doing a sterling job of brightening up the view!

Butterflies and Stitches

Here's my entry for the Butterfly Challenge No. 3, which requires some stitching on your project.

I've stitched the centre panel on to a panel embossed with the Stampin' Up Tulip embossing folder. Papers are by Wildrose Studio and the sentiment is by Chocolate Baroque. Butterfly Punch origin unknown.

And here's a closer view of the details:

Thanks for looking!

Butterfly Challenge No. 2

I was delighted and very lucky to find out that my entry for the very first Butterfly Challenge was drawn as the winner! I have been extremely busy with work and other non-crafty things lately, but didn't want to rest on my laurels, as it were, so I was determined to get an entry in for Challenge No. 2, for which Mrs. A would like to see Butterflies, Buttons and Bows.

It was very quick and very last minute, but here it is!

Background paper: Prima
Butterfly stamp: Prickley Pear
Sentiment: Stampingallday
Ribbon & old button from my stash.

A couple of close-ups:

Must dash! Thanks for looking!