Beautiful Branches

This design fits perfectly with my next Memory Box class - Butterfly Birthdays - at Ink About It. Many of the wonderful new images in the Enchanted Butterfly release will be featured in this birthday card workshop. 

For this design I started by stamping the new Butterfly Twig (D1351)onto white cardstock with Brilliance Chocolate ink.  I also stamped the image onto a scrap piece of Happenstance paper, cut out the two largest butterflies and layered them over the white cardstock image.  The smaller butterflies were enhanced with Prismacolor pencils Lt. Peach (PC927), Pink (PC929) and the Blender pencil (PC1077). The cardstock was matted over Chocolate Soiree Shimmer paper.  I used Sweet Pea Flower Soft on the twig branches to create flower buds in bloom. For extra dimension on the butterflies, I added Glossy Accents (Ranger) over all of them and set this piece aside to dry.

Using Victorian Velvet Distress ink (Ranger) I stamped First Flight (F1328) onto a Begonia notecard in the upper right corner. I edged a piece of torn Happenstance paper with the same ink and added it to the left side of the card. Using foam tape I adhered the Butterfly Twig image to the card and stamped Birthday Wishes (B847) in Brilliance Chocolate ink. 

 Spring weather has finally arrived in New England and we are enjoying it.  Have a great weekend.

A Springtime Beauty!

I LOVE the new springtime images that Memory Box has come out with.  The butterflies are plentiful and I am a little bit obsessed with the purple and green color combination lately as you can see in the card I created above. 

First, I wanted to add a little extra sparkle in a subtle way to the base of my card so I used polysparkle embossing powder with the Birds in the Vines (E1331) stamp in the lower left corner of my card.

Next, I layered green cardstock with a piece of patterned paper from the spearmint 6x6 paperpack and then on top of that I layered a piece of natural cardstock that I stamped with the Springtime Wishes Block (E1335). 

Finally, for the finishing touch I stamped the new Dotty Butterfly (C1355) on natural cardstock in Dusty Concord Distress Ink and then coated it in Diamond Glaze.  Once the Diamond Glaze was dry, I cut out the butterfly and shaped it with my fingers and adhered it with foam tape.  The diamond glaze makes the butterfly really shiny and also allows me to manipulate the image into a more curved natural shape that will stay put.  I LOVE this technique and have used it with lots of different stamps.  Try it on your butterflies, flowers and leaves and see the dimension that you can achieve.  

I am going to be featuring this card in my next class at Colorful Creations All Occasion Cards with Memory Box on Thursday May 20th from 6p-8p.  Call the store at 508-790-7676 to sign up :)

Speaking of classes, I have been having A LOT of fun sharing my cards and ideas in my classes and wanted to share some images with you from my last class. 

Kim & Steve getting crafty.

Two lovely ladies hard at work!

Lesa showing off her creations!

Kim and Steve pouring over the catalog picking out their favorite stamps :)

Hope you have a wonderful and crafty day :)

Inspired!

This has got to be one of the prettiest butterfly stamps I have ever seen and I was SO excited to work with it!!! The minute I saw it I knew exactly what I was going to do, so out came the Copic Airbrush system and my favorite orange and yellow Copic markers.

The image was first stamped onto a piece of Frond paper using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Next was airbrushing a sheet of white Neenah paper. After the airbrushing was completed, the image was stamped onto this paper, then cut and paper pieced over the image previously stamped on the Frond paper.  A little dimension and sparkle were added with a Spica Pitch Black glitter pen. Unfortunately the glittery accent does not show up very well in the picture, but I promise it's really there!<lol>

If you look REAL close you can get a wee glimpse of the lavender speckles on the butterfly and the two tiny jewels at the end of the antennae! 

I was so in love with this stamp that as soon as the first card was completed I immediately pulled out a solid white card and stamped it with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Before starting this second card I knew I wanted nothing on it but the image and a red ribbon. 

As you can see, at the last minute I decided to freehand a black line around the entire image using a black Staedtler Fine Line pen.  Such a simple, classic card in a matter of minutes.

Whether you're a butterfly lover or not, this stamp is an absolute must-have for your collection!!!

Supplies include: 

Card #1 - Inspire Butterfly Collage; Frond paper collection; Cantelope and Endive card stock; Neenah white card stock; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Memory Box clear gems; Copic ABS1, YR09, Y38 AND V09

Card #2  - Inspire Butterfly Collage; White Neenah card stock; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Staedtler Black fine line pen; sheer red ribbon; Spica Pitch Black glitter pen.

Black and White Butterflies

I love all the images from the Enchanted Butterfly Collection.  It was hard to choose which stamp to use first.  For this card, I stamped G1353 Garden Cutaway with Onyx Black Versafine on white cardstock.  I colored over some of the flowers and butterflies with a glue pen to highlight some of the images.  When the images were tacky, I sprinkled on Hematite colored glitter.  After shaking off the excess, I colored in some of the flowers with a Sakura Red Starlight glitter marker.  I colored Sparkling Diamond jewel stickers with a black Copic marker and added them to the red flowers.  The focal image was trimmed and matted onto Onyx Soiree metallic cardstock.  I punched two butterflies from the Onyx cardstock and added berry pearl stickers.  If you like, you can punch the butterflies from the mat layer before you add the white cardstock and no one will be the wiser.  The stacked butterflies were attached to black cording wrapped around the top layers.  The base is a Holly Berry notecard.  This will be one of the cards featured in my glittery butterflies class on May 20th at Baas Junction.  There's nothing like beautiful new stamps to get the creative juices flowing!  I hope you're able to play with stamps from this great collection soon. 

 

Butterflies Galore

 

I couldn't wait to start inking up the new butterfly stamps when they arrived recently.  I gathered together a partial package of Gossamer papers, Archival Jet Black ink, a selection of colored inks, Glimmer chalks, Glossy Accents, cream notecards, and double-sided tape.  Then I went to work.  These are some of the nine cards I made that first afternoon.  We will create similar cards/bookmarks/tags  in my Enchanted Butterflies class at Your Maine Stamper on May 10th. 

The three lying down on my desk are the first ones I made.  I tried to match the color of the Dotty Butterfly (C1355) with the color of the paper's blossoms, using Memories Rose ink, stamping on the papers before putting it on the cardstock so that some of the butterflies would be partially off the paper. I stamped the sentiment Happiest Birthday (B1354) directly on these two in Jet Black.  I backed the tag at left with another piece of printed Gossamer paper, punched a hole in the corner, and added the ribbon bow.  For the card on the far right, I stamped Leaf Print Butterfly (D1349) in Jet Black and colored it using pinks and purples from the Glimmer chalks. I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of cream cardstock and mounted it on a piece of the Gossamer petal paper before adhering it to the card front.

The card standing in the back on the left is one of my favorites.  I stamped the Butterfly Twig (D1351) in Jet Black on a piece of the Gossamer pack paper, mounted that on another piece, and put those layers onto a piece of Cool Beans.  I stamped the Happiest Birthday (B1354) sentiment in Jet Black, with the butterfly that is on the end of that stamp in Memories Rose, on a piece of Cool Beans turned sideways.  I added a bow made of sheer white dotty ribbon.  Then I took the Glossy Accents and went over each of the tiny butterflies to make them pop from the background.  (Since making dozens of Egg Trees at Easter, I've started putting Glossy Accents on everything!)  

The final card is a simple Z-fold card.  For the front panel, I stamped Inspire Butterfly Collage (G1352) in Distress Chipped Sapphire on the dotty pink Gossamer paper and mounted that on two other coordinating pieces.  Easy peasy and lovely!  This is my favorite new stamp!!!  

I hope this new collection of stamps and the new papers have hit your local stamp store!  Hurry in and buy them all!!!

Happy Stamping!

Butterfly Garden

I love these new butterflies! The damask along the right-side of the butterfly's wing is gorgeous! I decided to use some of the beautiful Magnolia paper to create a butterfly garden.

I am working on my cards for my next class at Hannah's in Antioch,IL and this will be one of the cards we will be creating.

Recipe:

1. Take the Mocha card and open it up with the brown facing up. Score the left side of the card at 2 1/8". Fold back.
2. Cut the Magnolia paper 4" x 5 1/4".
3. Stamp the Damask Butterfly two times using Versafine Deep Lagoon onto the Magnolia paper positioning so they are in the center and peek out from under the fold.
4. Stamp the Damask Butterfly two more times using the same ink onto scraps from the Magnolia paper.
5. Cut out the two extra butterfly and accent the bodies using the green gems.
6. Cut a strip of Magnolia paper 4 1/4" x 2". Punch along the edge using the Martha Stewart Edger. Trim to fit to your design.
7. Cut a coordinating piece of the Frond paper 4" x 1 7/8" and attach to inside of fold.
8. Stamp sentiment on inside fold.
9. Attach everything to the card.

Have a lovely Saturday. We are going to have some spring rain here! Perfect time to get inky.

Suzz

 

Butterfly Wishes

Have a special birthday card to make?  I did and couldn't wait to try out the new Dotty Butterfly (C1355) from the latest Enchanted collection.  

  I stamped the Classic Flourish (D991) and Brandywine Flourish (D1161) in Olive Pastel ColorBox chalk ink randomly on an eggshell notecard to start. Dotty Butterfly was stamped in black ink on the backside (white side) of a patterned paper and cut out leaving a little white around the edges.  It was then attached to a scrap of green paper to which I added a small piece of striped gaffer tape (7 Gypsies) on the top and bottom portions.

 

See the green patterned paper on the underside of the wings?  Makes it interesting from all angles.

  Next, just add the Happiest Birthday (B1354) message on another scrap of eggshell paper, layer it onto the green again and curve the paper between your fingers to create a banner effect.  I just tucked a glue dot underneath to secure the curve.

A little string of grass green tiny jewel stickers completes this Happy Birthday card---Psssst...don't forget to draw on the butterfly antennae with a fine point pen.

I'll be teaching this card and others at Stamp Delights in La Mesa, Ca on Thursday, April 29 (call 619 465-6873 to register).  Hope to see you there!  

 

 

It's in the details

I've always been partial to polka-dots, so the Dotty Butterfly may be my favorite stamp from the new collection.  I stamped it once directly on the Poppy Blue paper in black, then stamped on a piece of white card stock with Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue and cut out the wings.  I popped them up (with foam tape) over the black butterfly.  To create the trail, I used a stencil from Lasting Impressions and pierced the design on the paper.  I then used white floss and backstitched the trail.  I used a corner slot punch from Punch Bunch ( I love the tiny butterfly in the design) on a piece of Ocean card stock, then layered the entire thing on a Poppy Blue card.  I finished off the card by stamping the new Happiest Birthday greeting in black.  This card is one of five that I will be teaching in my Beautiful Butterflies class at Angela's Happy Stamper in Reston, VA on May 17. 

Happiest Birthday Wishes

Butterflies can say so many things - happy birthday, get well soon, thank you, congratulations, thinking of you, wish you were here.  Here's a group of them - from our Enchanted Butterfly Collection -  on a card made from our White Willow 12x12 sheet. They're stamped and embossed - then colored with Pool and Luscious Lime Smooch Accent Inks.  So easy, so pretty and so appropriate for any occasion.  Or non-occasion.

I often forget how easy it is to use Memory Box 12x12 sheets to make cards.  See our great collection of them here.  They're great for greetings of all shapes and sizes - and coordinate beautifully with our other papers  - and envelopes too.  They'd be a thoughtful gift as a set of cards and envelopes - maybe add a few quick tags cut from the end cuts.    Wouldn't that be the perfect gift for a teacher - or someone who's always been "like a Mom or Grandmother" to you or your children?

 

Read more...

Butterflies

I love my butterflies! I was so thrilled to see the Enchanted Butterfly release.  Gorgeous butterfly stamps! I am sharing one of the cards I have created with the new Dotty Butterfly stamp.  
 

Recipe:

1. Cut front of Mango Card from back of card.
2. Stamp You're an Inspiration (Memory Box - B1217) sentiment using versamark on bottom right corner. Heat emboss with white embossing powder.
3. Emboss front of card using Cuttlebug Embossing folder. Rub front of embossed areas using nail file to remove a little more of the color from the embossing.
4. Stamp Dotty Butterfly (C1355) three times using versamark watermark ink on white cardstock. Heat emboss using clear embossing powder.
5. Sponge over embossed butterflies using Ranger Wild Honey Distress Ink.
6. Cut out butterflies.
7. Accent butterflies with Memory Box gems.
8. Tie ribbon around top of card.
9. Glue dot butterflies on front of card.
10. Punch two borders using Martha Stewart Edger and attach to back of embossed cardfront.
11. Score back of card 1/4" from top. Fold and glue along top to attach to front of card.

Have a lovely Monday!

Suzz