My blog is called "Creative Smiles" because my designs are the result of incorporating mistakes. With fumble fingers that drop whatever they are holding - repeatedly, it takes a lot of giggles, smiles and creative patience during my crafting process. xx

Saturday, October 01, 2016

Embossed Butterflies

YAYYY! You are here!
I am positively overjoyed you could stop by for a visit.
I've rolled the red carpet out, just for you...

NOW we can begin LOL...

Happy October, everyone! It's a wonderful new month with great opportunities!
(you may have noticed the change in my blog header)

AND...

Happy World Cardmaking Day to my Paper Crafting buddies!

I've tried to incorporate some Autumn theme colors on my projects BUT BUT BUT -- here in Florida, we have only seen the slightest hint of Autumn, with temperatures declining a few tiny degrees, and the leaves scarcely beginning to fall off the oak trees.

Hope this finds you doing well!

To find the winner of my Blog Candy, please click here.

Psssst! As a thank you to my loyal readers...

New Blog Candy HERE!

and FINALLY...

It's time for another Crafts Galore Encore Challenge! 
(and I have two cards to share)

We always enjoy seeing the wide array of art uploaded to the challenge,
and hope to see many more this month!

Our theme this month is: 
Anything Goes. Cards, Tags, Recipes, Knitting -- 
anything at all!


Our Prize Sponsor this month is KennyK
The winner gets to choose 3 digital stamps of their choice from the KennyK Store! 


First, the easy-peasy 5" x 7" card with wet and dry embossing --
The Stampin' Up! butterfly is embossed with gorgeous 
Sparkle N Sprinkle Patina Gold EP281.
After fussy cutting the butterfly, I adhered it to pine cardstock, 
and fussy cut a dark halo around the image.



Lush designer paper sets the stage using the sketch from another fantastic challenge - Sunday Stamps.



Oh! The pain I felt... cutting into this resplendent designer paper! Ouch! (giggle)
 It's quite old, and something that just looks pretty to these eyes! LOL 

Three white droplets of Nuvos Crystal Drops brighten the page a bit.



 Crimson Copper Brilliance ink brings out the pretty dry embossed background.

Die Cut sentiment makes this an "all occasion card".





My second card uses the same butterfly image in the same EP, 
same designer paper, 
and 
same background paper.

At 5.5" x 8", this pretty card has a red, gold-flecked, punched leaf border, 
with the same Die'Sire Rose Vine embossing folder, 
this time embellished with a bit of Gold Galaxy Brilliance ink. 



tip:
Memento Cottage Ivy was stamped on the Hero Arts Sentiment. Because it is a water-based dye ink, I knew it would not dry well on the pearl vellum; so, I heat set the sentiment with clear detail EP. Now the stamped sentiment is raised, and won't smear.


tip:
The butterfly also has a bit of Gold Tinsel EP in the body and top corners of the wings. In real life, it looks "distressed," and mirrors the Gold Tinsel embossed edges around the 3 vertical designer papers.


tip:
To make the punched scallop bottom stand out a bit, a 3/4" strip of double-sided Tear-ific Tape was applied to the inside of the card, coated with Gold Tinsel and Russet EP
to provide fun color and interesting texture:



Inside:



The Stampin' Up! Butterfly has been colored with Tombow Markers on Ivory CS, fussy cut with a slight "halo" around the edge, and wings are bent with dimensional adhesives under the "poofy" parts (technical word there).

Card Front:



tip:

The card front is layered, so it's easy to coordinate the inside by following these steps:

The layer is a brick-poppy red panel.
Continue the butterfly theme by die cutting a shape:


It's beautiful just as it is:


Continue the distress look from the front, using the same Gold Tinsel embossing powder:


Outline the butterfly image with VersaMarker pen, apply EP, heat set:


Glue the front panel in place so the back of the red panel shows through.
Adhere the butterfly die cut, or leave as is:



Thanks for stopping by today!
Hope to enjoy your creations on the




Products Used:
  • Embossalicious Die'sire Rose Vine embossing folder
  • Sparkle N Sprinkle: Nuvo Crystal Drops White, Patina Gold EP281, Russet EP223, Gold Tinsel EP385, Clear Detail EP,  3/4inch Tear-ific Tape, Memento Cottage Ivy Dye Ink, VersaMarker, VersaMark
  • Stampin' Up! Butterfly stamp
  • Hero Arts Sentiment stamp
  • Martha Stewart Laurel Leaf, Vintage Lace punches
  • EKSuccess Scallop punch
  • Cheery Lynn Monarch Butterfly B668
  • Memento Cottage Ivy Dye Ink, VersaMark Ink, Fired Brick and Worn Lipstick Distress Dye inks, Crimson Copper Brilliance Ink, Gold Galaxy Brilliance Ink
  • Tombow markers (butterflies)
  • Impression Obsession Top Edgers Words DIE434-K

Supporting these fine on-line challenges:

  1. Cardz4Galz Challenges #32 Autumn/Fall Colors 10/10
  2. Crafting With Friends #28 Anything Goes 10/7
  3. Creative Fingers Challenges #117 Anything Goes 10/13
  4. Just Add Ink #331 Just Add Wings (butterflies) 10/5
  5. Little Miss Muffet Challenges #147 Anything Goes 10/4 (in tab)
  6. QKR Stampede #211 "Cut It Up" (dies, scissors, punches) (used all 3 methods) 10/6
  7. Sunday Challenges #SSC136 Sketch (shown above) 10/7
  8. The Crafty Addicts #25 "Anything Goes/Pattern Paper" 10/10


Stamping Hugs,

22 comments:

Becky said...

Both are beautiful cards. But the butterfly cut-out gives the second card an edge. Love them both.

ellyscard creatief said...

Beautiful bright butterfly cards.

Janice said...

Both cards are beautiful Donna! Great tutorial as always and the gold butterfly is stunning! Loving the embossing folder too. Beautiful autumnal photo on your header, how lucky for you that it hasn't arrived yet. It's on it's way here in the UK!
Janice x

brenda said...

What a glorious creation Donna, the colours are so rich and opulent and that Butterfly looks as thought he just take flight right off your lovely card. And like so many of us, I have a bit of a thing for Butterflies so really appreciate this beauty.

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

B x

Babs said...

Wow the colours are just beautiful on both your cards, the butterfly is so amazing a real stunning card.

Hugs Babs x

Unknown said...

Absolutely STUNNING! I don't know how you do it but man am I thrilled you do! These are gorgeous designs, I love all of the photos and hints and step by step tutorials, I am a visual learner so this helps me craft right along with you, although I can't craft like yo, at least I can pretend to! lol These are glorious!!! I don't know how you would part with what you create.....almost too pretty to send! TFS!!! YOWZA!!!

ILEANA ARTUFFO said...

Wonderful creations Donna! I love embossing background and butterflies are wonderful!
I always leave a few comments because I'm Italian and I have a little 'difficulty with the language!
Big crafty hugs!
Ileanaxx

Carole J said...

Stunning! Both cards look really elegant and opulent, and those butterflies are GORGEOUS, Donna. Great tutorials and tips, too. x

KraftyKoolKat said...

Such stunning creations De. Your work is so breathtaking.

I am sorry to say I am not coping at the moment and a neighbour rushed me to the doctor late yesterday afternoon.
Hugs
Cathy
xxxx

Beebeebabs said...

Wow beautiful cards as always thanks for sharing the tutorial - fabulous job thanks for sharing!!

Sian said...

Hi Donna, thank you very much for the comment on my blog. I love your butterfly card. The gold embossing makes it look so rich and classy! Thank you for participating in the Carz 4 Galz challenge. Sian.

Shona Erlenborn said...

Gorgeously elegant Donna - the colors are totally fabulous on both cards. So rich and the paneling with those papers add a wonderfully rich vintage feel to both cards. Thanks for the intricate how-to's too!

Linda Simpson said...

Oh my Donna this is stunning! I love butterflies and the colours are gorgeous. Enjoy your weekend.
Hugs
Linda xxx

Leslie Miller said...

Ohhhhhh, Donna! So much to love! The gorgeous gilded butterfly, the dry embossed background, the glorious designer paper! Two jaw dropping cards! Sometimes stamping is so much fun, isn't it? I love the sketch and was wanting to use it, too. Today is World Cardmaking Day, so maybe... Your new autumn blog header is breathtaking with that intense color. Summer flowers have got nothin' on fall foliage when you get to see it in full glory. We don't get quite that display here on the coast. I hope you're going to have a beautiful day!

Ann Greenspan's Crafts said...

Gorgeous cards Donna. I love the tips about the embossing and the gold around the outside of the butterfly. Love all the colors you used and on the paper too. Thanks for sharing your talents with all of us so we can try to do the same with those amazing butterflies.

pam said...

Two Gorgeous cards Donna, stunning colours on this fabulous butterfly! love the background papers.. stunning colouring.
Pamx

Stampsnob. said...

Oh I know cutting into beautiful papers is like having a root canal but just look at the result Donna this is awesome that butterfly and how you used it is exquisite ............Lis

Conniecrafter said...

Oh Wow these are just stunning, such great design you have made from the sketch, love the embossing and the coloring on both of the butterflies. Love the red behind the die cut butterfly, such wonderful ideas, and so stunning!!

Patricia St Martin said...

Just amazing Donna! Your tips are always right on and remind me of things I have forgotten. Love your choice of colors, the DP is so beautiful and all the wonderful layer look great together. Great use with the EP. Sure can not wait to get back crafting, everything in my craft room area is still a mess. Still have to remove some walls and put dry wall up, did not think it would take this long. Who well one thing at a time. Have the kitchen and bathroom done.
Hugs, Pat

Pia S said...

I'm going, ooh, ahhh and wow over here! I love these so much I have trouble finding the right words to describe them. Sometimes few words say the most, but that's kind of difficult to get into a written comment. But believe me, I'm awed!

NanaConnie said...

Donna, I can never remember whether I've commented here or over on the DT blog. I guess it wasn't here. I love that stunning butterfly! Thanks so much for the instructions on how you did it. I'm going to try that. I always get such fantastic tips from you. :-D
BTW, That an exceptionally spectacular masthead!

Karen said...

Donna, these are truly spectacular... fluttering straight into my heart! The butterflies are majestic and magical.. there are no words to express how I love them. :) Your designs alongside them are lovely. Thank you for the sweet inspiration and I hope you have a beautiful day. :)

Hugs and blessings,
Karen