Friday 29 April 2011

Flutterby Butterfly...

Hello again!! :)

I was going to try to be sensible today and get some rest instead of posting this to get it into the challenges I wanted to but today’s turned into a bit of a rubbish one for some reason and I figured thinking about craft and cards was probably about the best way to cheer myself up... so, hang sensible for once, and here I am to show you the card I made for my best crafting friend Elaine’s birthday last week which I’m really quite proud of, not least because she loved it which made me very happy!! :)


Any of you who visit Elaine’s blog will know that she loves butterflies so I decided that I would use that as the starting point for my card this year as I love butterflies, too, and haven’t made a card with one as a focal point for too long!! :) We’ve also both been loving our Cricuts and design software recently (thank you for getting me to finally get that, hon- I’ve had so much fun already!! :) ) so I decided to try and make as much as possible of her card with the Cricut :)


I wanted a bright, light, spring-like look to go with the butterfly so I decided to use some more of the gorgeous Memory Box Gossamer papers- these are so beautiful that I always love working with them and haven’t made a card I didn’t like with them yet ... shall have to get myself some more, I think!! :) And as you can see from this pic, I inked the edges of everything with Spun sugar DI and used copious amounts of Crystal Stickles to give a *bit* of added sparkle!! :)


One of the reasons I’m proud of this card is because much of it was my own work- I designed the cut files for the Cherry Blossom Panel and Border myself in my graphics program with some flower shapes I created from the quick shapes within the program so I got just the look I wanted and then cut them on the Cricut along with some mat layers from a Nestie-esque file I found online :) I actually designed the whole card layout and figured out all the sizes within my graphics program, too, which was a saving grace as there was a lot going on in this one and it would’ve been a nightmare to find the sizes didn’t work after I’d cut into the lovely papers!!lol The butterflies are also cut on the Cricut from a supplied shape- it’s such a lovely shape I just keep cutting them whenever I have a space big enough left over on anything else I’m cutting... they’re all in a little bag on my desk and will come in very useful sometime, I’m sure!! :)


I raised a piece of the paper- which is 160gsm and beautifully thick and robust to work with- on foam pads to make an unobtrusive stopper and stamped the greeting, which is the only part of the card I was a little unhappy with as I’d intended to use a greeting cut on the Cricut but the font I chose was to fine and didn’t cut perfectly at the size I needed... so out with the trusty old fav Jane’s Script stamp set!!lol The final touches were a plethora of tiny white pearls... basically, anywhere I could get away with it as I think they always make a card look so much more special :)

So, that was my card for my lovely crafting friend- it was slightly strange for me making a card for somebody who is as into crafting as I am as I’ve not done that often before but I loved making it, she was happy receiving it and I hope you enjoyed seeing it, too, though I know I’ve ventured into slightly unusual territory with this one- it took a long time to create the files but I really enjoyed doing it and think the result was worth it.... think you'll be seeing more of these Cherry Blossoms on other cards before long!! :)


ETA: Ooops- forgot this bit in my rush to be on time for the challenges!! :S I used:

  • A5 Scalloped white base card
  • Memory Box Gossamer paper pack
  • My Cricut, cutting software and graphics program to design the cut files
  • Spun Sugar Distress Ink
  • Crystal Stickles
  • Perfect Pearls Shimmer Spray in Pearl on the butterflies
  • Woodware Clear Magic Jane’s Script stamp set for greeting stamped in Spun Sugar and Victorian Velvet DIs mixed on the stamp with Sakura Clear Stardust and Clear Glaze to highlight
  • White flat-backed pearls
Quite a simple list actually as most of the work was in the prep :)

I’d like to enter this card in the following challenges: CES – Spring Colours/Images :) ; Do You Stack Up? – Make It POP :) ; Moving Along With The Times – Anything Goes :) ; Charisma Cardz – April Showers/May Flowers (the flowers after the showers in this case if that’s okay?) :) ; Crafts and Me – Vintage/Distress (both the vintage prints on my papers and the DIs I’ve used) :) ; The Crazy Challenge – Use Three Different Papers :) ; The Shabby Tea Room – Inspiration Photo (my butterflies and the layers of white) :) ; Paper Sundaes - Pick at least two toppings- I have used Sparkle and Pearls :)

Well, I do feel much better for thinking about something pretty and sparkly for a while!! Simple things!!lol Thanks for visiting me and sharing in My Crafty Life tonight- I hope you’ve all had a lovely day today whether you’ve spent it in front of the telly, having a party on your street or just trying your hardest to pretend a certain something was happening on another planet- for me it been a bit of the former and a bit of the latter!!lol At least the sun’s been shining!! :)

21 comments:

Feebsy said...

This is such a beautiful card, no wonder your friend loved it! It's a wonderful design, you have every right to be proud of it.

I hope that you have a better day tomorrow.

Take care
Feebsy
x

Denise said...

Wow - totally stunning card. I love everything about it and I am not surpirsed your friend loved it. Who wouldn't? Thanks for sharing it with us at DYSU this week xx

Vicky said...

OMG..this is fabulous Rachel..loving your layout and gorgeous butterfly..

hugs Vicky xx

Jules said...

Hi Rachel

Wow!! I am not surprised your friend loved her card .. .. it is amazing.

So many fabulous details to look at and such gorgeous colours.

You are right to be proud of it!!

Love Jules xx

Janie Printz said...

Such a beautiful card made with so many gorgeous butterflies & such great layers.
LOVE it !!!
Hugs, Janie

WencheP said...

WOW - this is really beautiful! Absolutely love the colors! Thanks for joining us at Do You Stack Up.

-Wenche

Rony said...

WOW! Absolutely gorgeous!!!!

Thanks for joining us on The Crazy Challenge this week!

Sally said...

Really beautiful card. Love the layers which transform just a normal style easel card. Gorgeous colours and love the butterflies. (which software did you get for your cricut?)
Hugs Sally xxx

coops said...

wow this is fantastic rachel.so beautiful and i love the butterfly and all your special touches :D
hope you have a better day today hun :D

xx coops xx

Robin said...

This is gorgeous Rachel.. I can see why Elaine loved it!

Robin Shakoor said...

This is so pretty. I love it!

Trees said...

What a soft and pretty card! Thanks for joining us at the Shabby Tea Room.

Pami said...

Hi Rachel, this is beautiful, I love the butterflies and the soft colours. The pearls are lovely too. Thanks for joining in with us at MAWTT this week and good luck. Pami x

Fiona said...

wow what a stunning creation. you have put so much work into this but worth it...I love it!! Thanks for joining us at paper Sundaes this week.

Fi

Jennifer said...

Oh this is totally stunning Rachel! Love it!! Have a fabby weekend! xx Jenny xx

socks said...

Gorgeous card Rachel :) love Suzanne xx

SYLVIA-ANNE said...

OMGoodness - this is a stunning card Rachel - the papers and colours are beautiful, and I love the butterflies and pearls. I'm not surprised your friend loved it, I'm sure she will treasure it for ever.
Thank you so much for joining us at the MAWTT challenge this week - hope to see you next time, Hugs, Sylvia xxx

Carole of Brum said...

Hiya Rachel, it certainly looks like a very special card, and you can see the time and attention in it, your friend must be feeling very special herself by now! Love the effect of inking all the edges, always looks great. I hope blogging and thinking about crafting cheered you up, cherub, that's something I love about it. CoB

Unknown said...

Love that lacy background - very striking

kitten DYSU team

Anonymous said...

Stunning card! Thanks for joining us at MAWTT! x

Angela said...

Oh this is so beautiful. I love your whole layout and colors. Thanks for joining us at Crafts and Me Challenges.
Hugs:)
Angela

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