Floating Butterfly and Flowers Card

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my blog.  It has been a very busy few weeks since my last post.  I attended The Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show in Anaheim, California, and had the opportunity to meet some wonderful designers, made new friends, and got to see new products coming out in the near future.

And speaking of new products, The Robin's Nest (TRN) has put together some fantastic card kits and tag kits, and best of all, they are on sale the entire month of January.   Just use the code:  cardkitpromo for a 20% savings. We are also teaming up with Heartfelt Creations this month.  So, I used their Tattered Blossoms pre-cut stamp set and matching dies, in addition to the card and tag kits from TRN, to make this beautiful card.

Robin's Nest Products Used:

Baby Boy Card Kit which includes the following:
     Irredescent Blue Glitter Blue Swirl on Blue cardstock
     Rubber Duckies Glitter Cardstock
     Dew Drops
     Envelopes
     Embossed Panel cards
Awning Glitter Cardstock
Winter Tag Kit (Chipboard Shapes)
Glitter Teal Journaling

Other Products used:
Heartfelt Creations Tattered Blossoms stamp set and matching die set
Spellbinders label die
Distress inks (Scattered Straw, Stormy Sky, Peeled Paint, Evergreen Bough, Brushed Corduroy)
Leaf punch

Cut a piece of Awning Glitter Cardstock slightly smaller than card base, round the corners and distress the edges with a bit of brown ink.  I used a grey card stock for my base card. 

Card Layers

Die cut a label shape from the  Rubber Duckies Glitter Cardstock and adhere the reverse side to the first layer.  Distress ink these edges, too.

Stamp  Heartfelt Creations Tattered Blossoms in different sizes onto the reverse side of Irredescent Blue Glitter Blue Swirl on Blue cardstock and distress with various colors of Distress Inks.  Cut each blossom out using the matching Heartfelt Creations die cut set.

Emboss each petal using a bone folder or large tip embossing tool.  Pictured here, I am using a piece of foam beneath my flower petals, but a magazine or even a mouse pad could be used.

Stack each flower with three consecutively smaller petals, offsetting each petal for fullness. For added dimension, I used foam dots between some of the layers.  Of course, I used dew drops for the flower centers.  No flower is complete with dew drops.  

Here you can see the fullness and dimension achieved by using the foam dots.  I also punched some leaves to add to the flowers.  

Now, to make the floating butterfly, you will need to punch three symmetrical butterfly shapes.  I used a Martha Stewart punch to punch out the prettiest glittery parts of the Awning Glitter Cardstock.  Fold each butterfly in half, and glue the wings of each together, as shown. In other words, both of the center butterfly's wings are glued to the corresponding right or left wing of the butterfly on either side.    See picture below.

Now simply glue the two bottom wings to your card, and the remaining wings "float".  Here is a closeup of it on the card.  

I borrowed Terri Sproul's idea to use the dew drops for a flight path that the butterfly is taking on the card as it travels through this flower garden.  Isn't that a neat idea?

Now, here are a couple of tips I've learned over the years.  One:  don't forget to decorate the envelope a bit, and two:  carry on with your images to the inside of your card.  Here, I am using the Glitter Teal Journaling card to place my stamped sentiment and write my well wishes onto.  I covered an oval shape tag from the kit with the reverse side of Irredescent Blue Glitter Blue Swirl on Blue cardstock, stamped "For You" on it, and added some dew drops.  Distress the edges with a bit of ink, add some more leaves, and you have added one more wow factor to your card. Trust me, your friends (recipients) will be "wowed" and amazed when they open the card and get that extra surprise.  This is also a good way to use up those scraps instead of throwing them away.  

Well, I hope you have enjoyed my card project, and will give this floating butterfly a try.  It is easy and fun, and it just does not get much better than that.  I also want to remind you to visit the Robin's Nest blog to see what the other Design Team members are cooking up with their stamps and kits this month, as well as playing along with the newly revamped monthly challenges for a chance to win $20 to use in The Robin's Nest online store.  

As always, thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you will come back soon. 

Happy crafting in 2013!

Barbara