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

Winter Blue Snowflakes Card

Happy New Year everyone, and welcome back to another wonderful year full of creative inspiration with The Robin's Nest.  I hope your holiday was absolutely fabulous, and I trust that life is slowing down a bit for you after the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

Now, for some exciting news.  The Robin's Nest has put together some fantastic card kits and tag kits, and 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, my first card for this year is a beautiful wintery blue card made using products from both the Baby Boy card kit and the Winter tag kit.  I  also made some really pretty snowflakes using the the Tattered Blossoms Pre-Cut stamp set and matching dies from Heartfelt Creations.

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
Winter Tag Kit
Jean Cardstock
Fairy Dust Dew Drops
Glitter Blue Journaling

Other Products used:
Heartfelt Creations Tattered Blossoms die
Spellbinders lacy rectangular die
Distress inks (Seedless Preserves & Stormy Sky)
White Detail embossing powder
White pigment ink

I am always looking for different, and sometimes unconventional, ways to make cards.  This is a single panel card (i.e., not folded in half) that has been inserted into the envelope.  The envelope is an integral part of the card, and not just something used to mail it.   I love dimension, and this card has it.

First, fold the envelope flap to the inside and glue down.

  

Cover the envelope, front and back, as shown, using the Irredescent Blue Glitter Blue Swirl on Blue cardstock from the card kit.  I inked the paper with Seedless Preserves distress ink, which made the glittery flourishes pop.  The excess triangle piece was used on the flap.

Ink the edges of one of the embossed panel cards from the kit using Seedless Preserves and a bit of Stormy Sky distress ink.  Stamp the smallest Heartfelt Creations Tattered Blossom stamp around the edges using Seedless Preserves.

Use a Spellbinders lacy rectangular die to cut the Jean Cardstock, ink edges with white pigment ink, and emboss with white embossing powder.  I allowed some of the blue to show through for a more shabby chic (or frosty) look.  Adhere to center of embossed panel.

Adhere "Winter" sticker to matching chipboard shape, ink edges with white pigment ink, and emboss with white embossing powder.  Glue to center of Jean Cardstock piece.

Panel card insert

Attach oval "snowflakes" sticker to matching chipboard shape, ink edges with white pigment ink, and emboss with white embossing powder.  Punch holes on opposite sides of sticker and thread snowflake ribbon around envelope holder, gluing sticker off center.

Envelope front without card inserted

Using the the three smallest sizes of the Heartfelt Creations Tattered Blossoms dies, cut one of each, and one extra of the smallest from the Rubber Duckies Glitter Cardstock.

I wanted to use these for snowflakes, and no one likes yellow snow, so I inked each one with white pigment ink and embossed with white embossing powder.  (NOTE:  Any color cardstock could be used for this part).  I added a bit of Seedless Preserves distress ink to each one and re-heated, which gave a bit of a purple look to the snowflakes.  The two smaller snowflakes were attached to the card, as shown, and the other two were attached to the envelope holder.  Silver dew drops from the Fairy Dust Dew Drops collection were glued to the centers.

Reverse side of envelope

As I said, this card does not fold in half.  It is a single panel, and the sentiment would be added to the reverse side.  This is where the Robin's Nest glittered journal cards come in handy.  As you can see, I used the journal card on the reverse of my card to add either my handwritten or stamped sentiment.   I prefer to leave the sentiment off of my cards until I am ready to send.  That way, I can use it for whatever occasion arises.   If you wanted to mail this, it would have to be put into a larger envelope.  However, this is a wonderful card for presenting in person.  It is quite substantial feeling, and is sure to please any recipient.

Fussy-cut journal card and attach to reverse of panel card

Well, I hope you have enjoyed my project today and will stop by The Robin's Nest online store to see all of the new products and kits they have added, and check out their new line of card and tag kits on sale this month.  What a great opportunity to stock up on those most-wanted papers and embellishments.  Also, check their blog regularly to see what the new design team creates for you.  I also encourage you to visit  Heartfelt Creations to view their products, as well.  

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful New Year!

Barbara