Translucent Butterflies

Hey there! 

Its Good Friday, what a great day to remember as our Saviour died on a cross for us, but what is even better is Easter day, when we can celebrate that he is risen! Happy day!

So today I've got this week's Paper Players challenge for you, and this week its on time! Woohoo! 

I'm not sure why but I was a little daunted by this colour challenge. All three colours are very powerful one, so I've spent all week thinking about how to make these work.

Stamp Set: Papillon Potpourri, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Always Artichoke, Calypso Coral, Coastal Cabana

Cardstock: Window Sheet, Vellum

Punch: Bitty Butterfly

When I set out to make this card it wasn't intended to be a transparent card. I wanted to make a swam of butterflies that had a beautiful translucency to them. I stamped the butterflies on the vellum which also helped to soften the intense colour palette but when I placed them on a white card base they just got lost! I was really quite disappointed but then thought about trying out a transparent card. Worked perfectly! 

Don't you just love all those butterflies?! I think they look fab.

The bold artichoke and coral butterflies really pop amongst a sea of coastal cabana butterflies.

I'm quite pleased with how this has turned out! Cards with transparencies to them intrigue me. This is something I've dabbled with before but I'd love to try playing around with window sheet some more! Have you worked with window sheets much? How do you like to use it? 

Happy Stampin',

Butterflies Galore!

Good morning! 

Monday already? Doesn't the weekend go fast!! Did you all have a good weekend? I had a craft table at a Christian charity sale on Saturday morning and went to see Les Miserables in the afternoon with my parents. It was good, don't get me wrong but, I think everyone had been telling me how amazing and brilliant it was that it didn't meet my expectations. Pity. I didn't even cry...oh well! 

On with today's share... This is another card I made quite a while back using the Papillon Potpourri stamp set and just never got around to showing you! 

Stamp Set: Papillon Potpourri, Curly Cute

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Pumpkin Pie, Regal Rose, Pacific Point, Tempting Turquoise, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade

Cardstock: Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Pumpkin Pie, Regal Rose, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade

Accessories: Brights Glimmer Brads. Designer Printed Brads, Brights Buttons, Rhinestones

Punch: Elegant Butterfly, Itty Bitty

Ribbon: Rich Razzleberry Stitched Grosgrain

I love all the bright colours here! The way these butterflies are arranged in rows reminds me of those butterfly displays you sometimes find in curiosity houses or stately homes (you know the kind I mean, where they are all pinned to the board and framed). 

The wings of the stamped butterflies do stand up a bit but you cant really see it here. Behind each stamped image is a solid punched butterfly for an extra pop of colour. Its very effective, just a pity you can't see it very well here. I also love the use of lots of different embellishments, I have a tendency to get a bit over protective and precious about brads and buttons so to have this many on a card is very special but it works beautifully! 

What do you think? Like my extravagance? 

Have a wonderful Monday! 

Amanda xx

Pappillon Potpourri!!

Afternoon! 

So, now you've had a day to look at the Sale-A-Bration goodies, how are you liking them? They're fabulous aren't they?! And if you haven't seen them yet, what are you waiting for?! Grab a cuppa, sit down, put your feet up and relax for a few minutes and have a good browse!! 

So to get your day started I've got a cute card I demo'd for a bunch of lovely ladies back in October! Man it was that long ago?! 

Stamp Set: Papillon Potpourri, Fabulous Phrases, Alehambra wheel

Ink: Raspberry Ripple, Daffodil Delight, Primrose Petals

Cardstock: Whisper White, Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals

DSP: International Bazaar

Punch: Decorative Label, Elegant Butterfly

Extras: Essentials Pierce Pack

Embellishments: Dahlias

So, this is a bit more of a complex card as I really wanted to show off lots of the awesome new things in the annual catty but a simplified version of this card would be equally effective. I think the two things that I love about and really make this card stand out to me is the paper piercing (a very cost effective way of adding detail to a card) and the different uses of the decorative label punch! I adore that punch and definitely recommend it to anyone that is starting out and looking for one or two punches to get them going!! 

So, how about a simplified version of this card - 

Decorative Label Punch (£15.50)

Essentials Pierce Pack (£7.25)

DSP (£9.95)

Coloured Cardstock (£6.25)

Rhinestones (£4.50) 

Dimensionals (£3.25)

= £46.70 and get the Bloomin' Marvelous stamp set for free! 

It's got both images and sentiments in it so is the perfect SAB set for someone getting started on card making! If you don't have any ink you might want to think about adding an ink pad (£4.95) to this bundle instead of the rhinestones! 

The DSP used here was the Birds of a Feather which is very light, pretty and cutesy style!

I hope you enjoyed this card and the simplified SAB bundle version! 

Catch you again tomorrow! 

Amanda x

window card

I am really loving the Papillon Potpouri stamp set and coordinating butterfly punch at the moment! 

Another of my new loves is the International Bazaar designer paper! If you haven't seen it yet, you really must! So pretty!!

Stamp Set: Papillon Potpourri, Fabulous Phrases, Summer Shilouettes 

Ink: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Summer Starfruit, Whisper White

DSP: International Bazaar

Accessories: Dahlias

Embossing: Clear

Ribbon: Lucky Limeade Ruffle

Big Shot: Apothecary Accents Framelits

Punch: Elegant Butterfly

The tiny flower from the Summer Silhouettes was stamped over the background. In the bottom corner I punched out a butterfly - a strip of the designer paper inside the card shows through when the card is closed! a little banner popped over the butterfly with a sentiment on it too! I used the same paper pattern with the Apothecary Accents, layered some paper and ribbon banners over top and on top of that a butterfly embossed with clear embossing for a subtle pattern. The centre is accented with a Summer Starfruit dahlia. 

Did you see that the butterfly pattern is the same as the pattern on the designer paper? Talk about coordination!! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xo

small and simple!

I thought today I'd show you a really easy and tiny card I used for my thank you notes to my customers last month! Cards don't always have to be big and complicated, sometimes its enough to just make a small (7cm square) card! 

Thank You Butterfly

Stamp Set: Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Papillon Potpourri

Ink: Raspberry Ripple

Cardstock: Whisper White, Primrose Petals

Punch: Elegant Butterfly

Accessories: Rhinestone 

Extras: Essentials Pierce Pack

So the butterfly is stamped and punched - love the co-ordination of Stampin' Up!'s stamps and punches - they make life so much easier!! To frame the butterfly I used the new essentials pierce pack to paper pierce a oval onto the card. I added a sentiment and a rhinestone to finish off! 

Hope you enjoyed a quick card today! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda x