Winter Butterflies

Just because it’s winter, doesn’t mean we can’t have butterflies.

For this card, my final project for Just Imagine Crafts — Kreaxions, I chose to use their glitter paper as the background of my card front. I embossed it with Elizabeth Craft Designs embossing folder.

Then, I added a strip of navy glitter paper and a strip Two-Tone paper, which I stamped with an Elizabeth Craft Designs stamp.

Next, I used the Kreaxions Butterfly Die to cut out two butterflies from the two-tone paper. I embossed one of them with a folder from Cuttlebug. I adhered the butterflies together and to the card with dimensional foam adhesive squares in the center. This allows their wings to be free and gives them a bit of height.

I then used Kreaxions Punch #902 with the A plate inserted to punch little flowers from the navy glitter paper. I adhered these to the card front and added tiny gems from Queen & Co. Finally, I attached the card front to a navy card base.

What do you think?

“Glass” ornaments technique

So, I may not be the first one to come up with this technique, but I really did come up with all on my own — as incredible as that sounds!

It started out innocently enough — I wanted to make a bookmark and wanted to play with my new Sizzix Textured Impressions embossing folders. Then, I added a little color and a little more color and thought, hey, I wonder what would happen if I added a bit of UTEE to the top?? Well, let’s just say I “impressed” myself!

Pretty amazing, huh!?

Here are the instructions:

Cut a piece of cardstock to the size of the bookmark you want. (I used white)

Place it in the Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folders (or one of the Tim Holtz folders would work, too) and emboss with the Big Shot or similar cutting tool. (This is the Christmas and Thin Ice set.)

Lightly apply Barn Door Distress Ink with an ink applicator. This will add color to the raised areas and a hint to the rest.

Then, to add a bit more dimension, go over it again, with an even lighter hand, with Fired Brick.

Here’s the cool part …
Turn the Distress Ink Embossing Pad over and lightly run it across the surface of the tag (or bookmark). Don’t worry about it being perfect.

Now, add UTEE and heat.

Then, add Ranger’s new Liquid Pearls to the dots on the ornaments for even more texture and dimension.

To the bottom, because I didn’t want to cover up too much, I added a sticker from the new Seasonal Salvage Stickers by Tim Holtz, a mini safety pin, a strip of ribbon (colored with Distress Ink), a scrap of ribbon and the mini brads by Tim Holtz.

To make the bookmark a little thicker, and to cover the back side, I attached another piece of white cardstock to the back, trimmed it to fit, and then went around the entire edge with Fired Brick Distress Ink.

The Crop-a-Dile easily punches a hole at the top for an eyelet. A few Baubles and a Swivel Clasp by Tim Holtz and a bit more ribbon to the top, and I called it done.

I absolutely love the result. I wish you could feel it through your computer screen, because it is really amazing! It could be a bookmark or a tag for a holiday gift, but it is pretty enough to hang on the tree. (click on the photos for a better look …)

Beyond pink and blue

In the scrapbooking world, nearly everything made for babies seems to be either blue or pink. I suppose that is fine in some cases, but I would imagine a new mommy would get tired of opening dozens of cards in pink or blue. So, I challenged myself to make a card that didn’t use either of those colors.

This is what I came up with …

I used an embossing background die by Dies Direct and then inked it with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink.

I added Stickles in some of the flowers and mounted it on green and then put on a white card.

I used brads and a button from Bo Bunny, a strip of paper ribbon by Basic Grey and a flower “button” made with a die by Dies Direct to finish it off. The mini font used to write A Baby is also from Dies Direct.