Butterflies

This week, I had to make a birthday card for a friend who loves nature, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to use the Fairy Tale Butterflies digital freebie that I downloaded last month over at Create with TLC.

I created a square in Word and used one of the colour filling options (bit map pattern called "Briefpapier" in Dutch, so it's probably called sth. like "Writing paper" in English) to create the basis for my background. I placed the green butterfly on top and sent it to the printer. I printed the same butterfly again and cut it out, so I could mask my first green butterfly before stamping the background florals/swirls with a Viva decor cling stamp and Antique linen distress ink (Ranger's). I then cut out my square to size and rubbed the edges with more Antique linen and some Dried marigold. I printed the orange butterfly and attached it with a few foam pads for dimension. The sentiment is from a sentiment set from Ladybugs Crafts Ink. I cut it out with a Spellbinders tag die and applied some distress ink. The CS, gems and ribbon are from my stash.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments - #49 Happy Birthday

Do You Stack Up - #61 Things with wings

Ooh La La - Photo inspiration (orange and green)

Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes

Charisma Cardz - #8 Masking (+ optional: use 3 stamps)

Allsorts - #144 Spread your wings

OSAAT - #102 Use digi + Spring

Paperplay - #9 Sth. new, sth. old (new digi, old everything else)

White on White plus Bling

This week's prompt over at the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge blog is White on White, with minimal colouring. Just perfect for another Christmas/winter card.

I used the following sketch for the layout of my card.

Top Tip Tuesday Tips:

1.

Some time ago, I read a tip about adding some glue to the ends of a piece of ribbon.

This is also very useful for lace. The lace I used tends to unravel when you cut it. After cutting it, I dipped the ends into a small container of bookbinder's glue. It's invisible and works like a charm.

2.

Bookbinder's glue is also very useful for making boxes or if you want to want your card layers to keep stuck for a long time. Photo glue (rubber cement) tends to come loose after some time. With bookbinder's glue you have a liitle time to adjust the paper (depending on the thickness of the paper) and you get a smooth result.

Materials used:

Most of the material comes from my stash, except the embossing folder,

which is a Sizzix embossing folder that I recently bought.

Image - Cuddly Buddly

Colouring - Spectrum Noirs

Big snowflake - Silhouette design

Small snowflake and lace - Marianne Design

Ribbon, pearl string and gems - from my stash

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Secret Crafter Saturday - #174 White on White

Winter Wonderland - Glitter and bling

Sketch N Stash - Sketch #82

Allsorts - #143 It's your choice

Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes

CHNC - #61 Use a ribbon and/or charm

Top Tip Tuesday - #71 Stitches

Crafts and Me - #73 Pretty in lace

Paperplay - #9 Something old, something new

Catch the Bug - Hearts, pearls and lace

Sentimental Sundays - #91 Lace and pearls

Preparing for spring...

When I received a Doodle Pantry image set after participating in the last challenge, I knew I had to use the image on a card. And I knew just the person to make it for. I know this person is a regular visitor of my blog, so ... watch your mailbox, LOL.

This week's sketch over at Catch the Bug was just what I needed to show off my pre-coloured birdie. 

Materials used:

Cardstock - Core'dinations

Patterned papers - First Edition (BirdSong collection)

Scalloped square - Nellie Snellen die

Image (pre-coloured) and sentiment - Doodle Pantry

Gems - from stash, coloured pink with Spectrum Noir pens

Glitter glue - from my stash

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Doodle Pantry - #20 Use a DP image

Crafter's Companion - #21 - Anything goes

ABC challenge - J for Jazz it up

LCI - Spring is in the air

Simply Create Too - #7 Add sunshine to your day

Crafts and Me - #72 Shades of spring

Simon Says Stamp - Use 3 different papers

Cute Card Thursday - #205 Winged things

MAWTT - #137 Lots of layers

Delightful Challenges - Use pattern paper

Allsorts - #142 Anthing goes

Catch the Bug - Sketch

One Stitch at a Time - #101 Digi or don't

The Crafty Pad - #158 Blue, red and green