Bright Butterfly



Hi folks!  Welcome to my blog, and thank you for visiting.  I'm not usually organised enough to be able to enter one project into more than one challenge, but it just so happens that this time one of my projects meets criteria for two blogs.  The recipe for the Dragon's Dream Tag-It-On challenge this time is- Orange, Purple and Butterflies, and The Artful Times challenge is Colour Technique - in this case, Faux Batik.

Sometimes - not often, I'll admit, but sometimes- I set out with an idea in mind and it all turns out more or less as I hoped.  Sometimes - usually when I've got a pile of bits left over from other projects and I'm playing with them - I have no clear idea in mind and I just go with the flow.  And sometimes, I set out with a clear idea of what I want to create and wind up with something completely different.  And that's what happened here.  My first thoughts were 60's psychedia - and this is what I finished up with...

I stamped the background panel (which is an old Graphicus stamp) in the Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink and heat-embossed with clear detail powder. (I did a panel rather than stamping direct onto the tag, because, after numerous attempts, I came to the conclusion that I cannot stamp straight.  I blame my astigmatism.)  That done, I went over the background of the panel and the edges of the tag with the Eggplant Adirondack ink and a few blobs of Radiant Rain to give a bit of bling. 

Then, with my iron set to "HOT", I covered the panel with a layer of paper towel and ironed it so that the embossing powder melted and was absorbed by paper.  I kept replacing the paper towels until no more of the embossing was left.  I touched the edges with some Burnished Bronze Distress Stain - just a very light touch - and attached the panel to the tag.  

The butterfly stamp was a free cover-mount from Craft Stamper magazine.  Because it's a clear stamp, I could stamp onto the butterfly die-cut ( a Spellbinders die) using the Eggplant pad, lining it all up, emboss, and go over it all with the Spiced Marmalade. While I was at it, I coloured another scrap of card, stamped the "Elusive Butterfly" sentiment (another home-made one) and die cut the label shape.  I edged the butterfly and the label with a touch of Eggplant and the label also got a tiny bit of Burnished Bronze.

Nearly done now!  The fancy "frame" I die- cut from a bit of bronze mirror card - it was too shiny (yes, it is possible) so I dabbed some bronze Distress Stain over it; coloured a scrap of card in Eggplant, dripped a couple of drops of water onto it and dabbed them off,  attached the sentiment with a couple of brads I'd coloured with alcohol inks and once the ribbons were tied on, the job was done.  Hope you like it!