I guess many of you know how much I love butterflies so when Tim brought out a new Butterfly and Texture Fade Embossing set, it was the first thing on my ever lengthening list of must-haves! I grew up in Canada where butterflies are abundant in the summer and my favourite was the Monarch butterfly with it's dramatic rusty orange, black and white wings. Now, Tim's new butterfly is a Swallowtail so I had to do a little bit of 'surgery' to make it look more like a Monarch. All I had to do was snip a bit off each of the tails......
I am also trying to create pieces in collage, a technique that I am still learning, this it is not as random as I think it should be but we all have to start somewhere I guess! I started with a black card base and topped it with some Kraft card, after roughing up the edges. On top of this I added a piece of burlap paper (a gift from a lovely friend). I then took a piece of Kraft card and using Tim's new Gothic stencil and some embossing paste (Wendy Vecchi's crackle version) I covered the whole piece of card - it shows up quite well in the photo below. I set this to one side to dry, it took about an hour.
I added a piece of black card left over from a torn notebook die and matted this onto the base - at the right in the above photo. I then die cut a film strip in black card and added a piece of vellum from Tim's new Thrift Shop Ephemera Vellum pack. A piece of lace from my stash was also added. On top of this I matted a piece of card from Tim's Wallflower pack of papers onto Kraft card and again roughed up the edges.
The butterfly itself was a labour of love. I die cut it in black card and used the Texture Fade to emboss it. I took some Spiced Marmalade Distress Paint and used a small paintbrush to carefully paint in all of the debossed sections of the butterfly wings. Around the outside I used Picket Fence DP to fill in the smaller 'dot' sections and left this to dry. As you know Distress Paint dries very quickly which is great because I am not the most patient crafter.
I then added quite a thick coat of Clear Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint to the whole of the butterfly and put this to one side to dry whilst I made some curly antennae from some jewellery wire.
The sentiment was stamped onto Kraft card using Tim's Simple Sayings stamp set (sorry Hels this is the only stamping on the piece so I hope it qualifies). Thank you for looking and hopefully leaving a comment.
I will be back a couple more times this week, on Thursday with my DT piece for the Artists on the Block and on Friday with our new challenge over at A Vintage Journey.
As well as Sunday Stampers I am entering this piece into the following challenges:
Eclectic Paperie ePlay challenge - Embossing (butterfly and backing card)
and
Mixed Media Monday Challenge #3 - Stencils with embossing paste (dry embossed butterfly and texture paste background with the Gothic stencil)
Simon Says Monday Challenge - Anything Goes
Hooray, I get to be your first commenter! This is just magnificent Anne! We have butterflies at our buddleia (sp?) that look just this gorgeous. You've done an excellent job with the realistic colors and it must have been tedious painting in those tiny spaces. The crackle of the rock candy on the Monarch is so effective. I'm wowed by that embossing paste too. I've yet to get a stencil off the stuff w/out smearing something. With this intricate design, oh my! Loved all the things you've collaged, and not sure why you think you need to improve (but you know the effect you're going for!) I think it is just a fabulous work, and it's my kind of look too! Just love this one! Lots. Hugs & hope I didn't send you into your nap with that long post. Thanks for your sweet comment. TFS
ReplyDeleteAnne this is beautiful and love your butterfly against the gorgeous collaged background x a beautiful piece x
ReplyDeleteWow Anne this is so stunning I'm lost for words and you know me that doesn't happen very often...absolutely collage perfection and you naughty naughty enabler I just have to have that gorgeous butterfly set...hugs kath xxx
ReplyDeleteThis is gorgeous, Anne, and you did great with your surgery and collage work,
ReplyDeleteLucy x
Beautiful, beautiful! Oh Anne this is lovely, great collage, texturing and fabulous butterfky! Waiting for mine to arrive, can't wait! Nikki xx
ReplyDeleteWow, that is lovely. The black & kraft colours really work to set off that beautiful butterfly.
ReplyDeleteToni xx
Just did a post and it has not added it ! Love butterflies Anne too and this is beautiful and so pretty. I also love all the collage pieces and all the little touches x
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Anne, plus your placing of embellishments used is always amazing. Love how the background is muted and the focal point is bright and zingy. Awwww just love it.
ReplyDeleteWarm crafty hugs from Shirl x x x
ShirlsCards.
Stunning is all I can say. Love the layers, the colour scheme and everything just sets off that beautiful butterfly. Glad you have time to play for yourself!! Elaine x
ReplyDeleteLayering!!! Love it!!! That textured/stencilled kraft and burlap background is the perfect backdrop for your incredibly detailed Monarch. It all works so well together. Jenny x
ReplyDeleteOh my! This is stunning Anne .... love that background with the white embossing paste and the butterfly is simply beautiful ..... another work of art! Hugs ..... Linda xx
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing. the time spent on your butterfly was certainly worth it.
ReplyDeleteWow Anne, adore this very much. Your collage background looks perfect and suits your butterfly beautifully. A labour of love that has been so worth it for the result, just stunning.
ReplyDeleteJulie x
AWESOME... I love what you have done with the butterfly Anne, it is absolutely GORGEOUS... Thanks for joining in with the Sunday Stamper x
ReplyDeleteMagnificent creation Anne. That butterfly looks so fabulous. Love what you've done with this. Hugs Rita xxx
ReplyDeleteLovely lovely CREATION Anne, very magnificent butterfly and the background is super... love this stencil too... WOW... Love, Light and Peace..Bonnie
ReplyDeleteStunning creation Anne,the butterfly is wonderfully complex. The orange is really zingy,lovely :)
ReplyDeleteHugs
Donna xx
This is beautiful Anne and your collage background looks superb x like you I love the Butterfly die and EF......such a beautiful creation here. TFS and crafty hugs
ReplyDeleteAnnie x
absolutely brilliant Anne - love the colours on the butterfly and the fact that you coloured it to match a real one is brilliant. Love the crackle too - fabulous!!!! It did make me chuckle that Astrid, you and I used the same butterfly today!!! Its so gorgeous though isn't it? Hugs rachel xx
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ReplyDeleteBarb Housner
Wowsers! This is just gorgeous! What an amazing job you did on that butterfly...the colours, the texture, it's absolutely stunning! I love the neutral background tones, it really makes your butterfly pop off the page! Just wonderful Anne!! Hugs :)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely stunning Anne!! Totally LOVE how you coloured the butterfly and the gothic background looks fantastic! Love this card, and guess where I just found it? On Tim's Pinterest board (but you probably knew that already :o))
ReplyDeleteHi Anne, how clever are you knowing your butterflies. This is gorgeous and I love the colouring to the butterfly and the added film strip. The natural,backdrop is gorgeous as are all your layers. Beautiful . Tracy x
ReplyDeleteHi Anne..well this is absolutely stunning! what a gorgeous piece of work..huggles Sue xx
ReplyDeleteWithout question Anne. I do believe this is one of the prettiest makes I have seen you do.
ReplyDeleteSo many steps and how in the world do you get such a good clean job done with the stencil and texture paste? Beautiful Sugar - just beautiful!!
Sandy xx
Oh Anne this is really lovely and what an amazing job you've done of the butterfly! I love all those scrumptious layers, especially the texture paste through the stencil - still struggling with that technique. I really like the neutral shades of the background which really set off the Monarch so beautifully. Margie xx
ReplyDeleteThe textures are so beautiful and I like the addition of the stencilled Kraft (that stencil is on my Wish List) and neutrals are such a favourite of mine.
ReplyDeleteWith or without surgery (lol) that butterfly looks to be right at home on your collage.
Wishes
Lynne
Wow Anne - just fabulous !! x
ReplyDeleteBeautiful butterfly ( love the crackle) on a fabulous background! Perfect combination! Chrisx
ReplyDeleteLove this Anne, great collage background and a gorgeous butterfly.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week and happy crafting, Angela x
How beautiful, Anne ! Love the gorgeous butterfly and his antennae. I'm with you - that b'fly die went straight to the top of my wish list when it came out.
ReplyDeleteI think the WHOLE thing was a labor of love, Annie! It was brilliant how you turned that swallowtail into a beautiful Monarch! And following along as you laid down each layer was fascinating and fabulous!! Hugs, Darnell
ReplyDeleteGorgeous work Anne, I adore the butterfly & fabulous background..the layers are all so beautiful...Love the antenna's... Hugs May x x
ReplyDeleteLove the butterfly and what you have done with it.
ReplyDeleteBecky x
Absolutely beautiful Anne, love how you transformed this butterfly, especially the crackle and all the layers and textures are gorgeous...stunning, hugs Carole Z X
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous butterfly Anne! What a project just to paint her! stunning in the black with the orange and white - love your composition as well - with the fun film strip and pretty crackle embossing!
ReplyDeleteFantabulous piece Anne, the butterfly is beyond gorgeous! And I love your collage layers, think if need that stencil too
ReplyDeleteI just saw a Monarch butterfly( unfortunately they have dwindled). Your Monarch looks just like them. A beautiful card!
ReplyDeleteI certainly echo all laudations above Anne. Your exceedingly beautiful butterfly rests right at home amongst the very lovely natural layers. Rumour has it that David Attenborough is joining Pinterest just so that he can pin your perfect Monarch Specimen!! As you know I share your love for the gorgeous Gothic stencil. All round beauty here. Nicola x
ReplyDeleteMAGNIFICENT Miss Anne, that is the common adjective here, the layers are just fantastic and that butterfly looks real, a work of art called a card, amazing creation, thanks for sharing, hope you have a wonderful weekend, see you when I get back, ((( BIG HUGS ))) my friend...
ReplyDeleteThat is stunning Anne,what a beautiful Monarch! Love all your layers and textures, a wonderful collage.
ReplyDeleteLove your textured background and that butterfly is FAB!! Thanks for joining us at The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous textured background - love the burlap. The butterfly is awesome! Thanks for joining us in this month's Mixed Media Monthly Challenge "Stencils and Pastes"!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous Anne! The background looks fabulous! Love the stunning butterfly! Thanks for joining along with the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!
ReplyDeleteWow, that butterfly is so realistic in appearance! Love this card, Anne! All of the texture and layers, so add to the beauty. The gothic stencil is on my list! Love this!
ReplyDeleteThat butterfly is a WOW!!!! Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely stunning! The embossing paste looks fabulous, such an elegant stencil! I love the beautiful butterfly too.
ReplyDeleteRebecca.
your card is a beauty and that butterfly was definitely worth the time! very pretty! Thank you so much for playing with the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge!
ReplyDelete-Rachel
rwkrafts.com
Your butterfly made me visit your page! This is fab...the textures and the entire presentation.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful combination of layers and texture. Thanks for joining the August Mixed Media Monthly Challenge!
ReplyDeleteStunning! Anne this Monarch butterfly is just a beautiful. I admire your patience to paint in all the debossed areas to get your detailing just right, it looks perfect againt the gothic stencil background too. Mo x
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