Butterfly journal

This post is a first for me, two firsts actually - a few weeks ago I won Mrs A's butterfly challenge and part of the prize is you get to pick a 'letter' for an upcoming challenge and then become the Guest Designer for it.

I picked the letter X, mostly because I was intrigued to what it could be. Thankfully it turned out that Mrs A had been sneaky with this, and it actually related to a colour:

X fro Xanthine =  The yellow colouring matter found in certain plants as in Yellow Madder.
(Madder is from the Genus Rubia and has small yellow flowers, whorled leaves and a reddish brown root.)

Yellow..... I can do yellow!

So I wanted to do something special for my slot as GD and I decided to alter a composition/notebook, something which I love seeing but have never done, anyhoo I ended up using a hardbacked, elasticated notebook which had yellow edged pages - the elastic was yellow as well.

Perfect.

I decorated a few pages with images, a few with stamped quotes and a few pages I used Butterfly punches on, which were given to me from a friends mum's friend who had stopped crafting due to illness.

I didn't want to fill it too much (it was hard, I kept finding bits n bobs which would have been perfect to go in) as I wanted Mrs A to be able to use it, if she wanted too.

Just realised the elastic is not round the journal in the photo.

I stuck the postcard images onto handwritten vintage postcards, I have about 150, long story not going there, for a lovely personal touch. Imagine reading a note/or letter sent nearly 100 years ago.

 

front page -  Debbi Moore images

 

Tattered Lace butterfly die

Debbi Moore sentiment

picture from prize goody bag

postcard image from Lunagirl 'Butterfly cards'

 

tag image from Ephemeras' Vintage Garden

 

tuck spot paper Do Crafts

image from the Graphics Fairy

 

image from googled search

 

paper from Debbi Moore

tag image from EVG

 

paper from Antique Pinks pack

Postcard image from Fripperies and Butterflies

 

tuck spot paper doCrafts

image from Lunagirls 'Butterfly cards'

 

tag image from EVG

 

can't remember where this image came from

 

 

back page - Debbi Moore embellishments

Very pleased with the result, I will probably do some more in the New Year.

Looking forward to seeing everyone's take on the letter X over on Butterfly Challenge blog

Amanda

something different..

I watched a Debbi Moore book folding show on Create & Craft and Debbi showed how to do a simple fold design and I thought I'd like to have a go.... so off upstairs I went, found a paperback and off I folded........

The Butterfly Fairies are so named, as they are the only Fae that are seen in the light of day, if you see one you believe you saw a butterfly! Although you don't normally see them in a group, but today they had just finished decorating their house for Christmas and were quite proud of the garland. Maybe they would win the 'best decorated' house in their tiny village? lets hope so!

 

entering in: butterfly challenge = all kinds of fairies

 

 

baby blue



A little boy's card today, the image could be for new baby, I've chose the birthday sentiment, would be nice for a first birthday but I haven't got anything in my stash for that....yet.

 

 

 

Teddy Bo & Co backing paper & sentiment stamp

Lili of The Valley topper

blue card

DoCraft blue pastel ribbon

doily

two by two

the last of the little Christmas cards today.

Love the top one.

piano

Different style card today, done for a partner swap over on one of my groups, wanted to try and stay as masculine as possible but also jazz it up a bit.

 

Tattered Lace piano die

Do Craft corner frill

ribbon

Do Craft banner

peel offs

copper gems

when is a rose.....

a pretty digital page done for fripperies and butterflies November colour challenge which was to this palette

 

I used the Day Dream kit off of DaisyTrail and a freebie image from Fripperies,

 

 

and removed the frame, layered up a couple of materials, making them more translucent to be able to just see the patterns/colours of the one below. Added a couple of butterflies and then placed some digi kit roses on top of the originals, added a cluster on the opposite side of the oval to balance.

 

The words come from this  poem -

 

 

 

The Secret of the Rose

 

Rose, a

symbol of

beauty, purity,

power, excellence

An emblem

of silence,

a tear dropped

brought her into

existence

Becoming

a lovely lady

remaining closed

around the

heart, preventing

distress

a rare flower.

heather burns

 

 

 

four of a kind

A lovely card which I made for a Friendship swap over on DoCrafts incorporating Mrs A's challenge over at her Butterfly Challenge Blog - to use 4 of something which in this card is 4 butterflies.
Had to include a doily of course, but this tine I added a white paperclip to spice things up a bit *lol*

 

Debbi Moore papers

doily

diecut butterfly in pink

small die cut butterflies x 2

pearls

 

Sticking the butterfly to the clip was fiddly, but I did it......... till I went to put the card in the envelope, dropped it and the butterfly fell off. Superglue is my hero!!

 

entering into: butterfly challenge = q is for quadruple.

new challenge

Finally a Christmas post *bah humbug* from me.

Using a new freebie Reindeer die, I made these cute little Christmas cards - the envelopes were part of a 'thank you' card/envelope pack from a magazine, not used the cards as they have a heart shaped die cut out of them, probably find a use for them someday, but the envelopes came in handy!

Entering into a new blog to me,  merry monday christmas challenge blog, ironically close to Christmas, but hoping I will play every week and get ahead for next year.

 

Used Creata Christmas backing papers, layered onto plain white cards, which were off cuts from when I make my 6x6 cards. The reindeer paper/card is snippets from my bits n bob drawer, where I put every leftover little bit of paper/card once I've finished my projects. Its a big drawer!! I never cease to be surprised at what I can find in there.

Embellished with peel offs, sentiments and shiny *g*

 

Perfect little cards for posting to Mr G's relatives this year.

 

entering into: merry monday christmas challenges = use a Reindeer

                      pixies snippets playground

                     

thanksgiving

I saw this Thanksgiving postcard on the web,

 

 

and straight away came up with a tagline for it, which made me laugh. (if no one else!)

 

So just had to use it, along with a couple of other images I digitally cut out of other postcards.

 

A 100% digital page.

 

 

 

I love the expression on the boys face.

 

 

entering into: lunagirl challenge = thnaksgiving/harvest & gratitude
                      digitally sweet challenges = all about the title
               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

purple passion

I haven't played over at Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge for a few weeks, it was a combination of no mojo and not much time. But, seeing that this weeks challenge was 'the colour purple'.... Well, I just had to!!! I mean its got half my name on it *lol*

So I decided to put a few of my favourite things on the atc: flowers, buttons, lace, butterflies. gems.
Sort of like a mini inspiration board.

entering into: wicked wednesday atc = the colour purple

little bit of sunshine

A card full of sunshine and butterflies today, using a challenge theme of zigzags. I can't believe I have no papers with zigzags on, I then went to The Range to see if I could find any washi tape or anything with zigzags. Big fat zero on all accounts!!

Anyway, inspiration struck as I looked around my drawers.... seeing my pinking scissors, well they are zigzagged shaped sort of.

I had bought the butterflies for another craft project, but they were perfect for this sunny day card, certainly brightened up my day making it.

 

Create & Craft Gingham card

white card

doily

pre-coloured flowers

stick on butterflies

black button

gems

 

entered into: butterfly challenge = z is for zigzags

 

puss in pumpkin

Inspired by a tag on Pinterest. I used the colour challenge over at fripperies and butterflies facebook challenge and came up with this.

lime green card

Docrafts flowers coloured with promarkers

Docrafts ribbons

star cluster stamp Teddy Bo & Co

Versa ink black

Build a flower die (little black centres)

Violette Stickers from The John Grossman Collection

corner punch from X cut

hole punch from X cut

left over black card

 

 

As the black card was snippets from another project, I'm entering this into:

 

snippet playground as well.

its all about the numbers

A little-ish absence from crafting, still not back to 100%, but getting a little bit inspired again.

A card done for Mrs A's challenge to use numbers.

 

BoBunny 'Isabella' paper pack

White card

Butterfly die (freebie)

Wildflower Wood pearls

peel offs

 

 

I diecut the butterfly, then without removing it from the base plate I embossed it to make a more stand out feature.

 

 

entered into: butterfly challenge = n is for numbers

Friend

Card done today for a 'Friendship' swap over on DoCrafts using the current challenge over at Butterfly challenge blog - embossing.

 

white card stock

orchid white pearlised card Hobbycraft

"             "          paper     "    "   

stick on butterflies

sentiment from Debbi Moore

Wildflower Wood pearls

Organza ribbon

Crea Motion embossed card

pearl heart - gifted

 

entering into: butterfly challenge - e for embossing

pretty easel

Easel card today, quite bright colours, picked 2 colours to use from this palette -

given to us for Septembers colour challenge over at fripperies and butterflies

 

image from Fripperies & Butterflies

paper from KaiserCraft

coloured  doily pieces cut out from Jodie Lee paper

posy

sentiment from DoCrafts

doily

 

entering in: fripperies and butterflies over on FB - colour challenge

camoflauge

Starting this atc, I had no idea what I was going to end up with, I resized and coloured the image first, then spent about half an hour humming and ahhing with different backgrounds/embellishments and nothing would work. Then I found this gorgeous tissue/mulberry paper (I have no idea what it is).

'Bat-erfly' from Delicious Doodles

orange, black, canary yellow promarkers

 

not much to this atc, as I found it more effective with no embellishments, love the depth to the wings.

 

entering into: wicked wednesday = orange and black

wings of love

As its cold and rainy today, I thought I'd do a nice cheery card - lovely pastel yellow, reminiscent of a sunny day. When I planned this card, the panel was vertical but I couldn't make it look right so I turned it horizontal.

 

 

 

Do Crafts "Summer Bloom" paper pack

Layered butterfly sticker

Do Crafts 'Sunshine' gems

Eastern Treasures ribbon

Do Crafts sentiment

white card

gold tissue/mulberry paper

 

 

 

entered into: butterfly challenge - k is for knots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mermaid tag

 

image form Wings of Whimsy

Gecko Galz backing paper from High Tea

blue mulberry paper

organza ribbon

quote from internet

stick on gems pale blue & white

entered into: lunagirl = fairries of mermaids

coming out of the closet....

Last month I won over at Delicious Doodles, my prize was free digi images of my choice. I had great fun trying to choose some, the image I used for this project was one of my chosen images, as soon as I saw it I thought of a Sam Winchesters quote.

Monster in my Closet by Delicious Dooddles

quote from Sam Winchester/Supernatural

So, originally it was going to be a stand up card - I decoupaged the door to make it look like it was actually opening and also decoupaged its hands then coloured its drool in with Ruby Red promarker (apt name). Didn't want to use any shiny embellishments/ribbon as, like most of Terri's artwork, the image spoke for itself.

And that was that.

So, then I thought ' uh - I could dress the photo up a bit with those little glitter bottles'

And then, ' I could make them into Salt and Holy Water and put them in the shadow box I bought and never used'

And then, 'damn it doesn't fit...... I know I'll use that old Ikea photo frame.... yes it fits.....I can sit the bottles onto the sloping ledge of the frame'

So, I painted it lampblack and waited for it to dry and assembled it.

And that was that.

So, then I thought 'Mmmmm, it needs something else to balance it all out.......a book to look like Sam & Deans journal...... I know! The vampire journal I watched ThePaperAddiction use on You Tube'

And then I downloaded it and resized it all to about 3 & 1/2 cm high, printed it, then cut it out and assembled it in the order from the video.


*many hours later*

Book assembled and placed in the frame, which is now going to hang above my craft desk.

The End.


 (the journal can be found on how to haunt your house website, under the tab Resources)

entered in: delicious doodles = make it dark
                  forever dark = challenge 4




 

House!!

The current challenge over at wicked wednesday atc  is to use numbers, I found this bingo card from the Gecko Galz and decided to use that, looking through my stamps I spotted The Octopede's house one........ house wins in Bingo! Volia! My mind is a scary place......

entering into: wicked wednesday

yee haa!

another challenge entry this afternoon, this time an atc with the challenge cowboy/cowgirl

 

Gecko Galz cowgirl design sheet

dictionary page

blue promarker

stick on stars

 

entering in: wicked wednesday atc = cowgirl/cowboy

butterfly best wishes

Lovely pink and cream design today, got a free Bobunny paper pack with a craft mag, gorgeous papers - couldn't wait to use them!

BoBunny - Isabella paper pack

doily

do craft butterflies

do craft sentiment

pearls

pink yarn

 

 

entering into: butterfly challenge blog = Y is for Yarn

do you believe?

The colour chart for the latest challenge over at fripperies and butterflies (closes 15th Sept) is

 

very vibrant and cool looking. I couldn't settle on a physical make so I used CAP2 to make a 100% digital one.

 

 

Gecko Galz February & may pinterest freebie

Fripperies & Butterflies freebies

Jodie Lee Designs butterfly garden papers no 10

butterflies from a digikit.

 

I chose a paper from Jodie Lee, and using the colouriser in CAP2, changed the colour to match the lighter green in the chart, placed that as my background. I had two images I wanted to use but couldn't decide which to go with, so I used the February one has a material - the overlay on the background is the February freebie - again I changed the colour to match the background, then increased the size until just the lower skirt was showing then faded that, which added another texture onto the background. I flipped the girl image so she was facing into the frame and then using the edging tool I changed the edges into 'glow' and decreased the actual edge line until it had blended right back into the background. The sky of the image matches the background so it looks like the image has 'broken' out of it. Added the butterflies to fill the gap below the writing....

 

And like the quote says, if you believe - you will see them ; )

 

entering into: Fripperies and Butterflies facebook page

                      digitally sweet = things with wings

 

 

 

 

 

splat attack

Atc done for this weeks challenge over at Wicked Wednesday.

 

acrylic paint -Mauve

                                   Lemon Yellow

                                  Persimion blue

Indigo Blu quote stamp

brown tag

red Stazon ink

Had lots of fun with this - enjoy making a mess! Mixed the paints with a little water and splatted in the order of the recipe, waited a few seconds for each one to dry and then dabbed with a dry brush, then added the next colour, then dabbed with a paper towel to make it more muted and blended.
Stamped the quote onto a brown Kraft tag then cut it up and glued it onto the atc using that glue what you can 'blob' with to raise embellishments off the medium. (can't remember what its called!!)

entering into: wicked wednesday atc blog - splatters or sprays