Sending Smiles

Simon Says Stamp's current challenge on their Wednesday Challenge blog is "Spots and Dots." In going through my supplies, looking for something that would fit that requirement, I came across this stencil. Now, on its own, it has neither spots nor dots. But I thought I could combine it with the Tim Holtz "Dot Fade" layering stencil and get a cool effect. So that's what I went with.

For my design, I used this sketch by Operation Write Home:

I figured my butterfly would fit beautifully in the middle, over the 3 horizontal strips.

I started by sponging Spun Sugar Distress ink over the butterfly stencil. After that, I taped the "Dot Fade" stencil over the butterfly stencil, and pounced Peacock Feathers Distress ink through the holes. That made a neat pattern on the butterfly! I cut out the shape, excluding the antennae because I felt they'd be too fragile to manage, and inked around the edges with more Peacock Feathers.

For the background panel, I cut a piece of light teal Core'dinations cardstock to size, and embossed it with the Cuttlebug "D'vine Swirl" embossing folder. While the cardstock was still in the folder, I sanded the raised portions, exposing the lighter-colored core of the paper. (Keeping the cardstock in the folder helps give more support, so I don't squash the design while sanding.)

I chose dark magenta and light yellow cardstocks for the strips, cutting 2 of the magenta and 1 of the yellow. I found a piece of dark green cardstock in my scrap files, and used it to mat the teal panel.

After gluing the strips in place, I placed the butterfly and marked where the edges of the head went. Then I drew swirly antennae from those points, and pierced holes along the lines. I erased my sketch lines, glued the butterfly down to the card front, and re-pierced a few of the holes that were covered up by the wings. Then I took black embroidery floss and stitched the antennae. I didn't have any small black brads, so I colored 2 silver ones with black alcohol ink, to go at the ends of the antennae.

For the greeting, I stamped one from Hero Arts' "Shoot for the Moon" set in Ranger's Archival Jet Black ink onto a piece of vellum. I cut it into a strip, and ran it through my Xyron sticker maker machine to coat the back with adhesive. After I adhered it to the card front, I marked and stitched 3 small cross-stitches on either end. Finally, I mounted the whole front panel to an A2 card base.

I'm also entering this card in a2z Scrapbooking's July Linky Party: "Anything Goes."