Hello Butterfly

A Blog Named Hero's challenge this month is "Pop of Color." I may have said it before, but this was a hard challenge for me, mostly because of needing a preponderance of neutrals, with only a small amount of color. For me, I put that right up there with CAS cards. :) But I took on the challenge, and came up with this card. My design comes from Sketch #SC604 from Splitcoaststampers.com.

I stamped the outline butterfly from Hero Arts' "Butterfly & Flower" set onto a scrap of 140 lb. watercolor paper with Hero Arts Soft Granite shadow ink. I used my MISTI to ensure I could stamp the image again in the same spot. After coloring it with my Inktense pencils & a damp paintbrush, I stamped it again with Soft Granite, just to reinforce the lines. I also stamped the body from the same set with Versafine Onyx Black ink. I die cut it with a Spellbinders "Standard Circles LG" die, then inked around the perimeter with Hickory Smoke Distress ink. Finally, I went around just the very edge with Black Soot Distress ink, to provide further definition & visual separation from the background.

I chose 2 patterned papers from the "DIY Shop" 6x6" paper pad from American Crafts. I cut them to size, following the sketch, and also cut a piece of dark grey cardstock to layer in between them for contrast. I then adhered my papers & focal image to a white A2 card base.

For the greeting, I didn't think the "hello" in the "Butterfly & Flower" set had quite enough presence. So I chose one from the "Happy Messages" set from Stampendous. I cut a small strip from a lighter grey cardstock, stamped the greeting in Versafine Onyx Black, then adhered it to the card front. I will write a message inside, & send this card to Darlene at Live Love Cards, to pass on to a Meals on Wheels recipient. You can find out more about what cards she is accepting for donations at the Live Love Cards site.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Through the Craft Room Door: "Anything Goes"
a2z Scrapbooking: "Color It In"