Handicrafts by Kate Perry and other ramblings

Monday, May 16, 2011

Butterfly, flutter by

Since I was a very small child, I have had a deep interest in nature, including all the creepy crawlies (much to my mum and sister's horror!), but my real favourites are butterflies. So I was a bit disappointed on moving to Spain, to discover that there are not a lot of butterflies around here, and certainly no very exotic ones. But one afternoon I found this rather sad specimen, dead of course, by my gate. I decided I could use it for something crafty, so from this photos I made a black and white image. I then made a clear stamp of it using my imagepac kit.

Next I resized it, drew some free-hand flowers, torn netting and swirls and leaves, and scanned these into the computer. I then computer generated some text and using a mixture of Publisher, paint and Corel PSP, I cobbled together this collage. Unfortunately I was unable to get the contrast balance quite right between the various elements so I never managed to make a successful stamp of this, but I stored it to use as a 'digistamp'.

So this week I decided to dig it out and make a card. I was working to this sketch, and I found some lovely butterfly paper that I remember buying at the Hobby craft show a few years back, to make the side panels. For the centre I chose a fairly plain antique gold paper.

I wanted to keep the butterfly close to its natural colours so I stamped it onto white card and coloured it with copic markers. To make it more of a feature, I cut it out, rubbed it all over with a versamark pad and heat embossed it. I only used one layer of fine powder because I wanted to be able to shape the wings a little without cracking the glaze.













I then thought I would use just part of the collage for my script panel, so I printed this onto white card that I had coloured with a very pale copic pen so that it didn't look too stark. Because I wanted to add colour with the same copic pens as I had used on the butterfly, I went into my printer properties and increased the ink volume to maximum and as soon as it came through the printer I threw fine embossing powder all over it. You do have to work quickly to do this, but it gives a good image for colouring or painting. I then linked the central panel to the colours of the side panel butterflies by covering the joins with pale pink sticky ribbon top and bottom, and a matching brighter pink down the sides. The glossy butterfly was attached under the panel, and three pink flowers from my stash completed the design, and here it is.
I am entering this card in the following challenges.
The first challenge on the new
Card and a Half Blog; Following a sketch.
Daring Cardmakers: The Darlin' Bugs of May
One Stitch at a Time Challenge 62; Anything goes.
Scrappy Frogs Challenge; Anything goes.

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow Kate that digi stamp is amazing!! Clever you. Oh I love the card too.

Love

Jill
x

Saskia said...

Great card and I do love that digi. Too bad you couldn't use it with the Imagepac.

Amy Tidd said...

Love that butterfly paper!! I'm a big butterfly fan too!!! Amyxx

http://www.craftythinker.blogspot.com

Dolly Mixtures said...

The digistamp looks amazing. Love all the elements you combined on it. The delicate butterfly you recreated for the card looks so realistic. Lovely.

Lynda said...

Stunning work - both the card and the elements you created to make it - thanks for joining in with Daring Cardmakers.

Lynda xxx

Sharon (glitterangel) said...

Oh I love those butterflies, really lovely.

Jean said...

I love the butterfly you've made Kate. I still have some of that paper that I got at the same time too, it works really well with this design. Lovely card.Jean x

fatmonica said...

Beautiful card.That butterfly is just stunning!

Cate said...

Wowza! That butterfly paper is just great!! I'm mad about butterflies as well.

Cate

fatmonica said...

Hi I'm back!Thanks for your kind comments on my blog and please join in Less is More-it's a bit daunting when you start but I love it!

Lythan said...

That hand drawn and coloured focal image is just so amazing! Thanks for joining in with the Darlin' Bugs of may challenge on Daring Cardmakers this week:)

Jo said...

wow! this is fantastic!

jo x

Helen Jolly said...

Thankyou for joining in Card And A Halfs very first challenge, your card is lovely well done x

Deb said...

Gorgeous creation, I love all your different elements and fab butterfly, thanks so much for joining our "Anything Goes" challenge this week at One Stitch at a Time
Debs R
xxx

Made by Mandy said...

I too adore butterflies, they are the most graceful creatures and come in so many beautiful colours. I love the digistamps you have created, you are very clever.
What an awful shame there are few butterflies where you have moved though :(

Many thanks for joining in with our Anything Goes challenge over at OSAAT

Mandy (DT member for OSAAT)