Shattered Butterflies

Good evening. The first of two posts from me tonight having worked like a ... worker bee (?!) over the weekend. I have created a little something for Linda Ledbetter's CC2 challenge, which this week features the TH 'shattered stains' technique. As mentioned in my last post, I was inspired by Hels Sheridan's hedgehogs and a piece of student artwork. The concept is butterflies emerging from a book...

I began by printing white paper and card with a basic script background image. This was then aged by using Memento Desert Sand direct to paper and watered down DI Walnut Stain splattered with a paint brush (take care! this covered the paper, card, me, the kitchen and the dog!!) Next I cut pages by folding the paper and card and cutting it using the largest Labels Sixteen Spellbinders die. The pages were distressed at the edges using the Walnut Stain again with a little Tsukeniko Ultimate Gold for good measure, and stamped with the a Creative Expressions swirl, again in Walnut.

And now for the magic. Having used a Crafters Companion embossing board to emboss butterfly shapes into a spare piece of the card, I cut them out and used the shattered stains method on them using the Walnut Stain again, this time with Spun Sugar. Confession time - my Rock Candy has gone quite gloopy but it gave a delicate texture when dry so I went with it. Four butterfiles were also embossed into the top pages (the card one for strength) and the wings cut out/bent back. The shattered butterflies were layered on top to look like they were emerging from the pages. Finally the pages were layered together, curled and raised apart using foam pads, extra butterflies launched from lower pages and ribbon applied to the centre. And so...

This is special to me because it is going to top a card for a good friend who will be leaving her role in education in a little while. Let's hope she likes it. Now to post number two...

Hugs, Buttons x