Birthday Butterflies & Two Challenges

Yes I know - a card with more butterflies!  I do love them.  However, this time it was compulsory for me to use them as this is the theme for the latest Less is More challenge!  I have been following this blog since it started, but it is the first time I have entered one of their challenges.  I am also entering the card in the latest CAS-ual Fridays challenge where you must use "bling" - which I have done with the different colour pearls.

I visited my local garden centre over the weekend - just to buy a tomato plant which was a bargain at 99p (particularly as it is a hard to find variety and was quite well grown already).  However, it turned out to be a bit more expensive than that as I also bought ... some lilies, a pot to put them in as well as some gorgeous wrapping paper! So it was not quite such a bargain tomato plant in the end!  Does that ever happen to you?  Anyway I am sure you are wondering where I am going with all this - there is a connection (honest!).  Besides selling plants and anything horticultural, this particular garden centre also has a fabulous homewares department.  One of their latest additions is a range of gorgeous ecru cushions with pastel images appliqued on.  They were rather pricey so I didn't buy one but they did give me the inspiration for this card instead.

Card Recipe
Cardstock/Paper: SU Crumb Cake, SU DSP Springtime Vintage
Ink: SU Whisper White Craft, SU Basic Grey Marker
Stamps: WMS Frame-It
Tools/Accessories: SU Embosslits Beautiful Wings, SU Basic Pearls, Assorted coloured pearls from stash, Signo White Gel pen (available from SU), SU Sponge Daubers, SU dimensionals

As you can see I have once again used the SU Embosslits Beautiful Wings die.  To create the 4th butterfly, I drew dotted lines around a spare die cut with the white gel pen (available in the SU catalogue) and then I used the negative of the die to make a mask which I then sponged with white craft ink (I did it that way round to ensure it lined up correctly with the other butterflies).  In order to ensure the butterfly wings stay slightly raised when I post this card, I have stuck small pieces of SU dimensionals under the butterfly wings.  One other tip - I have lightly curled the top edge of the wings using my "pokey tool" (officially known as a paper-piercing tool).

Did you know the Beautiful Wings die is exclusive to Stampin' Up?  Also it both cuts and embosses at the same time - how cool is that!  If you would like to own this gorgeous die please email me to find out more.

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole