Signs of Spring

I recently won a weekly challenge at Dis Digis and just fell in love with this sweet image named "Butterfly Fairy." Decided to spotlight her cuteness in my card for the current Butterfly Challenge, "Letter D for Dutch Fold Card." [The Butterfly Challenge is one of my favorite challenges and its amazing host, Mrs. A, recently added a fun new twist to the challenges- she provides the option of using a specific fold, and posts instructions to make that task easier.] My card includes two of the colors- Dark Orange [Butterfly wings] and Denim and two of the themes- Dutch Fold and Digi Image. Also, wanted to enter the card into the new challenge at Dis Digi, "Add or Show Texture." I added the silky texture of vellum [as the yellow backdrop, muting the bright background that might otherwise overwhelm the card], the slick and spiky texture of the green grass [I'd upcycled the sage green paper from an old brochure], and the puffy texture of the sticker flowers [a recent purchase at Hobby Lobby.] The close-up photo of the orange butterfly shows one other on the card- acetate. I wanted the butterfly to pop off of the card, but foam mounting tape did add enough height. So, I formed a thin strip of acetate into a little cube, onto which I attached the butterfly with double stick tape, then used the same tape to attach the butterfly to the card. I was careful in the placement of the butterfly so it looks a bit like it is kissing the fairy's cheek. So fun.] The photo also shows that I tried to capture the fragile texture to the fairy wings by sketching soft patterns on the wings with a sparkly silver gel pen. The wonderful smiling sun background was cut from an old postcard. Not old as in "already been used" but old as in "I bought a packet of postcards back in the mid 70's and am finally putting them to use!"  Am entering the card in a few other challenges including the Tuesday Color Challenge at Outlawz, a TicTacToe game [My card includes the options in the diagonal from the top left to bottom right]

 

Entered into: 

Di’s Digi Stamps- Add or Show Texture                                         (disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Butterfly Challenge- #120 Letter D for Dutch Fold Card           (butterflyspotchallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge-TicTacToe        (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Art Impressions- #253 Outdoor Scene                 (artimpressionsstamps.blogspot.com/search/label/Challenge)

Outlawz Challenges- Sat Paper Ala Mode- Non-Rectangle          (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

A2zscrapbooking Monthly Challenge- Fun Fold                         (a2zscrapbookingblog.com) 

Cute Card Thursday- #576 Anything Goes                                   (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

I used another rainbow postcard to work as the background for my second silhouette from a wonderful Beccy's Place digi set named "Splish Splash." [Visit my post from yesterday to see another card made with this set.] I printed the umbrella that protects a trio of friends onto vellum so that the rainbow shows through. The sentiments on the front and inside are both from the s"Splish Splash" set.

 

Entered into: 

Outlawz Challenges- Song/Rhyme: April Showers          (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Beccy’s Place Challenge- April                                              (beccysplace.blogspot.com)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- April        (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #380-#381 Anything Goes    (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

The photo for the current challenge at "If You Give a Crafter a Cookie" is the inspiration for this card. I used a few very old wood-mount Stampin' Up Two-Step stamps. I used to own quite a few Two-Step stamps but seldom used them. Partly because I love to color [and cards made with this technique requires no coloring] and partly because I have a really hard time aligning the images. For this card, the first two-step process was really out of line, so I decided to intentionally do the same with the remaining flowers. I wasn't able to find the flower center stamp, so made the centers with a circle punch and scraps of paper. The sentiment and bee are from an old clear stamp set that is no longer in its package [I think it might be from Inkadinkadoo?] Am entering this card into several challenges including Simon Says Monday Challenge "Down on the Farm" [I have several beekeeper friends that live on farms. Honey is their biggest "Crop."] 

Entered into: 

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie- #114 Bees and Flowers       (giveacrafteracookie.blogspot.com)

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                         (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Bugaboo Stamps- Anything Goes                                             (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)
Simon Says Monday Challenge- Down on the Farm            (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)