Jun 28 2007
Facing My Fears
Nothing serious…I just have a fear of coloring butterflies. I mentioned in an earlier post that I was butterfly coloring impaired. I’m intimidated by the realistic looking butterfly stamps, worrying overmuch that I won’t get it just right. Well, the other day when I was out working in the garden the butterfly in the photo below flitted by. I chased him (her?) all over the place trying to get this photo. He was a very busy butterfly. When I saw him I thought, gee, even I can color a black and cream butterfly, so you can imagine my excitement. All I had to do was stamp black on Vanilla. Well, I’m here to tell you a black and cream butterfly looks a lot better in real life than on a card. So I had to face my fear and color it.
The butterfly stamp I selected is one of several butterflies in a set of Stampendous clear stamps that I bought in 2004. All the images in the set are beautiful but this is the first time I’ve done anything other than admire them through their packaging. I thought I’d break myself in easily on a swallowtail. It wasn’t so bad. I colored it with my Barely Banana marker and added a little Summer Sun here and there. I cut it out and put a little strip of mounting tape under each wing, with glue on the body and adhered it to the card front. The mounting tape (dimensional) keeps the wings securely raised in a natural position without being too exaggerated to slip into an envelope for easy mailing. I drew the antennae freehand because I wasn’t about to try and cut around them. This is Card #2 of a few I’m making for a friend to choose from for his mom’s birthday. See the first one in my previous post. He suggested something flowery and this may not be flowery enough so, gosh, I guess I’ll just have to make another one. I know some of you like to read the details about how the card is made so I’ll talk about that in the following paragraphs. If you’d rather skip to the end, you’ll find a list of the supplies I used.
The card:
1. I did the butterfly first, stamped in Jet Black Stazon and colored as I mentioned above.
2. The panel that the butterfly sits on is Very Vanilla brayered with a Ranger Big and Juicy Rainbow Ink Pad. This link takes you to a page that will tell you about these pads and provide you with online resources. The color I used is Herb Garden but it looks like it’s no longer available. They have other amazing colors, though. The ink is blended on the pad so you don’t get any lines. The pads are huge, too. I used just one end of it to brayer this panel.
3. I used the other, darker end of the pad to ink up my Blossoms Abound lilac stamp–the more open image–and stamped it repeatedly, mostly in the upper area of the panel, to give the impression of foliage in a garden. I stamped an image from Watercolor Minis in Craft Regal Rose to place some flowers in the garden. “Craft” is what Stampin’ Up! calls pigment ink. It’s more opaque and vivid, giving better coverage when overstamping other colors. It takes longer to dry, though, so you have to be cautious about smearing. Your heat gun will speed up the drying time but I usually just keep an eye out for it and be careful.
4. The Rose Red panel was stamped with the Canvas background with the finger walking technique for a worn look. Place background face up on table and brayer it with ink. Lay cardstock on stamp and press your fingers over it here and there–just “walk” your fingers around a bit.
5. The card base is Basic Black. The green layer is Forest Foliage (retired). I has a bluish cast to it that coordinates with the Ranger ink. I stamped the Blossoms Abound lilac around the edges in Forest Foliage ink, then put the card layers together as shown and added the Forest Foliage eyelets.
6. The sentiment panel is mounted on dimensional tape. It has a little of the lilac stamped on it in a CTMH citrus green ink, stamped off once. The sentiment says, “Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of it’s own.” — Charles Dickens. It sounded good for a mature lady’s birthday card. The inside is lined with Very Vanilla, stamped with the lilac and a “Happy Birthday” in nice script added. The swirl clip reminded me of a butterfly’s proboscis and provided a nice way to tie on some pretty organdy ribbon.
I’m glad you were able to drop in today. I don’t mean to be long winded but I know there are a lot of folks who are just learning to stamp and really want to know how certain looks are achieved. I hope you can see that there’s nothing really complicated about this card and it doesn’t take all that long to make it. I wouldn’t make this card if I was in a big hurry, but stamping is a pleasurable pastime for me and when I decide to spend the evening stamping I’m not necessarily wanting to hurry up and get it over with. I want to relax, enjoy and create. There are plenty of other occasions for rushing around like a chicken with it’s head cut off. However, the simple-clean-uncluttered look is wonderfully appealing and sometimes it just feels right, no matter how much time you have on your hands. Whatever style you prefer, I hope you delight in the process. Take care and have a wonderful day!
Stamps: Stampendous butterfly, Stampin’ Up! Blossoms Abound, Canvas background, sentiment from On Gossamer Wings
Paper: Stampin’ Up! Forest Foliage (retired), Rose Red, Very Vanilla, Basic Black
Ink: Ranger Big and Juicy Rainbow ink pad, CTMH Citrus Leaf, Jet Black Stazon, Stampin’ Up! Rose Red, Forest Foliage (retired), markers: Barely Banana, Summer Sun, black fine tip Sharpie
Accessories: Swirl clip, organdy ribbon, Scotch brand mounting tape, Stampin’ Up! Forest Foliage eyelets (retired)
This is stunning Leslie! I am amazed at your eye for detail: how you researched nature to overcome your fear. That is true artistry!
The backgrounds you created on this card are PURE GENIOUS!!!!!!!! I’ve been wanting to get away from using patterned paper and do more with with my vast collection of stamps and inks and this is just the inspiration i needed! thanks for posting the process.
Love the card. The butterfly is beautiful
As usual, I enjoy your art as much as your conversation. Lovely card and the butterly looks wonderful. That Ranger pad ink looks intriguing.
Thank you so much for the details. I am a newer stamper and it helps alot. The more you study other stampers the better you become. Your blog is fabulous and it is my morning starter. (along with a few other things like a shower). Keep up the great work.
Dawn B>
Gorgeous, wonderful, inspiring! The backgrounds are as stunning as that (accurately) beautiful butterfly! And thanks for sharing the “process.” Bravo, Leslie! Linda
My goodness, your swallowtail looks real! You stamped all those different panels??? They all look so lovely, and I thought they were designer papers! Wow, Leslie…your card is so beautiful!
i was reading your explanation to discover the source of that gorgeous dp you used behind the butterfly, and it’s you! i’m just shaking my head…you never cease to amaze me. i’m running out of adjectives, leslie. beautiful work!
This really is so gorgeous! You are SO NOT butterfly impaired! Who wouldn’t love this card!!!
Amazing! This is breath taking!!!
This is GORGEOUS. Your butterfly, your background… everything is phenomenal. You definitely won this face-off!
Awesome creation…love it!
OMG……I thought Your panels were DP…..wow, you are such an artist with colors. This is stunning and I really love your so real looking butterfly. TFS your detailed description too.
You have a beautiful card there and the butterfly is perfect! I, too, feel butterfly-coloring impaired. I haven’t attempted it other than to fill in some spaces on very tiny butterflies, which takes care of itself.
Love the card!!
Karen
Oh that is hilarious! Butterfly coloring impaired..lol. I know what you meant though they can be really tricky to color! You did a great job though, and I love this card! To comment to your comment, I don’t mind them long, and you are right, credit given as credit due
This is gorgeous Leslie!!! You are *SO* not butterfly coloring impared! lol! Fabulous job!!!
Stunning. Absolutely Stunning.
And, yes, I did read your comment over at PT re: being a hybrid stamper! *wink* I’m STILL very much at the beginning stages of learning HOW to incorporate patterned papers into my designs, but, I am enjoying the process. And, yes, like you, I love all the products available to us out there–there is no question that variety and options give us unlimited possibilities!
WOW Leslie, that card is stunning! I don’t see any reason for you to be afraid, my dear!!!
What a beauty!!! That background panel you stamped is AMAZING — TRULY AMAZING!!! I’m so glad you explained how you did it — thanks!!! This is a gorgoues card, as is your butterfly — so, now have you conquered that fear — LOL!!!
WOW! That is one really beautiful card. I absolutely love the butterfly. It’s so delicate looking!
Leslie, this is gorgeous! And I hope you’ve conquered your fear of coloring butterflies, because this one’s just wonderful! Love also all of the colors!
And what fun shopping trip you had!!! I’m jealous!!!
You know I love butterfly photos, and yours is gorgeous! And this card is amazing!! I’m not really a new stamper, but I still would have had no idea how you achieved that look. It’s just stunning. Thanks for sharing all the details!
Gorgeous Leslie!! Wow that butterfly never looked better. Fear not my friend..that butterfly is stunning!!! I love the background.
Another gorgeous card! You did an excellent job coloring that beautiful butterfly!! (Mine always end up looking like cartoon characters..so I gave up
Your flower pictures are breath-taking! Living in a climate that doesn’t allow for very many flowers (would you consider a danelion a flower… LOL!) it’s nice to get to see some gorgeous blooms…even if it’s not in real life!
What an awesome card Leslie! I don’t see why you would feel at all timid about your butterfly coloring skills…your butterfly is just beautiful. And your background…I thought that it was a patterned paper piece. So striking!
Linda
So glad you gave in and colored this little winged beauty! It’s such a happy looking card!
~Angie
i don’t know how i missed it for so long, but i just discovered your blog, and your talent is amazing! i adore all your cards, and this one is fabulous! i love the background behind the butterfly, awesome. i am also envious of your beautiful garden! Lots of inspiration there!
Hope you don’t mind, i’m adding a link to your blog from my own.
Terrific card. I love butterflies. You did soooo well with the coloring. I just do whatever pleases me with them. They’re never as realistic as yours. Congrats.