Flutter By, Butterfly

6/1/22 Top Pick at Ellibelle’s Crafty Wednesday Challenge!

Hey everybody! I hope you’re having a great week and not working too hard! I’m back this morning with a new page in my new art journal that I finished on Mother’s Day. Even though it’s butterfly-themed, I’ve dedicated this page to our little seven-month-old kitten named Flutterby who was killed by a car speeding through our neighborhood three weeks ago. As most of you know, Ed and I rescue cats and kittens, and Flutterby was the last surviving kitten born to feral Mama last September so she had a special place in our hearts. It was hard. I can now talk about her without tearing up (most of the time) and this page makes me feel like she’s in a good place. :)

I started by inking a piece of Neenah Classic Crest 165# Solar White cardstock with mermaid lagoon, peacock feathers, twisted citron and fossilized amber distress inks using the direct-to-paper technique for good bold coverage. Using the Taylored Expressions Bubbly stencil and DreamWeaver Translucent Embossing Paste, I added some bubbles down both sides. Next, I added arrows on both sides using the TCW Susana’s Arrows stencil and Ranger picket fence distress stain, and then added several elements over the page using the TCW Mini Butterfly Collage stencil and Ranger black soot distress ink. Then I randomly stamped clusters of dots, postage stamps and text over the background using Paper Wings Productions Art Textures and Writing Backgrounds stamp sets.

I tore a piece of kraft corrugated paper, inked the edges, and adhered it to a torn piece of Hot Off The Press Flowing Ink double-sided paper and then to the bottom of the page. I grabbed a Hobby Lobby Woodpile Key and coated it with Prima Finnabair Brown Rust Paste and Red Rust Paste to give it a rusted look, and embellished it with a piece of Eyelet Outlet Brown Pearl Bling Strip. I rubbed some of the brown rust paste onto the raised portions of the corrugated paper, then attached a Tim Holtz idea-ology Swivel Clasp to the key with his idea-ology Jump Rings, and attached it to the corrugated paper.

I created an arrow by tracing a curved arrow from the TCW Susana’s Arrows stencil onto a scrap of 110# Solar White cardstock which I fussy cut and then drew lines around the edges with a Sakura Pigma Micron 08 black pen. I sprayed it with Tattered Angels It’s Green and Dragonfly Glimmer Mists, applied Glossy Accents and sprinkled Brutus Monroe Blue Shimmer Flakes over it. I applied another light ‘bumpy’ coat of Glossy Accents for texture, covering and trapping the shimmer flakes. Once dry, I cut the curved arrow in half and adhered the two pieces to the left side of the page, and added a 49 and Market fussy cut and layered butterfly with Darice Double-Sided Adhesive Foam Circles.

I cut two postal pieces from a roll of Tim Holtz idea-ology Postale Tissue Wrap and a large butterfly from his idea-ology Melange Tissue Wrap, and adhered them to scrap pieces of 110# Solar White cardstock with Ranger Distress Collage Medium. Once dry, I fussy cut each one of them, watercolored the butterfly with Light Green, Turquoise Green, Persian Green and Gray Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and a Kuretake Watercolor Brush, and added a Tim Holtz idea-ology Gamer Spinner for the butterfly’s body. I adhered these pieces and lightly sprayed the page with Tattered Angels Tarnished Silver Glimmer Mist. I then splattered Tattered Angels It’s Green and Dragonfly Glimmer Mists by opening the bottle and flicking the bottom part of the spray apparatus over the page.

I stamped the sentiments from the STAMPlorations Layered Butterflies stamp set in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on scraps of 110# Solar White cardstock and trimmed them. I ran a Tuxedo Black marker around the outside edges of each portion, layered them on CutCardStock Curious Metallic Night cardstock and adhered them to the page. I added several vinyl glittered flower stickers from my stash along with some Eyelet Outlet blue pearls and white heart pearls. The final touch was inking the edges of the page with black soot distress ink. Seems I can never do a ‘simple’ mixed media project… I feel like I have to keep adding more and more. Even though this is quite busy, I’m pleased with the result!

Sharing in the following challenges:
1. A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: #05-2022 – Anything Goes
2. A Place To Start: #052022 – Anything Goes w/ optional Lilies and Lace (no twist)
3. Addicted To Stamps and More: #429 – Any Occasion
4. Ally’s Angels: #58 – Anything Goes
5. Classic Design Challenge: #5 May Anything Goes
6. Crafting Happiness Challenges: #123 – Anything Goes Always
7. Crafty Calendar Challenge: May Anything Goes
8. Creative Artiste Challenge Blog: #82 – Anything Mixed Media Goes
9. Ellibelle’s Crafty Wednesday Challenge: May Anything Goes
10. Jan’s Digi Stamps Challenge: May Anything Goes
11. Paperbabe Stamps: #167 – Anything Goes
12. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Not A Card
13. Try It On Tuesday: Use A Stencil

Affiliate links are used in this post at no cost to you – I really appreciate your support! 

Products used:
Cardstock/Paper: Neenah Classic Crest 165# # Solar White cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest 110# Solar White cardstock, CutCardStock Curious Metallic Night cardstock, Hot Off The Press Flowing Ink 6×6 Double-Sided Cardstock, kraft corrugated paper
Stamps: STAMPlorations Layered Butterflies stamp set, Paper Wings Productions Art Textures and Writing Backgrounds stamp sets
Ink: Ranger black soot, mermaid lagoon, peacock feathers, twisted citron and fossilized amber distress inks; Memento Tuxedo Black ink (pad and marker), Ranger picket fence distress stain; Sakura Pigma Micron 08 black pen; Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers- Light Green, Turquoise Green, Persian Green and Gray
Accessories: We R Memory Keepers Large Guillotine Paper Trimmer, Bearly Art precision craft glue; Tim Holtz idea-ology Postale Tissue Wrap and Melange Tissue Wrap, Swivel Clasps, Jump Rings, Game Spinners; The Crafter’s Workshop Mini Butterfly Collage Stencil and Susana’s Arrows Stencil; Taylored Expressions Bubbly Stencil, DreamWeaver Translucent Embossing Paste, spatula, Ranger Distress Collage Medium, Ranger Distress Brush; Tattered Angels It’s Green, Dragonfly and Tarnished Silver Glimmer Mists; Kuretake Watercolor Brush; Brutus Monroe Blue Shimmer Flakes, Glossy Accents, Hobby Lobby Woodpile Key, Prima Finnabair Brown Rust Paste and Red Rust Paste; Eyelet Outlet Brown Pearl Bling Strip, Blue Pearl Bling Strip and White Pearl Hearts; Darice Double-Sided Adhesive Foam Circles, 49 and Market Curators Botanical 6×8 Collection Pack and Laser Cut Elements

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing this project! Thanks so much for stopping by today – we’ll see you next time! ;)

Scrappy hugs,