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6/01/2016

A is for Apricot & Aperture Butterfly Challenge

Hello & welcome on a lovely sunny Wednesday. I hope that all who celebrated this past weekend as a holiday, had a safe & wonderful time.  DH has been visiting in New England with our best buddy, and is on his way home. They got many projects done & had some fun visiting estate sales, and the famous Brimfield Flea Market. Since someone had to be here to wait on worker folks, I stayed put. For all that's gotten accomplished, I could just as well have gone along. Oh well.

Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge this time around has the theme of A is for Apricot & Aperture. Since I was a lucky winner of a pretty butterfly die recently, I wanted to be sure to join in with this one. I really struggled with Apricot though! I'd think I had an apricot color and then when I'd really look at it in different lights, was either too orangey or too pinky. Finally decided to try my hand at creating apricot. Did some sponging with some Distress Inks using Iced Lemonade, Abandoned Coral, Spiced Marmalade. Looked ok at first, then it appeared too orange the next time I looked at it. Bought some small Prima paper packs (on sale of course!) that had what looked 'apricot' to my eyes- at first. My final try was to use Koi watercolors and do a wash with a pale orange, with lots of water.

Now my first card was going pretty good...I was pleased with the aperture effect, had the butterfly ready to go, had used Mrs. A's butterfly die cut. Then when the right edge needed to be trimmed just a smidge, disaster struck.

 
 
where the tiny butterflies are placed - the narrow edge of the card tore as I was even-ing up that edge. There's a good amount of adhesive in the layers (the base card, the image in the aperture, the gold frame and the top frame- and it was quite a narrow edge between the cutout & card edge. Yikes, as the rotary blade was cutting, it was shredding & tearing. (Blade had a build up of adhesive from other cuts, which I cleaned after this happened). What to do? Still had all the little bits of the butterflies from the bottom trim, so started adding them at strategic places. Well, it looks sort of dumb, and this card will probably never see an envelope, but there you have it.
 
Striped border is a Simon Says clear stamp, meant for Christmas candy cane stripes. Inked with Delicata Gold, heat embossed with a Silver Pearl, and I think that looks quite nice as a gold striped border! The underlayer of the larger butterflies was the one I'd created trying for apricot. Yeah, it looks way too orange-y when it dried. As I was doing it, my eyes were seeing a nice apricot. Hmph! The overlayer was from a brusho background - and up against the card front, oh my, definitely looks orange!!! The border cut out is from my recent Butterfly win...Thanks Mrs. A.
 
OK...needed to try again, so here's the final card, and I screwed up the first attempt at stamping the flowers...AND was using the mini Misti. Was beginning to think I was not meant to do an Apricot and Aperture card!
 

A created background, with a watercolor wash using Koi w/colors. While still wet, sprinkled Paper Artsy Golden Sands Infusion crystals (much like Brusho crystals). Spritzed some water, and let the piece dry.

- Avery Elle Sweet Scallops oval die cut for the aperture. SU What I Love set to create the layered flowers using Memento inks. (this was my 2nd try...first time the blues I selected were much too dark & also didn't have them placed as well as could be). Tucked in some previously punched Martha Stewart branches.

- MBox butterflies created from the earlier apricot sponging attempt. The overlay was cut with a gold holographic glitter paper. This paper has a plastic backing, which cut nicely with the new metal plate. In fact, I had 2 layers of the paper without realizing, and both layers cut very well.

Was going to leave the sentiment off, but a Brushstroke Hello die (Julie Ebersole, Essentials by Ellen) was waiting to be put in storage. Used that to diecut the greeting from the 1st messup attempt at stamping the flowers. After it was adhered, wondered if this was 'too busy'....but it is what it is, as they say!

I'm off to link up with Challenge #55 Butterflies + A is for Apricot and/or Aperture! Dang! I just realized: didn't have to do BOTH apricot and aperture! Well, I had some adventures anyway!

Thanks for joining me today, and hope that your afternoon goes great. Hugs




43 comments:

  1. Hi Mary,
    what very pretty cards.
    Such a very pretty array of butterflies in your first.
    I really like the design of the first.
    Your second is also very pretty, and such wonderful stamped flowers.
    Really like the crystals apricot colour you have created.
    Beautiful colour butterflies also.
    Love and biggest hugs from my house to yours.
    Lots of crafty love. Jenny L.

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  2. Hi Mary, Loving both cards and a good save on the first one. I've had that happen before, but usually I just cut the embellishments off and do a new card.

    Hope you are having a good week. Sue

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  3. Adorable cards. Love them both.
    Valerija xx

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  4. These are both so gorgeous, Mary!! I love how you saved the first card...that strip of butterflies is eye-catching and beautiful!! I love the colors and design! The second one is fabulous!! The flowers and butterflies are so pretty!! Love them both my friend!! Stunning!! Have a great day!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  5. Your cards turned out lovely! Colors can definitely be tricky. It seems I never have the right shade of red. I think you did a wonderful job with Apricot.

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  6. You are too hard on yourself. The first card is so pretty and you should send it to someone who love the antique and sweet. I think you did well with apricot...hard to get that colour just right. I like those butterflies on the edge. I like your 2nd card and the background almost looks like marble to me. Love the flowers. Sit back, relax and in a few days, when you look at them you will think differently...I hope:) I should take my own advice-hahaaaa

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  7. Two really pretty cards Mary and the first is lovely with all the butterflies and the die cut butterflies in profusion along the bottom, then the second with the beautiful oval shape filled with the pretty flowers and foliage and the background is great with the hindt of a darker shade amongst the apricot and the wonderful butterflies and sentiment. I had three abortive attempts with a stencil and some Creative Expressions texture paste which didn't seem to spread well at all, and they all ended up in the bin, so we all have our moments. Needless to say I gave up on the texture paste and tried something else instead. x

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  8. Hi Mary,well I love both cards and you managed to fix the mishap, gorgeous colours and designs, lots of wonderful embellishments too, Kate x

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  9. Two lovely cards and great colours, love the colour apricot but not keen on the fruit.
    I hope you are going to use the first card, send it to someone with poor eyesight and they won't even notice.

    Kath x

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  10. Mary you deserve a triple Gold Star for persevering with this. I love both of your cards. Your apricot colouring is fine. The butterfly die looks great too. Glad you have been able to use it. Thank you for fluttering by my latest challenge. Your card will be entered twice into the draw. Hugs Mrs A.

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  11. Golly Mary, that's perseverance for you! I actually like the edged butterflies on the first card! Apricot is not a colour I would normally go for but you have done a brilliant job with it, your second card is beautiful too! And butterflies - they are all gorgeous... Hugs, Anne xx

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  12. You have repaired the gap so well, Mary!! Well done! Both the cards are very beautiful and love your own apricot background colour made with the distress ink!Beautiful stamped flowrs!

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  13. They are two lovely cards Mary. Well done saving the first and I like the colour you created. The candy strip in the side also looks really good and I love the butterfly die strip at the bottom. Very pretty flowers on the second one too. So it was two for the price of one. Well done. Barbxx

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  14. Hi Mary what lovely cards love those butterflies..huggles Sue xx

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  15. Both beautiful cards and great save TBH think my response would have been to save what I could and bin the card lol I agree about apricot abit of a not quite this and not quite that colour-top marks for not giving up though love the floral image on the second card
    Carol x

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  16. Two beautiful cards Mary, brilliant that you saved the first one after that mishap! love the colour beautiful stamping and butterflies.
    Pam x

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  17. These are really gorgeous Mary, I love all the beautiful butterflies
    Kevin xx

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  18. Some days those ideas just don't want to cooperate! Apricot is a hard color but there are any number of shades that can be called apricot! I think you perfected that! Good save with those tiny butterflies! And your second card is so pretty! Love the background and the sweet flower arrangement! I think we've had 2 days without rain! Good to see the sun! Hope Joe gets back OK!

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  19. These cards are works of art, Mary.

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  20. Give yourself a BIG pat on the back for being so clever in the way up you saved your card.
    Both are absolutely beautiful, love them
    Patricia x

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  21. Two beautiful cards. Like you, I'm finding apricot quite difficult and haven't linked a card yet!
    Kath x

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  22. Oh Mary - so glad you persevered with these cards because they really are both rather wonderful.
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  23. I just love butterflies and here you used so many! Lovely cards! Hope your week is a good one!

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  24. Both cards are really lovely, but your story regarding them is hilarious, AND then to find you didn't have to do both, what a bummer!

    What a shame not much has been happening in the bathroom and you could have gone on the trip, however look on the bright side, you've had time to yourself, to do as you wish.
    Have a good rest of the week
    Faith
    x

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  25. Well Mary, it seems as though you recovered that card quite well after your mishap because it looks beautiful to me!! Those blades are horrible when they get sticky from adhesives, I've had a few Grrrr moments myself! Love your second card too, the big 'Hello' is fabulous!! hugs :)

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  26. Both of your cards are gorgeous!!

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  27. Wow what lovely cards Mary! Love the butterflies. I don't think i have ever made and Aperture card. Might have to look that one up. Love the colors of your second card and the butterflies on it as well. I am back on the internet again and love looking at all your beautiful cards.

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  28. Both cards are just beautiful Momma Mary! Even the one that caused you grief when you cut it. Don't you hate when something like that happens that messes up the whole dang card?! But I think you saved it beautifully, so you can send it to me. lol Love the beautiful flowers on your second card and just love the butterflies you have used on both of your cards. Hugs, Brenda

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  29. Mary, I like both cards! You did a great job with the challenge. Love that color combination. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  30. Your cards are beautiful, Mary! Wow, the work you put into it! Glad to hear that I am not the only one that has MISTI mishaps! I'd say you created apricot for sure. Love all the butterflies on your card and the second one is SO beautifully designed! Happy to see you posting!

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  31. Very pretty cards, Miss Mary! I especially like all the tiny butterflies in your first card! So darling! You have done great things with your new butterfly prize, and I cannot think of anyone who is more deserving of the win!

    Fantastic use of the "negative" portion of your paper at the bottom of your first card. Lovely vintage feel!

    Hope all is well, and that you are doing quite nicely these days, keeping those allergies at bay! xoxox

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  32. Oh, Mary, you are so good at writing your posts so we are right there with you and every adventure you had with these pretty cards, we have had, too, so you brought back memories! And no cards are DUMB! Don't ever say that! Just like there are no stupid questions, there are no stupid cards! Good for you for seeing it through, even though you didn't need both As for Mrs. A.'s challenge! I hope your mister has a safe trip back home!! Hugs, Darnell

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  33. Hello Mary! very beautiful cards! I love both of them!
    xoxo Olga

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  34. You crack me up with your tales of woe! These are both gorgeous, in spite of being doomed from the start!! LOL Funny how you endeavored so hard to do both aperture and apricot, but you persevered and did it anyway! I have done the same thing many a time with a gunked up wheel on my cutter. Just when you think I'll take a smidge off and it ends up ripping the paper - very frustrating! Anyway, I think both are beautiful and you shouldn't be so hard on yourself!! Hope hubby gets home safely.

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  35. Mary, you ended up with two very pretty cards. I actually like the little butterflies on the first card, it gives it an interesting edge. I wonder if you are not so keen on it because of the colours rather than the edge itself?
    The flowers on your second card are lovely too.

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  36. Pjew finally the camping here is giving us some internet acces but it is of a very poor quality slow as a snail so a quick visit here.
    Your card is absolutely gorgeous Mary and I love the abricot color, lovely and soft. Hugs Veerle x

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  37. These are fantastic Mary! I love the color combo and the beautiful butterflies!

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  38. Oh and I really loved that top card, but those things happen for sure! Beautiful projects, I adore these colors!!!

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  39. These are both fabulous cards Mary and a perfect save on the first with the little butterflies. Thanks for fluttering by Mrs A's Butterfly challenge - Andrea GDT xx

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  40. Gorgeous color both cards are beautiful

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  41. Wonderful pair of cards...love that soft sweet color, one I rarely use but after seeing you incredible creations will have to pull it out. I love your wonderful butterflies and that vintage image is amazing.

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  42. I really like both cards. They have such luscious colors. Your fix for the torn edge was brilliant and very clever looking. Great job.

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