A Butterfly Valentine

Good afternoon and hope that so far your Saturday has been grand. We have sunshine, warmer temperature, but some howling wind now & again. Still in the throes of Valentine production around here, but managed to get one that might qualify over at Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge. Challenge #23 has a Letter Theme -  V for Valentine, but must also have a Butterfly. Hmmmm.

Here's my interpretation of this fun challenge.

- satin like texture red paper (Michael's - Speciality paper section - on sale). Embossed with C/B Geometric Rings. This was very pretty paper - but did not take embossing well. At the edges, some of the paper lifted from the core. Had embossed another piece that was much worse with the 'lifting', so on this one, placed a 2nd sheet of plain c/s on top of the embossing side, and it worked a bit better. Not sure if this happened due to the paper or that the folder embosses deeply. Just sayin'.

- Prior to embossing, die cut center heart with S/B D-Lites Swirled Hearts. Added a Fiskar Heart Punch shape from a snippet of the satin paper & larger center pearl.

- white lightweight glitter paper behind the Swirled Heart cutout.

- Ellentina Butterfly die (purchase from the Heirloom Stamp show that cut very well). Bottom layer is plain red c/s, 2nd layer is red satin paper. Top white glitter layer is placed slightly off-center & wings lifted. Red rhinestones for the head & body.

- Had already adhered tiny pearls before deciding to add the butterfly, so it looks as though the antennae have pearls...not really!

Thanks for looking in this afternoon and off we go to link over at Mrs. A's #23 Butterfly Challenge.
There's still time to jump right in and play along! Big Hugs.

Edit: Just got a heads up from Miss Pixie  that this fits the current challenge over at Cuttleburg Mania: I{heart} you, so will link up for that challenge as well. Thanks Diane!

Edit #2: Another sweet blogger reminded me that this card works for the Allsorts Challenge Blog too, the theme of which is Love is All Around. Thanks so very much, Miss Brenda for the kind shout-out! I have such lovely people who visit here...gosh, I wish I could just meet each one of you in person one day.

DeeDee's Digis - My Heart is Yours #2

Good evening, and welcome ....Another card from that fabulous DeeDee's Digi My Heart is Yours set.  Used the same papers & design as the earlier card, just reversed the paper position, and used the 2nd image from the set. Another 'get er done' card, as my friend Lynn would say. BTW- the top paper is from a Recollection 8.5x11 Valentine paper pack, 50% off in the local Michael's. Bottom is 12x12 sheet - Paper Studio from Hobby Lobby.

- printed 2 digi images, fussy cut one.  WoS pens on the basket hearts. Actually there were more pink hearts than shown, but the WoS pink made these look red.  Then a stylus added a bit of shaping; adhered the top basket to the MFT pierced circle image which had just a smidge of DI Spun Sugar on the outer edge.

- sentiment from an old stamp, same DI spun sugar for ink. Think it might have looked better with a darker ink shade, but it is what it is. The die is from a Sue Wilson set and the tiny hearts were an  MS punch that has multiple sized tiny hearts...and used a snippet left from this card. All these bits & pieces are in a pile. {Sigh...I had sorted all the snippets into my colored boxes very recently. Sure can't tell it just now}. White c/s snippet embossed with the tiny hearts E/F, colored with copics. (Avery Elle Elle-ments angle die)

Received this link in an email this morning, and thought I'd share.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/__Hz-eaj3x0?rel=0 .  There's a very pretty song to enjoy, and the singer explains how she came to write this song, about the memories of her childhood. (sounded as though she had a lilting Scottish accent). Think I've previously shared that I have 5 older brothers  (2 who have left us). These fellas are stair steppers - 2 years apart - and grew up on my Grandmother's farm. Not much money, lots of hard work, but they still had time to play country kids' fun. Have heard these stories all my life; as I listened to the words of this song, I could just see those 5 little boys in my mind, and got a little misty. Both the brothers who bother with the computer sent me this song today. Hope you'll enjoy it too & perhaps have some happy memories.

 

As always, have a great evening, and thanks for joining me. Hope you're able to stay cozy & warm where you may be. God Bless & Big Hugs.

DeeDee's Digis - My Heart is Yours

Good evening & thanks for joining me. First let me welcome 3 lovely new followers:

Vickie of Stamp Smiles

Donna T of  Lakefront Stamping Creations

Pauline (Cotnob) of Crafting with Cotnob

Thanks so much for becoming new followers & it's always such a pleasure to meet new friends. I hope some of my blog buddies will give a look-see at each of these blogs. I've seen these bloggers at so many other blogs that I visit, and it's quite an honor to have them come join me! Check 'em out, folks!

Now, to share a picture of the Heirloom Stamp Convention we attended this past Saturday.

 

 

My sweet blog friend, Sheila H. (lalacrafts) and I met up once again. You may remember that 2 years ago, we met each other by chance at this convention --- recognized each other by our blog pictures. This time it was an arranged meeting, and oh, we both had fun. (I'm the left green shirt, and Sweet Sheila is on the right. Had just gotten a haircut and boy did I get clipped! Well, it will grow). Sheila was there with her friend Patty, and it was a treat meeting another friendly card maker. Enjoyed some great old family stories about our grandparents and the life styles lived in their era. The dies that came home were entered into the database this afternoon, and only had one duplicate (at least that I found!). Managed to pick up 2 of the same Impression Obsession heart die.

 

Now, on with today's card, which is a really cute pre-colored DeeDee's Digi My Heart is Yours. and this set is so reasonably priced at $2.25. This was another 'easy' card and since I have several more Valentines to get done, you can bet you will be seeing more of these DeeDee's Digis .

 

 

 

 

 - DeeDee's Digi My Heart is Yours precolored image, die cut with an oval;sky & grass sponged with ink pads & daubers. Scribbles of copics added grass texture and shading done on bears and hearts. WoS on the red hearts.

 

- Recollection Valentine paper pack (Michaels on sale - bottom dp) and Paper Studio design paper- top dp.

 

- Avery Elle Elle-Ments angle die. Same die used to cut a white snippet that was colored with a red copic and adhered to hide the paper join. QuickKutz Sweethearts EF embossed the strip.

 

- DeeDee's sentiment is part of the My Heart is Yours set. Used a fishtail die to trace the shape and hand cut.

 

- Glossy heart was punched from a snippet of red paper, then 2 coats of Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE) was applied. Red rhinestone trim. Told ya it was easy!

 

I'm so happy to report all the blog candy winners have received their candy, and I think everyone was pleased with what I selected. Now will be working towards the next milestone!!

 

Ya'll stay warm, and come back when you can stay a spell. Hugs.



Jolly Santa - Christmas Card Club

Hello & welcome. The challenge for our Christmas Card Club was selected today by our sweet Lorraine of Rainey's Craft Room. Lorraine wanted to see Jolly Santas. Once again, a pretty card sent to us many years ago, serves to meet this delightful theme. Here we go:

- Front of an old Victorian looking Christmas card was die cut with the S/B Floral Ovals. The largest die in the set was required to get as much of this sweet picture as possible, so that didn't leave much space on the A2 size card for added embellies. Distress Ink Vintage Photo shaded around the decorative edges and gold pearls for just a bit of bling. (BTW, wasn't sure how well this intricate die would work on the cardstock, so used the back of the recycle card to test for cut-ability. Now there is a cream white oval to use as a mount for something else! Used several passes for the die, but it did cut nicely).

- Foiled paper is from a 12x12 pack of Paper Studio Christmas paper bought some years previously. Thought the gloss of the foil papers looked pretty with the gloss on the Santa & child.

- MS & SU punches for the border trim. That's it...quick & easy, and another old Christmas card sent along for another to enjoy next Christmas. Lorraine, thanks for a fun challenge.

Please do visit my team members - whose blogs can be found on the right side bar.

I do have some lovely new followers to welcome, but will do that in my next post. Yesterday was an all day fun outing at an Heirloom Stamp show, (and yes, I was VERY bad, but it was fun). We left early, got home late, and were very tired. Saw some local friends, met one of my terrific blog buddies too. Gosh, I can remember shopping all day, going out that night. Well, I think I remember...maybe I'm dreaming!

Have a wonderful day and ya'll come back when you can. Hugs