Buttons and Bows Butterfly

 It's Monday which means there is a new challenge at Dream Valley Challenges ...

There's no sponsor this week - the challenge is just for fun.

The theme is:

BUTTONS  AND  BOWS

As always the design team have come up with some inspiration to get your creative juices flowing - here's my card:

What I used:

Butterfly die - free with SC&P magazine

Vellum - from stash

Button - from stash

Bow - unbranded embroidery thread

Greeting die - unbranded

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Dragonfly Dreams April - use a die

Ellibelle's Corner #14 - something with wings

My Time To Craft #532 - Everything dies

Cut It Up Challenge #32 - starts with a 'B'

Creative Friday #358 - insects

As You Like It - clean or fussy? Clean by a mile! I love the expanse of space that makes a simple image or die pop from the card. 

So have a pop over at the Dream Valley Challenge Blog to see some more lovely inspiration from my teamies on the design team and have a chance at winning a prize.

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Happy New Year... and a Birthday Card for My Mam

 A Happy New Year to anyone reading this - best wishes for 2024!

Each year the colour specialists, Pantone, determine the colour of the year which will influence fashion and style trends for the coming year For 2024, the colour is 'Peach Fuzz':

Now this is not a colour I'm particularly fond of - I find it a bit wishy washy and very 80s. However as one of my crafty resolutions is to push myself more I've decided to use this shade as inspiration for my Mam's birthday card - her birthday is 3rd January.

I've layered two different butterfly dies to add some depth to the image.

What I used:

Butterfly dies - free with magazines

Patterned paper - Ross Papercrafts

Greeting stamp - Honey Boo Stamps

Peach Vellum - Card Art Papercrafts

Pearls - Home Bargains

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Creative Fingers Challenge #268 - AG

Crazy Critter Challenges #82 - AG

Crafting Happiness Challenge #155 - AG

Cut It Up Challenge #294 - AG

Thank you for stopping by

Sharon

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Butterfly Birthday

 Today I was greatly inspired by the current sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches (yes, I know it's Thursday but timekeeping isn't one of  my better traits)

Here is what I made:

What I used:

Pink patterned paper - Dovecraft

Brown patterned paper - Craft Sensations

Pink card - Project Life - Becky Higgins

Butterfly stamp and die - SC&P magazine #239

Greeting - SC&P magazine #240

Pearls - The Range

Such a pretty sketch - no odd bits to confuse me! I stamped the image in a basic brown ink and coloured it using Spectrum Noir pens.

I'm also playing along with the challenges at:

Craft Rocket Challenge #102 - layer it up

Happy Little Stampers April - AG and use dies

Paper Shelter #549 - is it a bird? is it a plane?

Creative Moments #244 - wings and things

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Birthday Butterfly

It's Monday which means there is a new challenge at Dream Valley Challenges ...

This week there isn't a sponsor - the challenge is just for fun.

The theme is:

SHAPED CARDS

As always the design team have come up with some inspiration to get your creative juices flowing - here's my card:

The butterfly is actually two single wings stuck together to make a whole butterfly.

What I used:

Card base - Ross Papercraft

Papers - The Range

Butterfly - Home Bargains (Wedding section)

Gems - from stash

Vellum - from stash

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #187 - anything goes

Try It On Tuesday - Make it feminine

Crafty Calendar Challenge August - anything goes

Just Us Girls #664 - butterflies

So have a pop over at the Dream Valley Challenge Blog to see some more lovely inspiration from my teamies on the design team and have a chance at winning a prize.

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Butterfly Birthday Wishes

 Just a quick post today to share a card I made whilst watching the excitement of the curling today - I'm obsessed with it! 

Patterned papers - The range

Image - Rachelle Anne Miller - Ballerina

Coloured with - Spectrum Noir

Greeting stamp - free with a magazine

Pearls - The Range

A sweet simple design - these quick cards are great for work colleague's birthdays.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Fab N Funky #545 - Birthdays 

Mod Squad Challenge - Birthday Butterflies

Addicted To Stamps #423 - Birthdays

Watercooler Wednesdays #335 - anything goes (awww - it's their last challenge)

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Pink Posy

Today's card is another birthday card but just to add to my 'box' - not for any special purpose...

 

I used some grey and white polka dot patterned  paper to add some interest to the background. The stem and leaves are part of a Memory Box die. I cut the original flowers off and instead used some flowers created from a set of Marianne dies. I used dull silver brads for the centre of the flowers and I also added a tiny die cut butterfly with a pearl 'body'. The greeting is hand-stamped with a stamp that came free with a magazine,

I've playing along with the challenges at:

Die Cut Divas - flowers

Watercooler Wednesday #332 - feminine

QKR Stampede #435 - AG

Dies R Us Challenge #184 - AG using a DRU brand

Fab N Funky Challenge #542 - keep it simple

Thanks for popping in!

Sharon

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Golden Butterfly

 The challenges at Less Is More and Addicted to CAS were the inspiration for today's card...

What I used:

Base - pale grey card

Patterned paper - foiled design pad - The Range

Butterfly - £1 die - The Range

Gold pearls - Craft Sensations

Font on greeting - Paper Flowers

I love the way this card sparkles in the sun from both the butterfly and the subtle foiling on the patterned circle.

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Black Butterfly

 Another day, another butterfly card. They really are my 'thing' at the moment...

This was a very quick card put together out of my scraps box.

I used:

Grey linen card base

Black plant die cut - Memory Box Die

3D Butterfly - The Range

Flat backed pearls - The Range

Wood effect paper - it's actually a Papermania envelope turned back to front!

Computer generated greeting - Candara white font on a black background.

I'm playing along with the 'anything goes' challenges at:

Creative Fingers #204 

Crafter's Castle #39

Through The Craft Room Door (16/3)

The Creative Crafters #38

Love To Craft #56

A Perfect Time To Craft #3

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Lilac Butterflies

 I've been busy doing exams this last week so it was nice to relax today and get crafty...

 

What I used:

Sweet Dixie butterfly die

Unbranded label dies

Spellbinder Nesties circle die

Glitter striped ombre card

Vellum

Glittery gems

Computer generated greeting - Paper Flowers font

I cut two butterflies in coordinating lilac and pale turquoise card and layered them on a vellum circle. I also added tiny glittery gems on the wings. The greeting was created in Publisher and I layered it on a vellum backing.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

My Time To Craft #452 - make it feminine

Creative Fingers #203 - anything goes

Mod Squad Challenge - beautiful butterfies

Creative Moments #210 - anything goes

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #590 - feminine

Thanks for  visiting

Sharon

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A Magical Day

I was recently asked to join the design team of the Dream Valley Challenges blog - an exciting opportunity to meet other cardmakers and get to use some fabulous images from the various sponsors.

Today's card is for my first challenge which is sponsored by the fabulous Paper Shelter - home to lots of cute images for all occasions.

So the first challenge I am participating in has a very appropriate spring theme of:

Pretty In Pastels

Here's my card:

What I've used:

Image - The Paper Shelter Ellie

Coloured with Spectrum Noir markers

Papers -  Papermania - Spring Burst

Die cuts - ovals - Spellbinders Nesties

Die cuts - butterflies - free die from a magazine

Sentiment - computer generated

Isn't she sweet - she totally rocks lilac hair - she was a delight to colour! The tiny butterflies were created with two die-cut layers - a lilac bottom layer and a vellum top layer to create the effect of movement. I've also added some tiny ivory flat-backed pearls.

So have a pop over at the Dream Valley Challenge Blog to see some more lovely inspiration from my teamies on the design team and have a chance at winning 3 digital stamps from The Paper Shelter.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Seize The Birthday #209 - 3 shades of green

Fairy and Unicorn Challenge - anything goes fantasy

The Paper Players - Spring in the air

Angie's Digital Stamps #50 - use green TOP 3

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Butterfly Sparkles

It's a cold, dark day here in the North East with patches of snow still on the ground. I've had a day off work today (even though I've worked at home for the last 10 months!) so I've made a huge beef casserole and some cards...

I was greatly inspired by the sketch at Fusion - I do like a simple sketch with no odd bits!

My colour scheme was easily sorted when I saw the challenge at As You Like It - favourite colour scheme and why...

I do love the look of pink and green together - it's a match made in nature - think of how many pink flowers there are! I prefer the more pastel shades which is what I have gone for in this card...

I used an ivory card base and created the greeting in Publisher using Splendid font. The die cut foiled butterfly and matching patterned papers came with a magazine years ago. I'd like to say they are Hunkydory but I can't be sure. I've added sparkling gems to make a 'trail' and to highlight some of the foiled dots on the butterfly. Simple but pretty.

I'm also playing along with the challenges at:

The Sisterhood of Crafters - use dies/embossing folders

Simply Create Too - favourite colour combo

Thanks for visiting - happy crafting

Sharon

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Another Butterfly Card

I'm certainly loving butterflies this Summer - they are appearing on loads of my cards!

I'm trying to use up old stash so I've made this with some old M&C Boutique papers I bought from The Works a few years back...

I couldn't believe it when I looked through my bags of ribbons and found such a perfect match!

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Crafting Happiness #57 - anything goes
Dream Valley #228 - all occasions
Creative Fingers #190 - anything goes
Allsorts week #580 - something beginning with 'B'
Crafty Calendar July - add a ribbon
Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2028 - anything goes

Thanks for visiting

Stay safe

Sharon
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Tri-fold Butterfly Card

Oh my - I can't believe it's been a week since I posted - time is flying! And where is this year going to - I've been working at home for 3 and a half months now and it's suddenly July!

Well today's card is inspired by this week's challenge at The Paper Players:

I do like unusual shaped cards. My go to shape is usually an easel card but today I've tried to make what I think is called a tri-fold card...

Using an A4 base card I cut a diagonal top edge then scored and folded the card into three.

The papers are from an old issue of  Papercraft Essentials. I've die-cut the butterfly but left the 'bits' in the shape. Finally I've used a Lili Of The Valley digi for the greeting.

I'm also playing along with the challenges at:

Crafter's Castle #31 - anything goes
Crafting Happiness #56 - things that fly
Corrosive Challenge #7 - anything goes
Get Creative Challenge #93 - birthdays

Thanks for visiting
Stay safe

Sharon
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Yellow Butterfly

Today's card is another one for my birthday box - a feminine design in shades of sunny yellow:

It's a simple design I've seen all over Pinterest - this is my version The papers are from my scraps box and I've rounded two of the corners on each square.. The foiled butterfly die cut is from a Hunkydory set and I've added a greeting printed in Copperplate Gothic font and a few yellow pearls.

Simple but pretty.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Crafty Catz Challenge #509 - AG + CAS
Moving Along With The Times #119 - things with wings
Double D Challenge- use your scraps
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #133 - anything goes
Allsorts Challenge #575 - lots of yellow

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Birthday Cutie

Today's card was made using one of Heather Ellis' super cute girl images...

Isn't she sweet! I've coloured her using pastel Spectrum Noir pens and framed the image with a scalloped oval die. The greeting is a Lili Of The Valley digi.

The patterned papers are ancient - Papermania Retro Floral Colossal Pack - must be about 10 years old! I've added some black flat-backed pearls and a die-cut butterfly as embellishments.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Watercooler Wednesdays #274 - AG with feminine twist

Try It On Tuesday - cut it out

Crafty Gals #207 - for the ladies

Creatilicious Challenge #188 - AG/birthdays

Always Fun #165 - layers

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Really Old Stash - Butterfly Birthday

Today's card is another birthday card for my work box (when I eventually go back to 'work'!!).

I've used some really old stash - Hot Off The Press papers that came free with a magazine years ago. Here is the last card I made with them.

I used my lovely new butterfly die again - I am totally loving butterflies at the moment...

I used ivory linen card for the base - I think white would have been too stark. I cut two butterflies - one in patterned paper and the other in the same red paper used for the circle matting and the scallopped border.I love the background paper - different stripes of tape, patterns and stars.

Finally I added a greeting in KG Sorry Not Sorry font that I created in Publisher.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Crafty Creations #409 - anything goes
Unicorn Challenge #54 - use dies
The Sisterhood of Crafters - birds, bees or butterflies
Through the Craft Room Door (May 12th) - anything goes WINNER
AAA Birthday #13 - things with wings

Thanks for visiting - stay safe

Sharon

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