Hello and happy weekend! I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the peak of Summer time! Since leaving my job two weeks ago I have really been concentrating on resting and slooooooooowing myself down to a normal pace! It's been wonderful. And, because God is good and knows what I need, He sent me all sorts of friends to hang out with - - friends I hadn't seen in years! All of a sudden, friends are showing up in Sacramento for one reason or another...from Pennsylvania, from Oregon, from LA. Yes indeed. I am blessed. I can feel my stress fading just a bit and that's a good thing. I hope all is well in your corner of the globe today. Let's get crafty now!
It's the 25th of the month, which means it's time for the Papertrey Ink Customer Blog Hop! Yeah! You know I LOVE my PTI products and love to join this challenge whenever I can. This month's inspiration image is seriously so gorgeous and so much inspiration. I had about a bazillion ideas after I saw the photo. I ended up using several ideas in one card.
Here is my finished shabby chic, watercolor, butterfly card! All stamps and dies are from Papertrey Ink and all the inks are Distress Inks from Ranger/Tim Holtz. The gems are from Doodlebug (Gold Sprinkles).
Here is a close up of one of the butterflies. I cut my butterfly dies out of watercolor paper and then stamped onto them with distress inks using the Bitty Bouquets stamp set. Then I used my water brush to soften around the stamped lines and finally watercolored the rest of the butterfly.
The background was made in several layers, on watercolor paper. I first got the paper entirely wet with a spray bottle. Then I 'painted' Antique Linen and Corduroy Distress Inks onto the wet paper. I dried that with my heat tool. next I used my Tim Holtz Spritzer Tool and spritzed Distress Markers in shades of brown onto the paper. Then I sprayed it with water until the dots bled and faded. Next I dried it again with my heat tool... Finally, I doused the entire thing with Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls Mist! OOH LA LA!
Below is the inspiration image! Gosh, isn't that gorgeous?? So you can see that I was inspired by the touches of gold in the photo, that amaaaaazing wall, and the floral patterned butterflies. I chose a slightly cooler color scheme using the same color families. Um, and yes, I want to live in this room. Dreamy!
I liked how the butterflies were arranged in rows in the photo, so that's how I arranged mine here on my card. Three butterflies all stamped slightly differently with the same colors. They are mounted on some foam tape too. you can see I used the big clock die to add some gold elements.
I was trying to get a good close up photo of the gold shimmer on the paper from the Perfect Pearls Mist. No easy task, evidently! I think you can see it here though!
The blog hop is live all day! Won't you enter a card, too, and join the fun!
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CARDS, AND ENTER YOURS!
Have a lovely weekend! XOXO
This is a gorgeous card that goes beyond capturing the essence of the inspiration photo. While the butterflies are charming, it is the background you created that draws me in. You achieved such depth and richness in it. Fabulous.
Posted by: Nancy M | 07/27/2015 at 08:34 AM
So, so gorgeous, my friend! LOVE those washed watercolor butterflies! And omword, LOVE that amazing background!
Posted by: Audrey Pettit | 07/27/2015 at 06:40 AM
So, so very beautiful and such a breathtaking interpretation of the sketch - it shimmers and shines and it is just such a superstar card!!
Posted by: Taunya Butler | 07/26/2015 at 01:37 PM
I too love butterflies and watercolors. The way you stamped the flowers on them makes them even more appealing....
Posted by: Fonda Jo | 07/26/2015 at 08:35 AM
Your card is gorgeous! BEAUTIFUL design and layout, Wanda....and the sweet flowers on the butterflies are perfect!
Posted by: Helen F. | 07/26/2015 at 08:22 AM
A beautiful take on this lovely inspiration Wanda! And so fun to slow down and have visits from friends to enjoy! Crafty time and lovely friends are both full of joy!
Posted by: Jill Norwood | 07/26/2015 at 07:48 AM
Oh, this is gorgeous! I love those flowers stamped on the butterflies!
Posted by: Leigh Penner | 07/26/2015 at 06:06 AM
So so gorgeous!
Wanda so happy you had such a great time with your friends visiting...so good you can relax a bit more now...Hugs Holly.
Posted by: Holly Saveur | 07/26/2015 at 04:44 AM
Such a lovely card. The stamped butterflies are amazing!
Posted by: Karen Corbett | 07/25/2015 at 06:37 PM
So, so pretty! I am in love with all the watercoloring techniques you used on the butterflies, but especially the background! A true work of art!! :0)
Posted by: Marcia Hill | 07/25/2015 at 04:13 PM
Beautiful! Love the rustic/vintage vibe you created! Lovely card!
Posted by: Betty Wright | 07/25/2015 at 02:20 PM
I love the vintage/shabby look of your card - it is gorgeous!
Posted by: Lizzie T | 07/25/2015 at 11:19 AM
This is truly stunning! I love all the well thought out details of your card. The butterflies are amazing and your background is fabulous as well. The whole card came together perfectly!
Posted by: Birgit | 07/25/2015 at 08:29 AM
This is SO very gorgeous! What a fab idea to paint the scenes on the butterflies!! Love that background, too!!
Posted by: D.AnnC | 07/25/2015 at 08:24 AM
Love it! So pretty. :)
Posted by: Keri | 07/25/2015 at 08:08 AM
Love the flowers painted on the butterflys!
Posted by: jan metcalf | 07/25/2015 at 07:56 AM
Beautiful!
Posted by: ThePaperToile | 07/25/2015 at 07:27 AM
oh my.
this is stunning.
Posted by: ~amy~ | 07/25/2015 at 07:21 AM
Wow, I love your card and the colors are just perfect! God is good and I am happy He has blessed you with so many good friends, crafty friends are just the best!
Posted by: Marybeth Lopez | 07/25/2015 at 07:16 AM
gorgeous your really have the colors down, great design
Posted by: DIANA L. | 07/25/2015 at 07:14 AM
Stunning results! Love the technique!
Posted by: Nancy Penir | 07/25/2015 at 07:07 AM
love the stamped butterflies
Posted by: Victoria H | 07/25/2015 at 07:04 AM