Butterfly Tag Card, Garden Theme, Friend

I made this 'tag' card a while ago but just haven't got 'round to posting it until today.

The inspiration for it came from a photo set up I used when posting this tag part alone on a recent blog post for a past Tag You're It challenge/my DT take on the Featured Artist.

It's a 'busy' card...  

(Apologies for the slight blur on this photo.  It's a real close up shot - but I wanted you to see the texture from sanding down a piece of Core'dinations card stock).

I seem to be in a habit of making busy cards right now - and I don't honestly know how I feel about that.  

Do people like busy cards (generally speaking) or is it a bit like a pizza with too many toppings?

But at least I've been sticking with my nature theme.  

Speaking of which...

Have you had any 'fluff puffs' in your garden?

Now you may be wondering just what a 'fluff puff' is.

Well...  they are fluffy and they're puffy and they sort of 'flitter' their wings in such a cute little way right before being fed.

And 'fluff puff' just suits them so much better than 'fledgling' when they are at their cute stage.

What am I talking about?

Baby sparrows.

Apparently in decline...   unless you come to our garden.  

Then you'll see staged feeding frenzies of activity, group dust bath sessions...

A sight of pure cuteness.

I'm sorry to say that one fledgling got misplaced by it's dad for a whole 10 minutes on the first brood of this season.

How do I know?

Because I heard it calling out for the entire duration - and then looked out of the window to watch it.  If you've heard a sparrow calling at feeding time you'll recognise the sound as it's a single, solitary (fairly high pitched) 'cheep' noise that's as long as the silence in between the 'cheeps'.  

(If I had to hazard a guess I would say a second per 'cheep')?

The poor little darling kept hopping around on the ground  - and at one point it made its way over to two slightly older girls...  and opened its beak in readiness for food as they moved a little closer - to fly off!

10 minutes must have seemed like a very long time...  and it didn't once stop calling out until found!

...  And we're on brood three right now by the looks of things.

But I digress...

So what did I use to make this card?

Supplies Used:

Dies:

MFT/Die-namics Tag Builder - Blueprints 4

Taylored Expressions 'Beauty Lies Within'

Memory Box 'Blissful Butterfly Border'

Memory Box 'Tall Grassy Stems Left Corner'

Papertrey Ink 'Wet Paint Cuts'

Martha Stewart Punches:

 'Pop Up' Butterfly Border

Cherry Blossom Trim

Memory Box Stencils:

Delphinium

Stems

Holtz/Distress Ink:

Dusty Concord

Seedless Preserves

Milled Lavender

Victorian Velvet

Bundled Sage

Forest Moss

Mowed Lawn

Walnut Stain

Other:

Stamp from stash

Twine - Natural

Ribbon

Glitter Card Stock

Distressing Tool

Sand Paper

Challenges I'm Entering...

Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge

(All scraps except the green tag base).

Simon Says/Monday

'Distress It'

(Sanded Core'dinations Card Stock + Partially/Slightly Distressed Edges)

Dies R Us

(Challenge #76  -  Layers)

That's Crafty

'Anything Goes'

I'm still in catch up mode right now, but I'm getting there.

Thank you so much for your kind words of support...

Donna. x

Distress Crayon Card, Rainbow of Colour, Thanks

There's a Poppystamps challenge that's almost at its end, but I've managed to make 'something' for it.  I say 'something' as at home I refer to this as my 'Crayola card made by a three year old'...

Crayola's not just a UK brand, right?

  

Take a look at you'll see what I mean...

It's kind of hideous...  but it kind of works (I think/hope)!

I don't embrace lots of colour so I'm never going to say anything too wonderful about this design - but at least I chucked in lots of white (or similar) where I could. 

And no...   I didn't really use Crayola Crayons.

Distress Crayons - use a light coat of Distress Collage Medium - Matt (or similar) to cover the card base first.  Helps the crayons to blend when smooshing colours.

But do use a dry baby wipe to smoosh/blend colours or your finger will start to get very warm!

And yes, as you can tell I went for a smooshing/scribbled look.

But then I don't do 'neat'...  it kind of freaks me out.

So I've smooshed and I've scribbled.

And I've embossed onto vellum, recycled an old purse only fit for the bin, made a tiny box frame that yes, I did purposefully choose not to stick together too neatly...

and I've done some 'selective' distressed edges.

Because I can and I like them.

And no distressed edges was too neat and all distressed edges would have been too much.

Perfect logic...

I've also messed around with layers - that 'thanks' has six or seven and the centre of the daisy in the frame has even more.  Seem to remember it being in the 'teens' somewhere  (didn't want to use sticky pads as used those under the frame).

There are also a few layers on the butterfly, the cream 'purse' flower centre and that rectangle underneath the vellum has a few, too.

I like messing with layers as it adds something depth wise...  but apparently camera's aren't so keen  - hence the blurriness in some places.

It's also very time consuming and no fun at all.

But at least it kept me busy for a while...

Supplies Used:

Holtz/Distress Crayons:

Festive Berries

Spiced Marmalade

Mustard Seed

Twisted Citron

Peacock Feathers

Mermaid Lagoon

Seedless Preserves

Dies:

Sizzix Originals 'Shaker Box' - Square w/Window

Poppystamps 'Ragged Daisy'

Poppystamps 'Viola Leaves'

Memory Box 'Peaceful Butterfly Wings'

Memory Box 'Blissful Butterfly Border'

Memory Box 'Tall Birch'

Papertrey Ink 'Wet Paint Cuts'

Spellbinders 'Nestabilities' Rectangle

MFT 'Rectangle Peek-a-boo Window (Die-namics)

Ink:

Holtz/Distress - Walnut Stain

Tsukineko/Memento - Tuxedo Black

Other:

Stencil - The Crafter's Workshop 'Art Is'

Holtz Distress Collage Medium

Embossing Powder - Clear

Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug 'Butterflies 3x3 Tag Team Combo'

Challenges I'm Entering...

Poppystamps

PSC #33     'Rainbow Wishes'

Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge

An entire card full of snippets 

So this card won't win any prizes and may in fact be more awful than I realise, but that's ok as it gave me time to experiment with four 'new to me' items - most of which I've had for a while now.

(I have been told on more than one occasion that I'm too hard on myself...   but as that will never, ever change we may as well all accept the fact that if I post something and think it 'sucks' - even if only a little bit - I'm just going to go right on ahead and tell you).   

*

For those of you that know me...

Life's a struggle right now and I just hurt - a lot.

So yes, I've been missing...  and yes, I'm not ok.

But I'm better than I was.

I just need a little more time., then I'll face catching up with you all - which I will, so don't bother telling me not to. x

I'm just not up to pretending right now.

But I have missed you...

and I thank those of you that know me well enough to know already that me disappearing = me going through rough times.

And you who knows but gets in touch anyway because she's worried (you know who you are) - thank you, too.

You are all far more of a blessing than you realise.

And for those of you who don't know me and have no clue as to what I'm going on about...

Let's just say that life can be very unfair and I'll leave it at that.

After all, we can all relate to that at some level or other.

And so as not to completely depress you all...

Think of something you like to do that makes you happy - and then (as long as it's safe for you/others and it's not illegal) go make time and do it this week if you can.  

Thanks for stopping by today...

Donna. x

Butterfly Tag, MFT Blueprints 4, Friend

Happy Friday to you.

I have a small tag to share for the new challenge that starts today over at Tag You're It.

Hope you like it...

With this background setup for the photo the gears in my head are already spinning on how this little tag will become a future card someday!

I just love the fact that tags can make a basis for unusual card designs, and whilst I can appreciate that they won't always be to everyone's liking I just can't seem to help but love making them.

You see for me, creating something 'cohesive' on such a small scale is still a learning curve.
But I embrace that challenge each and every time as I'm convinced that it'll help me to become a better crafter.

I guess we all have our areas that we focus on in the hopes of improving, don't we?

My inspiration for today's new challenge came from this...

...  so I went with the intricate inlay theme and tried to keep my design as simple as possible.

And on the plus side, it also gave me a chance to play with a die that I've had in my collection for a very long time.

Don't forget, we've moved to a monthly format now - so that's more time to play along if you decide to join us.

Hope you do...

Donna. x