CTMH Australasian Blog Hop - Nature

Hello, and welcome to our 'Nature’ Australasian 'Blog Hop'. If you've arrived here from Danielle Edwards - Scrappychicks, then you're in the right place.

If you've landed here by accident, then welcome to the fun! Please join in by following the link at the bottom of this blog. 

The current catalogue, which runs through April, May and June, is absolutely chokka full of nature themed products. So many, in fact, it was hard to decide what to share in the blog this week. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else on the hop chooses too!

After a couple of weeks playing with several of the products, I decided to work with the Butterfly slimline embossing folder for this blog. It's a great product, because it also comes with two layers of stencils to help us enhance the butterflies.

As it happens, I spent some time in my neighbours front yard this week, photographing a whole lot of Monarch butterflies. It's great to photograph them when they first emerge from their chrysalis', as they gently spread their wings in and out to dry them off, before taking flight. They always mesmerise me! But after that, it occurred to me that they must be quite an Autumn thing, so I decided to work with autumnal colours for this project. 

My base was a piece of white daisy. I then used one of the stamps from the dreammaker stamp set, released for National Scrapbook Day. Using autumnal colours - for example, Paprika, Seabrook, and Honey Butter - I secondary stamped randomly around the edges of the cardstock, before putting it in the embossing folder and adding the butterfly shapes. 

Once the embossing was done, I used Toffee with the first stencil and then a heavier touch of Paprika on the top to add some contrast. The last step was the gold stickles and a touch of gold shimmer brush to the wings. Plus of course the title and the paprika cardstock as a backing. You'll notice the circle has been trimmed......that's because I didn't want to cover all of the butterflies. 

My next project was on a standard card, with just a hint of black, which I thought made it ideal for a sympathy card. I've used some vellum between the black card and the butterflies, so its not too heavy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 My final project to share, is one where I've fussy cut one of the butterflies out after embossing and colouring the whole strip.

This smaller gift card is made by cutting a slimline card in half. I often do that to make cards that are ideal to put with a small gift or with a bunch of flowers perhaps.

Using scraps that were on my desk, which just  happened to co-ordinate, I've torn the strips and adhered them diagonally to the card.

 

To match, I've distressed the outside of the butterfly with the blade of my scissors.

I now have a few butterflies floating around my craft room, after several experiments I wasn't happy with, so I look forward to getting some more ideas from the others on this blog hop.

The Butterfly Slimline embossing folder and stencils is available for April, May, and June, with the current catalogue cycle...or while stocks last. Contact your CTMH consultant to order. 

If you don't have a consultant and live in New Zealand, please contact me, or place an order through my website. 

You can also join me on Facebook and Instagram to see more crafty creations. 

I'd love it if you left a comment below, before heading off to Maz Wood - aMAZing Creations.

Thanks for reading. 

Cheers for now. 

Happy crafting. 

Lynda