A Spread Your Wings Notecard Set

Here today again with another card set using my Brushos water color crystals.  The background wash of color was made by shaking the water color crystal on the card front and then washing over it with a large brush loaded with water.  You can see some crystals that didn't fully dissolve which only adds to the interest if you ask me.  

The butterfly was die cut out of blue cardstock (a matching strip is applied to the inside edge of the card) using my Memory Box Willoughby Butterfly Wings die  and embossed with clear embossing powder.  I applied embossing ink and powder, melting each layer, at least three times which creates a very even, dimensional look to the die cut.  This die is intended to cut the wings out of the middle of a piece of paper leaving it intact to the paper to pop out.  I simply snipped the ends and glued the body over the snipped ends.

The sentiment was stamped using black Archival Ink and some of the edged of the cards were cut using a stitched border die.  I'm super pleased with this card set and intend to set them aside for Christmas gifts as well.

I definitely feel like I'm having a creative spurt of energy.  This is in part because of how busy I have been between work and other travel schedules.  What have you been inspired by and how is your creative process working right now?  I will wish you inspiration and energy for your crafty endeavors.

Spread your wings and soar, my friends.  Make this a crafting end to a beautiful year!

Spread Your Wings to Soar

I've been using my Brushos water color crystals again.  This time I washed color into the background of a premade card by shaking the water color crystal on the card front and then washing over it with a large brush loaded with water.  I sprinkled each color, one at a time, drying with a heat gun in between the colors.  

Creating the color wash left my card warped with some clear wrinkles in the card as you can kinda see in the image above.  I super detest when this happens and so went looking for a solution.  I knew that the paper fibers would relax if I applied heat, so I first started by heating the backside of the card front after applying the water.  This did nothing to help.  Thinking about my flat iron, I decided to get out the iron and ironing board, assuming the heat and flat surface of the iron might work.  Presto - setting my iron on the very lowest setting and placing a paper towel to the back side of the card, I pressed slightly to the card and they evened out just like new.  The image to the right shows the fixed card front.  In fact, you can sorta see how the edge of the iron left a small mark in the card.  It isn't noticeable in the final result.

I made this second card using the same technique.  The butterfly was die cut out of blue cardstock using my Memory Box Willoughby Butterfly Wings die  and embossed with clear embossing powder.  I applied embossing ink and powder, melting each layer, at least three times which creates a very even, dimensional look to the die cut.  This die is intended to cut the wings out of the middle of a piece of paper leaving it intact to the paper to pop out.  I simply snipped the ends and glued the body over the snipped ends.  I so adore how this card turned out, I'm thinking of making another card set to put in the stash.  I've already cut the butterflies and embossed them.  Only some happy water coloring and I'll have another set.  I'll try to get those done and the pictures edited and posted.  See you soon.