Back to Blogland with this Butterfly GAP Card - Trimcraft DT

Hello, yes it's me! I'm back again after a little break.  A lot happened towards the end of 2016, some good (Cardmaker of the Year!) unfortunately some sad (a very dear friend passed away). But with a New Year comes new beginnings and new inspiration and I'd like to start by sharing this  +Trimcraft Ltd project with you.

Have you seen the free Dovecraft die set on the cover of Crafts Beautiful magazine (February Issue #302)?  It consists of 2 dies, a large and detailed butterfly die and a ‘With Love’ sentiment.  I thought I would update my Butterfly GAP card style with a modern look, so have teamed vibrant Cerise glitter card with the black & white papers of FE ‘Black Out’. The turquoise inside panel adds just a pop of contrast colour to peep out from the ‘gap’.  Gap cards don’t always have to involve straight lines, you can easily alter the look by using a gently curving line like this one.

Step By Step:

1. Score and fold Dovecraft A4 black card and trim down to create a 7 ½” x 5 ½” card base with fold across the top.
   Cut a panel of turquoise paper from First Edition ‘Story Teller’ 8x8 paper pad and adhere inside card using d/s tape.
   
   
   
   
2. Cut a panel of floral black & white paper from the FE ‘Black Out 8x8 pad and adhere to card front using d/s tape around the edges but also glue on the reverse particularly along where the diagonal line with go.
   
3. Open up card blank with card front paper side upwards and using a craft knife or scissors carefully cut a simply wavy line across the card front, see photos. (You may wish to pencil the line first to guide you).
   Remove the bottom part and trim a small strip off the bottom so the wavy line is now a small gap when positioned against the card base.
4. Using the free Dovecraft die set, cut 1 sentiment and 3 butterflies from Dovecraft Cerise glitter Card (DCGC18). 
   Using a clear drying glue, adhere the sentiment and 3 butterflies onto Dovecraft Vellum and cut each out leaving a border all around. 
5. Next cut 3 more vellum butterfly outlines and use these to ‘attach’ the top and bottom of the card front, you will need to use a clear drying glue and position them at angles so they look to be flying across the card.  (Use something heavy to hold down the card front whilst the vellum butterflies dry.
   
   
   
   When Gap card is attached, add the 3 glitter & vellum layered butterflies on top of their matching vellum shapes along the ‘Gap’.  Fold up the wings on each butterfly and glue only along the body.  When dry you can bend up the wings a bit more.
6. Adhere the Glitter & Vellum layered sentiment to card front at top left.
   Add a length of purple ric rac ribbon across the bottom of the card (Santoro) using clear drying glue and allow to dry.
   
   
7. To finish, add a sprinkle of Bohemian Sequins gluing in place. 
   Note*If you wish to add more strength to your card front, then just cut a piece of Dovecraft Acetate the same size as card front and use a strip of perma fix tape along the top only and attach behind card front panel to give an extra independent clear layer.  (You could also use this to add a hidden sentiment if you wish).
   

Products Used:

Free Cover Gift - Dovecraft Die Set - Crafts Beautiful Magazine

First Edition 8x8 FSC Paper Pad Black Out

FEPAD141

First Edition 8x8 FSC Paper Pad Storyteller

FEPAD138

Dovecraft A4 Black Card

DCBS102

Dovecraft A4 Premium Vellum

DCBS78

Dovecraft A4 Acetate Sheets

DCBS106

A4 Glitter Card (Cerise)

DCGC18

SANTORO®'s Willow Ribbon Box

SNCR003

Dovecraft Bohemian Sequins 

DCSEQ002

Mini Butterfly Wreath with Floral Muse Collection

Hello, today I'm sharing one of my +Trimcraft Ltd DT makes with you.  The Dovecraft Floral Muse collection is sooooo pretty I didn’t know where to start first!!  It’s been a little while since I made a hanging wreath and I had originally intended to make this to go onto a card front but I really liked it as a strand alone (or rather hanging) wreath and with the acetate strip it allowed the sentiment to ‘float’.

Step By Step:

Make a little cardboard wreath shape (or use a ready-made one if you prefer).  A simple wreath shape can be cut from circles, the outer size for mine is approx. 5” dia. The inner circle approx. 3.5” dia. 
Add glue to wreath shape and place down onto grey trellis pattern paper from the Floral Muse 6x6 pack.  When dry cut out, you may find a craft knife easier for the inner circle.  Sand the cut edges (I use a nail file) and then ink all around edges inside and out with a light brown ink.
Using the distressed postage style text stamp form the Floral Muse clear stamp set, stamp randomly all over the wreath using a brown ink.

Pierce holes into the wreath, 2 at the top for hanging ribbon and 6 evenly spaced around the wreath. Cut lengths of pink organza ribbon (Floral Muse) 6 smaller lengths and 1 larger length for hanging.  Using the same stamp and brown ink stamp onto the ribbon randomly.  When dry, tie each ribbon through holes and trim, then add the longer hanging ribbon securing knots on back with dab of glue.
Using the First Edition Foliage die set and green card from the FE Textured card pad, die cut 4 leafy ferns.  Stamp randomly using the same text stamp and brown ink as before. Ink edges with light brown ink.
Take 2 papers from the Floral Muse 6x6 and 1 piece of pink card from the FE textured card pad and cut 3 circles.  Using the same text stamp and brown ink as before, stamp randomly all over the front and back of each circle.  The cut into the circles to create spirals.  Ink cut edges with light brown ink and then rolls spirals to create roses, securing with glue at the bottom.

Arrange die cut leaves and roses on wreath and when happy with position, glue into place.
For Sentiment, use brown ink to stamp ‘Made with Love’ onto a pattern paper from the Floral Muse 6x6 pack and cut out.  Glue to a strip of Dovecraft Acetate and then glue acetate to back of wreath at ends so that sentiment is positioned in centre, trim acetate.
Next stamp 4 butterflies from the Floral Muse clear stamps with brown ink, stamp 2 onto floral muse paper and 2 onto blue textured card from the FE pad.  Cut out and ink edges, bend wings and then arrange onto wreath and glue in place along their bodies only.
Using the FE Butterflies die set, die cut 2 smaller butterflies from Floral Muse paper, over-stamp with text stamp and ink around with light brown ink.  Bend wings as before and add 1 butterfly to top of sentiment, the smaller one to the rose’s arrangement.
To finish add Dovecraft 3D pearls effects in Pastel Pink colour to the centres of the roses

Products Used:

Dovecraft Floral Muse 6x6 Paper Pack (FSC)
Dovecraft Floral Muse Clear Stamps - Sentiments
Dovecraft Floral Muse Clear Stamps - Butterfly
First Edition Dies - Butterflies
First Edition Dies - Foliage
Dovecraft A4 Acetate Sheets
Dovecraft Pearl Effects Box – Pastels
First Edition Premium Textured Cardstock – 12x12 Papers

All Products are from +Trimcraft Ltd  and this project also appears in my Trimcraft DT Gallery link here: http://www.trimcraft.co.uk/projects/121439/mini-butterfly-wreath-with-dovecraft-floral-muse-collection

Happy Mothers Day Floral Wreath Card

Hello I'm back here to share a Mother’s Day card with you.  This week I’m using a variety of coloured cardstocks from Papermilldirect’s lovely colours range, and teaming it with ‘Coniston Blue’ which is this week’s  +Papermilldirect Special Offer card.  If you're quick you can grab a small box for just £4-40!!  This is for 75-80 A4 sheets of premium quality 300gsm, a bargain!!

I cut this layered floral design on my Cricut Explore using images free from within the Design Space subscription. (I know they've changed the name to Access now :D ) If you would like to cut it exactly as I have, the link to my DS file is here: https://uk.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/37189424   I have sized it to fit a 6x6 card but you can of course adjust the size to suit your requirements.

If you don’t have a Cricut then why not use the coloured cardstocks as inspiration to die cut or punch a variety of flower shapes and leaves to form a wreath shape onto a card front.  I am using the ‘Coniston Blue’ as the backdrop and shadow for my ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ sentiment, as it is the perfect shade of blue to set off those lovely bright colours.

The flowers and leaves in my design are very dimensional and this is simply by layering up the shapes and gluing them on top of each other, using a wet clear drying glue such as Cosmic Shimmer allows some ‘wriggle time’ to line them up and not leave any glue marks.

For the Plain White Card panel I have embossed it with a Basket Weave effect embossing folder through my Big Shot to add some extra detail and texture, but it could also be left plain.  The card blank is also PMD Plain White card.

To add some extra sparkle I applied some of the Nuvo glitters by first using the Nuvo glue pen on the area to glitter and then sprinkling the glitter onto it from the bottle, when dry you can gently tap the excess off and pop it back into the bottle.   (I used a small clean paintbrush to gently brush away any stray glitter afterwards)

You can add different adhesive gems, pearls or enamel dots to the centres of the flowers to make them ‘pop’ and / or add some die cut butterflies as I have done here to accent the sentiment.

Although I designed this one as a greeting card, it would work well mounted in a little box frame too, perhaps as a Mother’s Day Gift?  You could even use different sentiments in the centre or perhaps a photograph to make it an extra special gift.

Materials Used:
Papermilldirect - Coniston Blue ‘offer card’
Papermilldirect - Plain White card
Papermilldirect Coloured card - Pale Turquoise, Marine Blue, Apple Green, Spring Green, Baby Pink, Raspberry Pink, New Lilac, Buff, Orange
Crafters Companion – Basket Weave Embossing Folder
Nuvo Glue Pen – Tonic Studios
Nuvo Pure Sheen Glitter – Candy Pink, Aqua, & Diamond – Tonic Studios
Adhesive gems, pearls, enamel dots
Double Sided Tape, Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Glue

All card used is supplied by Papermilldirect and this project also appears on the Papermilldirect 'Inspire' Blog link here: https://www.papermilldirect.co.uk/inspire/post/happy-mothers-day-floral-wreath-card