Flutter by, butterfly

Hello all!  Amidst all the exciting announcements, I've got an actual project to share with you!  


(If you've missed any of the news bulletins, the Our Creative Corner one is here and the Artistic Stamper one is here.)


The stamps for this are all from Artistic Outpost... the sentiment from the Typography plate, and the tiny hedgerow flowers (yup, you heard me - hedgerow flowers) from the Generation Redux plate.
















I started with a little papier-mâché hanging board (the small size: just over 5 x 2 inches and half an inch deep), Fresco paints, and a stencil from Magenta, and let it grow from there.











The Magenta stencil is adorable, with these tiny butterflies dancing all the way up.  I applied some Wendy Vecchi embossing paste through it onto the front of the board, and added a few more fluttering onto the edge of the board.












Once it was dry, I started to blend on my paints with a sponge.  Snowflake first, then some Ice Blue and Sky (appropriately, given that's what I wanted it to look like).










The final bit of colour blending was done with Peeled Paint Distress Ink, just to add definition to the edges.













It also gives a bit more of a grassy feel, especially at the foot of the hanging.

I used some tissue paper stampings of the sentiment to decide where and what colour it should be.

In the end I went for a blending of inks onto the stamp, Ranger Cobalt Archival, Memento Teal Zeal and Olive Archival shading across the words from side to side.

And once I'd worked out the position, I took the plunge and stamped it straight onto the board.










The flowers are stamped in Olive Archival; stamping repeatedly from one inking gives you the impression of plants in the foreground and in the distance.









Then it was out with the Distress Markers.  I coloured the butterflies with the brush end, and then added some fine detailing using the firm tip.

I almost think I liked it better before the antennae and dots were there - but there's no picture of that stage, so I'm afraid I can't ask for your input on it!













A simple little hanging then, but one that gives me pleasure... I hope it's done the same for you.

You've still got just a couple of days to join in with the April Referral Programme at Artistic Outpost: just one AO image, and your project will qualify for the prize draw - so come and play!

Thank you so much for stopping by today.  I hope your Sunday has been restful, restorative and has set you up for a wonderful week to come.  See you out there!

Flowers and butterflies drift in colour, illuminating spring.
Author Unknown

The green grass and the happy skies
court the fluttering butterflies.
Terri Guillemets





I'm entering this in the following:
Simon Says Stamp and Show are looking for Colour - from any medium - I've got paint, ink and markers
Country View Crafts have a theme of Butterflies this month
The Inspiration Journal have a couple of days left playing with Marvellous Masks and Spectacular Stencils
And I'd like to hook up to Hels Sheridan's Sunday Stampers, where all you need to do is use Blue