More Butterflies!

I've got butterflies on the brain lately... it must have something to do with spring, but I can also blame the "Beautiful Butterfly" Bigz die for the Big Shot die-cutting machine. Such a cute die, and with the different shaped wings included in the die you get a lot of layering options. You saw a triple-layered butterfly card in my last post, but here I've decided to go a simpler route, with both a single layer and double layer design.

.

Single Layer Butterflies: My single layer design uses two of the butterflies from the die without the addition of the extra, larger wings. Both are cut from Sweet Always DSP and the smaller butterfly is mounted right to the card using Snail Adhesive, while the larger one is mounted using Dimensionals to give an extra lift. The card stock used is Regal Rose for the card base, and Pink Pirouette for the background layer. Simple, girly, and fun.

.

.

Double Layer Butterflies: For my double-layered design, I took the same colour scheme and reversed it, with the Pink Pirouette as the card base and Regal Rose as the background layer. One of the nice things about using a darker colour for the background layer is the ability to accent the card front with StazOn... the tiny butterflies floating on the background, from the Dreams du Jour stamp set, were inked with StazOn while the verse, from the Best Wishes and More stamp set, was inked in Regal Rose Classic. It's interesting to see how similar the colours appear. Just as in the last card, the butterflies were cut from Sweet Always DSP - a great example of why I'm hooked on Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper. I love that within a single package of paper I'll find so many different patterns, often with very different designs, all of which coordinate beautifully with one another. It's inspirational, looking through my DSP to decide whether to feature it on a card, in a scrapbook page, or in a 3D project... so much fun!

.

Colour Challenge

I like challenging myself to use colour combinations that are outside my normal pallet... I find myself returning to my favourite colours over and over, but I'm often surprised by the creative treasures I discover when I decide to use some of the colours that don't automatically jump into my hands when I start looking through my card stock. My package of Urban Garden Designer Series Paper is a good example of that... when I got it I immediately created dozens of pretty cards and projects using the sides of the paper featuring the Kiwi Kiss/Baja Breeze/Not Quite Navy colour scheme, but left the pages featuring Basic Gray in the package. It's so silly, because using a neutral colour scheme can produce some very classy results... but the grays just don't pop into my head when I'm creating. To help remind me of the possibilities that gray can offer, I just purchased a package of the Neutrals cards stock along with two new ink pads: Going Gray and Sahara Sand. I also pulled out that Urban Garden DSP, and challenged myself to use it in place of a lighter colour in a card design. The result?

.

I'm thrilled with the card... it's classy and beautiful, whimsical and pretty. I've used the Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die on the Big Shot to make the butterfly, and used Dimensionals to give the layered wings their 3D look. The verse and background butterflies, which are inked in VersaMark, are from the Dreams Du Jour stamp set. And... because I couldn't resist seeing what the card would have looked like in my "first instinct" colours, I made it again:

. 

Which do you like best? 

.

Happy Memories

What a trip down memory lane I've been on lately... National Scrapbooking Month has inspired me to go through my photo drawer and start pulling out some of my long-ignored pictures to scrapbook with. I recently came across several of an evening cruise that my husband and I took in 2003... a "Wine Cruise" (can there be a better combination?) that took us from Port Dalhousie out into Lake Ontario for a lovely dinner paired with several great wines. I took a bit of time this morning to scrapbook them using the layout I've planned for one of my upcoming Weekly Scrapbooking Sessions, and I'm pleased with the results. Perhaps I'll look to the wines we tried on board that cruise for inspiration on what to serve at my Wine-y Wednesday class this week! If you're interested in learning more about any of the classes I've mentioned, please click here or email me at:

summer.burton@sympatico.ca!

.

Sunshine Garden

I've been working more on my scrapbooking than ever before, thanks to May being National Scrapbooking Month! Here's another sweet layout (the partner to the layout featured in my "Feeling Scrappy" post) made using the Sunshine Garden Simply Scrapin' kit.

.

The background and bottom stripe elements are from the patterned paper in the kit, and the side bar and photo framing elements were both cut from So Saffron card stock. The addition of the little ribbon accents is one of my favourite things about this page... well, that and the subject matter of course!

Getting Ready to "Wine"

I spent part of the morning working on samples for my two upcoming "Wine-y Wednesday" classes... I etched wine glasses and made wine charms, but held off on popping open a bottle of wine to sip on considering it wasn't even noon yet! I've used the Boho Blossoms punch for both the etching project and to create pretty and colourful wine charms for the wine glasses... the result is a wonderfully coordinated wine glass that just calls out for a nice Riesling! During my Wine-y Wednesday class, participants will etch a set of two wine glasses and make a set of six wine charms while doing just that... if you would like to lift a glass and toast your craftiness with me, please contact me at (519) 672-5485 or via email at summer.burton@sympatico.ca!

Feeling Scrappy

Did you know that May is National Scrapbooking Month? Big thanks go to whomever makes these holidays - what great inspiration it is to get out some of those photos that have been sitting in envelopes and boxes just waiting for us to find the time to scrapbook them! This evening I started planning the page layouts for my upcoming Weekly Scrapbooking Sessions, and I thought I would take this opportunity to share one of the "week one" layouts with you.

.

.

If you would like to take an hour out of your busy weekend just for yourself, to spend doing something you love, why don't you join me at one (or more!) of the Weekly Scrapbooking Sessions in May? At each hour-and-a-half long Saturday morning session we'll create the front and back of a 12x12 scrapbooking page... a great chance to make a dent in properly showcasing all your precious photos.  Contact me today at (519) 672-5485 or summer.burton@sympatico.ca to reserve your spot!

.

May & June Classes

As spring finally takes hold and summer fast approaches, I invite you to join me in my ‘Creative Corner’ for some fun and inspiring classes. We’ll express ourselves with everything from glass etching to card making, and as May is ‘National Scrapbooking Month’ I’m offering several quick and easy scrapbooking classes as well.

 

Weekly Scrapbooking Sessions

These sessions are a great way to make a dent in that scrapbooking you’ve been meaning to do without a huge time commitment. We’ll make one double-sided page at each session and the pages we create each week will compliment each other - if you attend all four sessions you’ll have a total of eight coordinating pages completed by the end of May. With layouts provided but lots of room to improvise, these scrapbooking classes are perfect for both the experienced scrapbooker and someone just getting started.

Dates: Saturday May 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th from 10:00 – 11:30 am

Cost: $10.00/session. Bonus: Register for 3 sessions and get the fourth one free!

 

“Wine-y” Wednesdays

The middle of the work week can make us all a bit whiney… why not think “wine-y” instead and make the most of it? Join me as we uncork a bottle of wine and toast our crafty selves while we use paper punches as a basis for glass etching, personalizing a set of 2 wine glasses perfect to take home for yourself or to give as a gift. We’ll then continue using punches, this time with Designer Series paper, to make a set of 6 sweet wine charms to help your guest pick out their wine glass from the crowd at dinner or a party.

Dates: Wed May 13^th & Wed June 10^th, from 7:30 – 9:30pm

Cost: $20.00

 

Coffee, Tea, and Time for Me

Get away from it all with a couple of hours of caffeinated creativity! During this class we’ll use paper punches as a basis for glass etching, decorating three dry-good storage containers perfect for coffee, tea, sugar and more. We'll continue the theme as we make a beautiful coffee-inspired card to give to a friend (what a great way to suggest a coffee date!), and as an extra bonus, while we get crafty we'll enjoy lattes and espresso from my own personal coffee bar.

Dates: Sunday May 17^th from 1:00 – 3:00pm & Saturday June 27^th from 10:00am - noon

Cost: $15.00

 

Scrapbook in an Afternoon

Take this opportunity to add to your scrapbook quickly and easily when you complete a colourful eight-page spread using textured card stock, designer series paper, and coordinating die cut shapes. We’ll complete four double-sided pages with multiple layers using elements from the “Petal Party” Simply Scrappin’ Kit, stamps from the Best Wishes and More set, and a variety of fun and playful accessories.

Date: Sunday June 7^th from 1 – 5pm. Registration deadline: Monday May 25th

Cost: $30.00

 

Inspired By: Book Club

We find creative inspiration in so many forms… join me for the first in a series of “Inspired By” classes, where I’ll show you how the art and emotion of a great book can translate into a beautiful and unique card. In this class we’ll make a set of three cards inspired by books read and discussed by my book club “How Novel”:

** The bold lines of Frank Lloyd Wrights architecture will be translated into a card celebrating “Loving Frank” by Nancy Horan
** A triptych card will highlight growth and transition in a nod to “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert
** A darkly romantic card (with a hint of sparkle, of course) will pay homage to “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer.
Date: Sunday June 14^th from 2:00 – 4:00pm

Cost: $15.00

 

To reserve your spot in any of these classes, please contact me either by phone or email – I look forward to crafting with you soon!

.