Butterfly Brilliance with Shimmer Vellum

Hello, Crafters.

I’m so sorry I didn’t post my blog yesterday. I was so absorbed in getting my customers Happy Mail packaged up, it escaped my mind! Yesterday, all the Happy Mail was in the post by lunchtime and I set about making today’s card. Since I made last week’s video, i.e. the Pop Up Flip card using the Shimmer Vellum, I’ve had on my desk the card I started making in Take 1! When I tried putting my card through my Cut & Emboss Machine to die-cut the oval window, I just couldn’t get it to go through! I stopped videoing, cut new cardstock and started again. I changed over to using my Big Shot – just in case – and made my video!

While I was waiting for my video to upload to YouTube I went back to the card that wouldn’t go through first time and tried again. It went through without a problem so I don’t know what I had been doing wrong. The reason I’m telling you all this is because I decided to use this card base and die-cut oval for today’s card. I’ve used Melon Mambo Cardstock (CS) card base, a middle layer of Basic White CS inside and a middle layer of Hand-Penned Designer Series Paper (DSP) and a separate Melon Mambo CS die-cut oval which I created using the largest oval die in the Stitched Shape Dies.

 

My plan was to use a middle layer of some Polished Pink Shimmer Vellum on the inside of the card – to cover the oval window – with the Shimmer side facing outwards. It was a very easy card to make except for deciding which glue to use and how to disguise it because glues are notorious for showing through vellum! I decided I’d use a Glue Dot in each of the four corners and then adhere the oval from the back (i.e. inside the card) so nothing could be seen from inside. But I was going to adhere a butterfly on the front inside the oval which would give me an opportunity to add glue to the oval so it was hidden by the butterfly. Well, that was the plan but when I start playing, there’s no telling which direction I’ll finish up going in!

Using some scraps of the Shimmer Vellum, I die-cut four each of the two small solid butterflies in the Brilliant Wings Dies which matches the Butterfly Brilliance Stamp Set (currently available as a bundle with a 10% saving!). Using a thin line of Tombow down the backs of the butterflies, I adhered them on the Shimmer Vellum on the inside of the card. At this point I did think that maybe I had gone a bit OTT but there was no way Tombow was going to let them go again (without the use of a heat tool!) so I decided they would have to stay. I turned my attention to the front of my card and using more Polished Pink Shimmer Vellum, I chose one of the small butterfly dies and die-cut two of them, as well as one of the medium butterflies.

In my Butter Brilliance stamp box I had some cello bags with different die-cut butterflies and I sorted out the bag that held the White Vellum CS die-cut butterflies. I found three that matched the Shimmer Vellum butterflies I’d just die-cut and adhered them together with the White Vellum on top. Before I adhered them in place, I took a piece of Polished Pink CS and die-cut a scalloped oval using the no.7 scallop die from the now-retired Layering Oval Dies. On top of this I laid the largest stitched oval die from the Stitched Shapes Dies and die-cut a very thin scalloped border to go around the outside of the oval. I should have used Melon Mambo CS but the Polished Pink worked out well! A happy mistake!

After I had adhered one medium and one small butterfly onto the Shimmer Vellum, I adhered a Polished Pink Open Weave Ribbon bow in the top left-hand corner. For the sentiment I chose HAPPY BIRTHDAY from the Art Gallery Stamp Set and die-cut it using the no.1 slim die from the Stitched Rectangle Dies. I layered it onto a piece of Melon Mambo CS which measures 5/8″ x 2 5/8″. I finished off the front of the card by adhering some Polished Pink 2021 – 2023 InColour Jewels along both Butterflies bodies and one at each end of the sentiment. I opened the card to adhere the oval in place and I was struck by the view of the butterflies (adhered on the front of the oval) from the back of the oval – see last photograph. I decided to leave the oval off and instead, I adhered the second small butterfly in the bottom left-hand corner on the right-hand side of the inside of the card.

As you know, I do like my layers on my cards and I think this card would have looked better with a white layer between the card base and the DSP. But never mind, this card is still a very pleasing card. I was sold to Stampin’ Up primarily for the colour co-ordination. Today’s card is made with Melon Mambo, Polished Pink, and Blushing Bride (the DSP). All three go together beautifully!

That’s it from me today. I’ll be back on Sunday (I won’t forget!) with a new video. In the meantime, please take care and stay safe. Happy crafting.

JanB. xx

Products used for this project: please click on any of the links to be taken to my 24/7 online Stampin’ Up! shop. The Hostess Code for MAY 2021 is XDWNBWVM Thank you. xx

Melon Mambo A4 Card Stock [119980] £8.25	Polished Pink A4 Cardstock [155711] £8.25	Basic White A4 Cardstock [159228] £9.00	Hand Penned 12″ X 12″ (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [155499] £10.75	2021–2023 In Color Shimmer Vellum [155616] £11.25
White Vellum A4 Card Stock [106584] £9.25	Butterfly Brilliance Bundle [155821] £51.25	Art Gallery Bundle [156227] £46.75	Stitched Shapes Dies [152323] £28.00	Stitched Rectangles Dies [151820] £33.00
Melon Mambo Classic Stampin’ Pad [147051] £7.00	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [115662] £3.50	Polished Pink 3/8″ (1 Cm) Open Weave Ribbon [155714] £6.50	2021–2023 In Color Jewels [155571] £6.50	Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine [149653] £112.00
Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine [150673] £56.00	Stamparatus [148187] £46.00	Simply Shammy [147042] £7.50	Paper Trimmer [152392] £23.00	Paper Snips [103579] £9.25
Bone Folder [102300] £6.50	Grid Paper [130148] £11.75	Small Grid Paper [149621] £6.00	Silicone Craft Sheet [127853] £5.50	Multipurpose Liquid Glue [110755] £3.75
Stampin’ Dimensionals [104430] £3.75	Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals [144108] £3.75	Mini Glue Dots [103683] £5.00

Cardstock Layer Sizes: A4

Card base 8¼” x 5¾” scored and folded at 4 1/8”

Middle layer: 2 pieces 3 7/8” x 5½”

Top layer: 2 pieces 3¾” x 5 3/8”

Cardstock Layer Sizes: Letter-size

Card base 8½” x 5½” scored and folded at 4¼”

Middle layer: 2 pieces 4” x 5¼”

Top layer: 2 pieces 3 7/8” x 5 1/8”