Technique: Butterfly Dust

I just love the huge butterfly in the Bold Wings stamp set and I'll be sad to see it retire on June 30, 2018. This image can be a little daunting at first because it barely fits onto an A2 sized card, and does't leave any room for anything else. But get yourself used to the idea of only using a portion of a stamp on your card. In this case, I've cut off nearly half of the butterfly by tucking it under a textured frame. The result is a unique and visually appealing card that will wow your recipient.

The butterfly is heat embossed in Black Licorice, and then colored using PanPastels. There are only two colors used here, a pale yellow and a rich blue, but where they meet creates a lovely shade of minty green. PanPastels blend together so easily.

The frame is created with a chevron embossing folder, but you could use any design you prefer. I simply cut a rectangle slightly larger than the card base, ran it through the embossing folder, and then used my Journey Paper Trimmer to cut out the interior rectangle. You could also use Journey Rectangle dies to make it even easier. The just pop up the frame using foam tape, and tuck the wings underneath.

As a finishing touch (before layering everything together), I've sprinkled a bit of loose embossing powder just above the butterfly. I used the Journey Heat Tool from underneath to set the powder without blowing it away, since it's not adhered with ink in the traditional manor. This results in a sprinkle of shiny dust that resembles the dust of butterfly wings. Be sure to curl the wings with your Crease Tool and prop them up with a double layer of Journey Foam Squares so they appear lifelike. And finally, coat the whole butterfly with Sparkle Silk diluted with a few drops of water, to create that beautiful butterfly shimmer. 

Supplies List

• Stamps: Bold Wings, Small Things
• Dies: Journey Rectangles, Chevron Embossing Folder
• Inks: Clear Pigment Ink
• Cardstock: Whip Cream, Black Licorice
• Coloring Tools: PanPastels, Sparkle Silk, Whip Cream Embossing Powder, Black Licorice Embossing Powder
• Adhesives: Journey Craft Glue, Journey Foam Squares, Mini Glue Dots, Foam Tape
• Tools: Journey Heat Tool, Journey Paper Trimmer, Media Tray, Details Pro Shears

To purchase these supplies and so much more, visit my FSJ store front.