By Request

A lovely lady emailed me asking how I made my Butterfly Birthday Wishes card, so I thought I would share it here. For me, this card was all about texture, it is a little time consuming but gives you a very stroke-able card in return!

To make the card
1. Cut a piece of thick card half the size of your card blank, cover with wet glue, apply a layer of batting and allow to dry
2. Cover the top half of your card with patterned paper, I used flocked paper by Making Memories. Cut a frame from Bazzill, stamp with the stamp of your choice and apply perfect pearls. Mount the frame over the flocked paper.
3. Cover the batting with fabric, pull the fabric taut and glue in place. Evenly stitch over the top of the fabric and pull tight, tie ends in a knot and fluff the end of the thread.
4. I sewed small seed pearls along the bottom edge of my lace, then glued the top edge of the lace on the back of the fabric covered board then flipped it over to make a seamless finish. Glue the board and slip it under the edge of the frame so it slightly overlaps then stick in place.
5. Add your sentiment.

To make the butterflies
I used some K&Co chipboard butterflies which I traced onto grungeboard and then cut out. There are lots of digital templates or dingbats that you could use to create yours, or run it through a die cutter with your favourite die to make it even easier!
1. Cut out your butterflies, sandwich in your chosen embossing folder and run through your die cutting machine. I used Cuttlebug D'vine Swirl.
2. I painted mine white with acrylic paint, you could paint a coloured layer of base coat, then paint over with white paint and lightly sand to reveal the colour underneath.
3. Once dry, lightly smooth versamark ink over the top, don't press too hard as you only want to ink the raised detail. Dust over the top with perfect pearls, I used interference blue for a nice lustre.
4. Lightly ink the edges, then apply small blobs of distress stickles around the edge (a little goes a long way!) and smooth around the edge with your finger.
5. Gently pull the wings together to create a more 3D effect. Embellish with sequins and gems to create the body.
6. Flip the butterfly over and glue ribbon 'tails' on the back and top with a tuille bow. Take a length of wire, fold in half, curl the ends and glue for the antennae.
7. Adhere butterflies to card.

I have also added a list of the supplies I used, it does seem quite long but most things you should have in your stash already, all of my cardstock, fabric and ribbons were offcuts so it's great to use up all those bits and pieces you have lying around.

If you do make your own, please post a link to yours in the comments section, I'd love to see it!

Until December!
p&r

Supplies needed:
Card blank
Patterned paper
Bazzill
Card
Fabric/lace/batting/needle and thread
Ribbon and Tuille
Grungeboard
Glitter/gems/sequins/beads
Embossing folder
Distress stickles/Distress Ink
Perfect Pearls

Beaded Felt Corsage

I have a wedding to attend soon and I wanted something to 'jazz up' my outfit. I had been looking at corsages but the ones I found were either large feathered affairs or looked like a someone had popped the head off a silk flower and stuck a pin in it. I decided that I should make one myself, so I made this little baby during a 4 hour movie marathon. I didn't have a pattern, I just sat and started piecing it together from all my bits and bobs (I never knew I owned so many beads!)

I have had so many nice comments from friends and random people since I started wearing it, I have decided to make more and share the instructions on how I made it.

Beaded Felt Corsage - You will need:

Felt

Contrasting fabric

Embroidery thread

Beads

Brooch back pin

Start with a drawing a petal shape on some chipboard to use as your template. Cut out as many petals you like from your chosen felt. I cut 6, but then cut a further 6 to double the thickness.

Stitch the 2 together using co-ordinating embroidery thread. I used 3 strands.

Cut out a smaller petal from chipboard, I used the larger petal as a template and then scaled it down. Cut 6 petals from your contrasting fabric, i decided to use some 'pleather'.

I backed them onto some black felt and stitched the 2 together using contrasting thread.
Sew the petals on to a double thickness circle of felt. I then added the brooch pin to the back, I also added a little strip of felt to cover the brooch bar back.

Sew the petals on to a double thickness circle of felt. I then added the brooch pin to the back, I also added a little strip of felt to cover the brooch bar back.

I then added some loops of velvet ribbon and sewed them onto the circle of felt.

Sew the smaller petals on to the other petals in any placement that suits!

Embellish the center, i used a mixture of beads, glass in the centre for weight and then smaller seed beads to fill in the gaps.

And...Finish. Sit back and admire your handiwork, pin it on your coat, bag or cushion the choice is yours. I recently made a smaller one on a hair clip for my niece, the possibilities are endless. I was really pleased with how these came out, I am not one for sewing and get frustrated with patterns so this was very easy to follow. Have you made one? Please email me to share!