Dani's Simple Greetings: Layered Butterfly Card

LAYERED BUTTERFLY CARD

Butterflies are a sure-fire way to guarantee a cute card! Who can resist them??

This design makes use of my beloved cuttlebug (which I just don't use enough!!) - but if you don't have one, you could recreate something like this using a large punch instead. See what's out there, get creative!

One of the things you'll need is clear acetate, which you can usually find in online scrapbooking stores. I've even been known to use the "throw away" plastic sheet from new acrylic stamp sets!

It's not the end of the world if you don't have any, I just think it's a nice way to jazz up the layering a bit!

Cut a square bigger than your cuttlebug cutter and run it through your cuttlebug - for the acetate you'll probably need to run it back and forth through the cuttlebug several times becauase it's pretty strong stuff.

You will also want to run a patterned piece of cardstock as well as a block colour cardstock through the cuttlebug with the butterfly cutter. These make up your three layers.

Because the acetate doesn't cut as easily, you will probably need to do some quick tidying and cutting - I found that the more detailed end of the butterfly (with the feelers) didn't cut out like the other end. It's pretty cruisy to finish the cutting job because it's cut through most of the way already, which helps guide your scissors.

KINDY GLITZ!!! I love this stuff hehehe

I like to squirt things like kindy glitz and paints into plastic disposable spoons. It keeps things neat.

Now you're going to glitter the heck out of your acetate butterfly! Use a brush if you want, it all depends on the look you want. Personally I smear the stuff on with my finger most often because it gives better control (especially when glittering edges of things), can give a good textured look...and I like liberal sparklies!

Take a coffee break while the glitz dries :)

Next, ink the edges of the cardstock butterflies. I like to use something very similar to the cardstock colour to add some depth without it being too OTT - a nice shadowy effect that softens the cut out. As you can see, I've also gently bent the wings (delicately at the edge of the 'body' - do NOT fold) on the patterned and acetate butterflies.

Once that's done, stick the layers together. As with pretty much everything, I use a thin double sided tape - in this case, right down the middle of the body. Don't put tape on the wings (except underneath the block coloured butterfly) because those are the visible layers! And don't worry if you can see the tape through the acetate - it gets disguised by a few rhinestones anyway.

Now choose your sentiment stamp and stamp it onto a scrap piece of paper and cut out closely around it. Also use a scrap piece of paper to plot the shape you want for the "glitter trail" behind the butterfly. By doing that on scrap paper, you can move things around and figure out your layout.

Once you've got that sussed out, stamp your card for real, stick your layered butterfly on, and stick the rhinestones on in your chosen pattern! When you stick the butterfly down, the bottom layer (the block cardstock) should remain flat on the page - this is the only butterfly that should have its wings stuck down.

Don't forget to put a few rhinestones along the body of the acetate butterfly - it adds a little je ne c'est quoi to the butterfly as well as hiding the tape beneath it.