MrsBeez

Snow Queen

Posted on July 28, 2013 by MrsBeez

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As you know, I celebrated Christmas in July just the other day which coincided perfectly with the theme of the current fortnightly challenge at Anything But A Card. As this is challenge falls during the month of my butterfly project in support of Amy and Friends I knew that would be my starting point. Here’s my Design Team piece:

This started life as an old jewellery gift box – slightly larger and more sturdy than a regular matchbox. I gave the box a coat of gesso and then a coat of Snowtex. Once dry I added a coat of PVA and the spooned snow substitutes – Crafty Notions’ Stellar Flash and Pinflair’s Snow Dust.

The hanging loop is a piece of jewellery wire threaded through the top of the box and then threaded with snowy white pearls and a faux crystal bead all topped off with a seam binding bow.

The butterfly image is, of course, from The Graphics Fairy layered up and studded with gems. Being a queen naturally she has a little crown.

Finishing touches were the tiny white rose and some silver snowflakes.

be sure to buzz over to Anything But A Card, you’ll be sure to get some festive inspiration and we’d love you to share your project with us. Thanks for buzzing by and hope to see you again soon.

Walkie and Talkie

Posted on July 28, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Here’s today’s card from my friend Dionne which shows off her brilliant colouring. You’ll all appreciate just how much work goes in to creating such a professional finish. This is such a fun image and the gatefold card is the perfect design for them. Of course there is a little butterfly especially for Amy and Friends.

Isn’t that lace gorgeous? Check out all the details for this card over at Dionne’s blog.

Summer sunflower with butterflies

Posted on July 27, 2013 by MrsBeez

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There are two dilemmas that you face when you’re using top quality designer paper. Firstly – can you bear to use it in the first place? Then, just how much more do you do so that the full beauty of the paper doesn’t get lost. I’m getting much better at overcoming the first of these, especially when using this fabulous Tim Coffey pack from K and Company as you get plenty of each design. I hope I’ve managed to strike the right balance of the second with today’s card;

I’ve squeezed as much of the paper onto the card as possible, no mats or layers, and just edged it with Vintage Photo distress ink. I stamped the butterflies onto the paper before adhering it to the card. The beautiful yellow ribbon is from this month’s Really Reasonable Ribbon Club assortment.

I stamped more butterflies onto a separate piece of card and then coloured them with distress inks before cutting them out and layering them over the original stamped image, using glue gel to give them some height. I added a smidge of gold glitter glue to the wings. I know I’m using these stamps, from Hero Arts, a lot but this is my special butterfly project month in support of Amy and Friends!

I’m sharing this card over at City Crafter, not for their current challenge, but to celebrate the 50th birthday of Design Team member Charlene. Happy Birthday Charlene and hope you’re having a fabulous time on your cruise! I’m also linking this up for the current Really Reasonable Ribbon challenge #76 – “sizzling’ summer colours and ribbon.”

Hope you’re enjoying a sizzlin’ summer weekend and thank you for buzzing by.

Several Swallowtails

Posted on July 27, 2013 by MrsBeez

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I was amazed when Dionne told me that she tends to work on two cards at once. Unless I’m doing a production line of all the same design I find I can only tackle one at a time. Look at these fabulous designs she has created for my project in support of Amy and Friends - all similar but slightly different.

See the tiny hint of gold there? love how these designs really showcase that fabulous Swallowtail stamp by Stampin’Up! You can find all the details over on Dionne’s blog.

Butterflies by the beach

Posted on July 26, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Today I have had great fun celebrating Christmas in July – yep, really! Every year I have a little gathering, put up a few decorations, cook festive food and mix a few themed cocktails. For the second year in a row it has been a scorcher so the mulled wine was, once again, iced!

In complete contrast to today’s festivities, here is this week’s picture inspiration over at Papercraft Star

How dreamy is that? I’d love to look out to that view every day, but would happily settle for a week! Here’s what I’ve made:

I started by covering my tag with Shaded Lilac and Ripe Persimmon distress inks, picking up those colours at the top of the photo. I popped a swirly mask over the top and then spritzed on some water to “ghost” some of the colour. You can just make it out in the picture below.

Next, I stamped and embossed the waves using the sea bubbles stamp by Ryn. Of course, I had to include butterflies for Amy and Friends! The butterflies and the shell are all stamps by Hero Arts and I’ve coloured them with more distress inks.

I’ve added some Icelandic moss “seaweed” and some little pearls as finishing touches.

The words are from Artchix.

So now I’m wondering – do you get butterflies by the sea? Thanks for buzzing by and er… Happy Christmas!

Super stepper

Posted on July 26, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Have I got a treat for you this morning! Take a look at this stunning card that my super talented friend Dionne has created for today’s post in support of Amy and Friends:

Isn’t it amazing? So pretty. Make sure you buzz on over to Dionne’s blog to find how she created this fabulous piece of work. See you over there!

Travelling (not so) light

Posted on July 25, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Today I’m back with you “live” after having spent the last two days at one of our work training events. Although we were staying only twenty minutes from where I live, communication signals were, at best, very poor and often non-existent. Somehow, being incommunicado made it seem like I was away an awful lot longer.

Today I am sharing a card that I have made for this week’s City Crafter challenge which has the theme of travel.

I’ve used an image from The Gecko Galz and layered it up on some blue and brown papers with a vintage postcard image layered in between.

I’ve used some lovely brown ribbon together with some cream, running strips across the bottom and then creating a big bow for the corner.

The finishing touch, essential for this months butterfly project dedicated to Amy and Friends, is of course a butterfly. I’ve punched out two, one cream and one brown, layered them up and topped it off with two creamy pearls.

This image reminds me of myself when travelling. Not the very stylish and sophisticated lady, but that heap of luggage. Packing light is not in my skill set, I take as much as I possibly can, I like to have choices for every eventuality!

Summer sunflower

Posted on July 25, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Lots of lovely sunshine yellow in today’s card from Dionne for Amy and Friends I’m loving this summery sunflower and the pretty yellow ribbon and bow.

I’m going to buzz on over to Dionne’s blog and see where she got this beautiful image from. Why not come and join me?!

Butterfly Bottle

Posted on July 24, 2013 by MrsBeez

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Regular visitors here will know that I have been celebrating my 1st Blogiversary with a special, month long, butterfly project to support the charity Amy and Friends. You can read all about how I came to know about their work (and win some Blog Candy too!) by reading the post at the top of this page. The catalyst for this came from the Gecko Galz, who this month asked the Design Team to create a project for a special cause. A percentage of the sales from the products that were used to create each project will be donated to the Design Team members’ cause. Which in my case is, of course, Amy and Friends. Here’s the project I came up with:

This is an altered bottle, I used one of those mini wine bottles, which is covered with beautiful butterfly images from the Gecko Galz Butterfly Wings and Pretty Little Butterfly collage sets. Both these sets have the loveliest images and it was hard to choose which ones to use!

I started by covering the entire bottle with tissue paper and Modpodge. I made sure there were plenty of crinkles and creases so there was lots of texture. Next, I added scraps of gauze, for even more texture, then gave a final coat of Modpodge and left it to dry overnight.

Once dry, I covered the bottle with bronze, gold and copper metallic acrylic paints. I applied one of the images, a label, to the centre front of the bottle and gave it a border of ivory lace. I decoupaged extra layers to the main butterfly image. There’s also a piece of lace around the top of the bottle.

I wrapped gold wire all the way around the bottle, securing it in various places with hot glue. I chose my favourite butterfly images and applied them to the wire. All the butterflies were edged with ink and then I’ve added glitter, jewels and extra layers to some of them.

The finishing touches were the words, ”Cherish each and every one,” which is what Amy and Friends does for the families it supports.

I’m really happy with how this turned out – almost exactly as I had planned in my head!! I hope it can raise some money to support the vital an important work of Amy and Friends. You can check out my project on the Gecko Galz website, see what my Gecko sisters have been up to. There is a special code to use, underneath my project, if you decide to purchase any of the butterfly sheets.

Thanks for looking and thanks for supporting Amy and Friends

Lovely little butterflies

Posted on July 24, 2013 by MrsBeez

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If you love all those lovely little punched butterfly projects you see floating around Pinterest, you will love the cards that Dionne has to share with you today.

Aren’t these just unbelievably pretty? Amy and Friends – we’re thinking of you.

All the details are on Dionne’s blog – be sure to buzz on over and leave her some love .:)