New Year card using Sweet Summer

I've been cuddling my aqua painter and looking at the Sweet Summer set and thinking... One of the things I've been pondering is how to use the little butterfly and bird stamps a little more creatively. Of course, they make excellent additions to floral cards (this one for example, or these) but I wanted them to work a bit harder and take the starring role.

Today's card uses the butterfly in this way and was made for my lovely friend who hosted a fun games evening over the new year weekend which my family and I thoroughly enjoyed.

I liked the idea of a colourful explosion of butterflies - as if a champagne cork had popped. I stamped the butterflies with Early Espresso ink and coloured them in a variety of ink colours using my adored aqua painter. Why has it taken me so long to have a play with these? They are SUCH fun! They're £12.25 for a set of two, one medium and one large tipped, and because they hold a reservoir of water they're very portable too.

Purists would say I should have stamped the butterflies with Stazon ink so that the colour doesn't merge, but it doesn't merge much and I rather like the effect it gives.

I love playing about with sentiments! This one uses the word 'happy' from Basic Phrases and the numbers 2011 are hand written onto 1/4" punched circles. The popped up butterfly gives it a little finishing touch.

Here's how to make this card:

• Cut an 8cm square piece of Whisper White card stock.
• Using Early Espresso ink, stamp a design of butterflies onto it, making them closer together in the bottom left-hand corner and leaving the top right-hand corner empty. Stamp an extra butterfly on a scrap piece of Whisper White card stock.
• Colour the butterflies' wings in coloured inks with an aqua painter. Use the fine end of a Crumb Cake marker to colour their bodies. Colour the extra butterfly the same colour as the butterfly that will be nearest the sentiment. Cut him out with sharp paper snips.
• Use a stamp-a-majig to stamp the sentiment. Punch four circles with a 1/4" circle punch and write numbers on them with the fine end of a marker. Glue these below the sentiment.
• Bend the extra butterfly's wings up either side of his body. Cut a tiny piece of Sticky Strip to fit his body and stick the butterfly over the top of the one near the sentiment.
• Curve the top right-hand corner of the butterfly panel with a corner rounder.
• Cut an 8.5cm square piece of Night of Navy card stock and round the corner. Mount the butterfly panel onto this.
• Cut a 9cm square Riding Hood Red card base and round the top right-hand corners, front and back. Attach the mounted butterfly panel to the card front.

Supplies
Stamps: Sweet Summer, Basic Phrases
Ink: Early Espresso, Night of Navy (sentiment), variety for butterflies
Card stock: Whisper White, Riding Hood Red, Night of Navy, Pink Pirouette (for circles)
Other: Markers, 1/4" circle punch, corner rounder

All my children go back to school tomorrow and the wonderful Christmas holidays will be over for another year. It's hard to imagine getting back into the usual routine, and I always miss having them about during the day, but it will happen and, by the end of the week, these holidays will seem a distant memory. (Apart from the extra weight I'm carrying!)

I shall be back tomorrow with a cute birthday card made with the bird from the amazing Sweet Summer sale-a-bration set. Don't forget that the Sale-a-bration sets are not available to buy - you get a free set every time you spend £45! It's easy to order from me - just click here to email me or phone 01280 820593. I'm always happy to help!

See you tomorrow