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Monday 28 March 2016

Butterfly Rainbows


Its getting close to my One Year Anniversary for my blog and I cant believe how many wonderful people I have met. I will have to do something to celebrate but that will be mid April so will talk more about that later, like in a few weeks :)

Still learning to get this blog to work properly and spent yesterday getting it to show a link to my Pinterest page but couldn't work out how to add the button that gets the Pin to show up when you hover over the photo.
After trying and reading for a couple of hours I gave up and deleted the Pinterest link as my photos aren't all up in Pinterest cause I don't know how to add, any help welcome. Preferably in the Dummies Version.


Now onto the cards. I have two in this post and will enter in some challenges. I wanted to do a comparison with some watercolour papers and mediums.


I wanted to do some cards with Spring in mind, rainbows and butterflies. Both cards have been done using the Hero Art Butterfly. I love butterfly stamps and have many and they are all in need of a rally good workout but the problem is just too many stamps and any I use as you know from what I have said before I always have to do multiples in different stampings and embossings.

In this instance I have used only white embossing powder and three types of paper. This one is the Canson Watercolour paper that isn't that expensive and I am rather enjoying using. It is not white white more a creamy colour but doesn't seem to stand out unless next to another card that is white.

I stamped and white heat embossed (very fine white embossing powder Hero Art). As you can see I did two main butterflies then did a  bit of masking and stamping to have the others partially behind the main ones.



I coloured these with the Zig watercolour pens, just adding some colour at one end then adding water and moving the ink around. If the colour was too dark anywhere I just added more water and blotted to remove some colour then added more as I went.

Aren't these colours vibrant. Love them and they work on this paper brilliant.


Finished the card off with some different coloured enamel dots and stamped the sentiment.

Now the next card I used Tim Holtz Watercolour card stock.


This cardstock does not work with the Zig watercolour pens unless you are just painting straight on with very little water involved. It will not move loosely on this cardstock, its like it digs in.

So here I have used my Distress Ink pads, collected a rainbow collection of colours and squished down on my art pallet. Actually I made this pallet up about 6 months ago and as long as its sitting where it cant get knocked or anything placed on it the colours last and stay wet indefinitely. You would think I had just done the squishing.

The main error I made here was my blue and green were too close in colour and don't stand out well here. They do look different IRL.
Distress ink goes onto this type of card stock like soft butter on bread, beautiful, easy to move around and play with with water.


I wish I had seen the colour wasn't standing out between the blue and green on these photos but I took them then left for mum and dads. Don't have the cards with me to re-photograph. 


A few more scattered enamel dots and a different sentiment. Beautiful to work on.


I would like to enter these in some challenges so:










Thank you so much for coming to visit and I hope you come again soon.





Further with the watercolour comparisons.


Alright here they are together, as you can see the card stock is slightly different in colour. Another reason I like the Canson is its easy for fussy cutting but then the Tim Holtz is better when die cutting for giving nice firm cutout (you know what I mean yeah!!)

Have you noticed my mistakes, I swear I didn't see them. My family dint notice them as we all stood there admiring the latest until I was editing and I'm thinking 'how' 'how could I do that??'

I  also did some colouring onto cheap watercolour paper that I had in the draw and wondered how the hell I was happy with that for all those years.
a) the embossing sinks into the watercolour paper so its not raised and sharp therefore
b) the watercolouring tends to spread
c)I must have been so lucky I painted those flowers with the creamy watercolours cause it didnt work with the zigs and the Distress Inks it just sank in and looked blah..... so I haven't bothered to post.

I suppose it comes down to I used cheap watercolour paper for years and have done some lovely cards over time but whether it was luck or just better paper at the time as I was constantly buying different ones. I would rather have a mix of the Tim Holtz and Canson from now on and will probably cull the million and one pre stamped and preprinted images that are for whenever I want to watercolour and start again.

I hope you all had a great Easter break. See you soon Xx








26 comments:

Flo Langley said...

Fab post. Really enjoyed reading. The effects with the butterflies is amazing. Just bought some Canson paper. Looked at TH paper but it is easier for me to buy Canson where I live. After reading your post I am going to buy some more tomorrow. It's a 3 hour round trip in the car to the nearest shop and I was undecided until now. Thanks for the info.
Flo x

Becca Cruger said...

Those butterflies are so vibrant and glorious! Stop knocking yourself girl - these cards are both fab!

Ashwini Rao said...

Awesome!! Gorgeous colors!! Stunning butterflies, Aileen!

Cornelia (fun stamping) said...

Those are just awesome! Both are equally pretty! I am not seeing any mistakes, what are you talking about??? I love Canson paper, although I never tried the TH one.... Happy belated Easter, Aileen!

Cara said...

Stunning bright and cheerful butterflies. Interesting to hear the difference between the two papers too. After squinting for five minutes, I think I've found your blue/purple mistake, but it took some flippin finding! You're being far too hard on yourself! Cara x

Loll said...

Two beautiful cards Aileen. Love the vibrant colours of the zigs. Watercolour paper is a personal choice. In my opinion, it's worth buying better quality and paying more money ... you get more consistent (and better) results. If you're wanting paper where you can apply zigs directly and then move them around, try using mixed media paper. It's cheaper than watercolour paper and has a different look as well. You will use way less of your zig inks with it. xx

Unknown said...

Such stunning cards!! I love the vibrant colours you used and I also love butterflies!! Great design! Thank you for joining in the ATSM challenge!
Kamila DT

TaeEun said...

Beautiful rainbow butterflies on both cards, Aileen! It took very long till I found the "mistake" you mentioned. I'm sure if you didn't write about that, I wouldn't have never noticed it. For the link to pinterest I added a image gadget in layout, linked a picture of my card to my pinterest page.

Mac Mable said...

What an interesting post..Thank you for the tips on the card etc. I'm always apprehensive using the more expensive paper/card but maybe from now on I shall just use it! What am I keeping it for anyway?? The most gorgeous vibrant and bold colours, stunning, love them! I hadn't noticed the two similar colours together I only noticed these fabulous cards! Yes I have spent hours too trying out badges etc for my blog .....

Ruth said...

Took me ages to find the "mistakes" and you hardly notice them! Seriously these are gorgeous and thank you so much for the comparison between the two different papers. I used to use the TH but I wasn't a big fan - I guess because I didn't have any distress inks at the time. I will I think try out some of the Canson. I've heard it's good with Zigs and I don't really use them as much as I should. Gorgeous colours in them all! Xx

Cindy C. said...

These rainbow butterflies are really pretty!! Thanks for playing with us at a2z!!

Kylie said...

Beautiful cards! Watercolour paper, in my opinion, really should be good quality. I have some cheap stuff that is fine for smooshing but nothing else :) Aileen, I would be more than happy to help you with your blog/pinterest issues. Shoot me an email at kyliepurtell@gmail.com if you would like me to assist xx

brenda said...

What a super Butterfly image Aileen and such lovely bright and welcoming colours.

Many thanks for joining us again at Penny Black and More challenge.

B x

Arlene said...

Beautiful colors. Just lovely.

So glad you joined us at a2z Scrapbooking.

JayBe said...

Wow! What super butterflies - love the colours and a perfect sentiment too. Thanx for sharing with us at the Alphabet Challenge.
Hugz, Jan (DT) xx

Linby said...

These are so bright and colourful - lovely. Thanks so much for sharing with us at Penny Black & More this month.
Lynn x
DT

Melissa L. said...

Very pretty, Aileen. I love butterflies! Thanks for playing along at ATSM.

Creative world said...

I love butterflies too,so I think your cards are amazing...Love your vibrant colors and the masking and the whole design...Thank you for joining us at ATSM...Željka X

Macimbalo said...

Such beautiful cards, the butterflies are lovely and vibrant and I love the added enamel dots! Thanks for playing at A2Z!

Kim Heggins said...

So beautiful...just so beautiful! Your butterflies are so pretty and so sweet. Congrats on almost being one year blogging!

Emma said...

What a lovely bright card, thank you for joining us at The Alphabet Challenge for our ‘B is for Beautiful Butterflies’ Challenge, hope to see you again. Emma DT x

Amy A said...

Oh I love these!! So pretty and vibrant! Thank you for joining us at a2z Scrapbooking Supplies Challenge this month and Good Luck. We hope you join us again.

Amy- DT
{Lil Cutie Creations}

Chark said...

thanks for the comparison, haven't tried the tim holtz paper yet, but now I will, these are beautiful! thanks for entering at a2z!

Dawn T said...

fabulous. Happy to see these beauties on our challenge at A2Z this month

Ilina Crouse said...

So beautiful! Thanks for playing along with the A2ZScrapbooking and A Blog Named Hero challenges

creative lady said...

Beautiful....love how you masked the butterflies. Thanks for playing along with a2z Scrapbooking!