OCC: Butterflies

Happy Saturday!


I trust you had a good week and are ready to enjoy a fun or relaxing or happily busy weekend. I know I am!


This week on Our Creative Corner, we're all about butterflies. Our host Irena "Rudlis" Kowalczyk, of Love Life and Crafts is challenging us all to use this butterfly image in a card, tag or other paper project.

Have you ever visited a butterfly garden? I've been in a few but my favorite one was at the Seattle Science Center. When you stand inside, its amazing to see them up close, see their detail, vivid color and subtle strength. Butterflies are just so colorful and ethereal - light, airy and delicate. They make me feel free and worry-free.

And this is my contribution to the challenge this week with that color inspiration in mind:

I am just in love with this embossing technique (can ya tell?) and in combination with PTI's butterfly dies, I just love this tag. This works best with Tim Holtz Distress Ink and this time, I used Fired Brick, Scattered Straw and Wild Honey. The papers I used came from one of my favorites - My Mind's Eye. And this small paper pad is one of my absolute favorites the Lost and Found 2 Rosy. As you can see, I added a little bit of tulle ribbon for a fun wispy type addition. 


To learn more about the embossing technique I used here, there's no one better than Jennifer McGuire. She's a great teacher so watch this YouTube video to get all the steps.


So fly away with us and make a butterfly-inspired paper craft. To get your creative juices flowing, see what the other OCC designers have put together:

Linda Coughlin The Funkie Junkie
Vicki Burdick It's a Stamp Thing
Sue Butler Scrumplescrunch
Anita Houston The Artful Maven Haven
Anne Marie Hile Stampin' Anne
Wendy Janson It's All About Stamping
Marcy Kaminski En Papillote Arts
Irena Kowalczyk (aka Rudlis) Love, Life and Crafts
Meihsia Liu Simply Paper Crafts
Tui Nathan Stampin Time
Lori Rider The Diva Stamper
Kristin Tierney Lilly Beth Boutique
Sharon Wheet Designs by Sharon 

I can't wait to see your contributions!
Holly

OCC: Masculine Card

Hi paper friends!


The sun is out in the Pacific Northwest and everyone around here is rejoicing. And that it is sunny on a weekend to boot is making it even sweeter.


This week on Our Creative Corner we're creating paper projects in honor of the men in our lives and their hobbies. I chose to make a card for Father's Day for my grandfather (here's to hoping he doesn't see this blog post). I know its a little early for Father's Day but being there's never any harm in being early, huh? He's a big traveler so I chose to use that interest in his life as the basis for my card.

First I took a piece of striped paper from a Lost and Found paper pad. I stamped a series of Martha Stewart travel stamp set. I love stamping on patterned paper but sometimes it can be hard to "take the plunge". The most challenging part, I think is knowing which ink color to chose for the desired effect. Typically what I do is take a small scrap and try a few different colors.

I used a few Papertrey Ink dies to cut the plaid and sentiment pieces and then layered them on top of one another. A colored eyelet and some twine and it's attached. 

Then I stamped the little Eiffel Tower, heat embossed it and then cut it out with some scissors. 

I added a little stamp on the inside just to bring some of the front to the inside.

So join us this week at Our Creative Corner. Think about the men in your life and create a card that incorporates their interests. Take a look at what the other OCC designers put together for a special man in their life.

Linda Coughlin The Funkie Junkie
Vicki Burdick It's a Stamp Thing
Sue Butler Scrumplescrunch
Anita Houston The Artful Maven Haven
Anne Marie Hile Stampin' Anne
Wendy Janson It's All About Stamping
Marcy Kaminski En Papillote Arts
Irena Kowalczyk (aka Rudlis) Love, Life and Crafts
Meihsia Liu Simply Paper Crafts
Tui Nathan Stampin Time
Lori Rider The Diva Stamper
Kristin Tierney Lilly Beth Boutique
Sharon Wheet Designs by Sharon 

Have a great week!

Holly