Butterfly: Index-Card-A-Day for June 10, 2012

“Experience is not what happens to you. It’s what you do with what happens to you.”

Rochester in the spring is lush lush lush. Flowers, trees, and everything else are blooming and verdant. It’s like the Garden of Eden around here lately complete with budding raspberry bushes right next to my driveway. 

The colors in the Spring 2012 Distress Ink palette were calling to me amidst the yellow, teal, and lavender of my neighbors’ gardens. 

I’ll admit I'm a newbie when it comes to working with Distress Inks. I’m an old-school stamper and still prefer my pigment inks for their brightness and colorfastness. As a mixed media artist I rarely plan which medium will be next in my work, and I often have to plan for something wet – like watery paint, matte medium or Mod Podge – to be spread across all or part of a piece. Using inks that are water-reactive like Distress Inks have only led to heartbreak learning this lesson the hard way. Bleeds. Smears. Oh, and tears.* 

So I’ve shied away from them. However, I must admit that I adore the color palette of the whole line and the amazingly inspiring Tim Holtz. I figure I better learn how to use them properly since I bought several pads. 

So I goofed around with them on my Index-Card-A-Day for June 10th! If I messed it up – it’s JUST an index card (plus hours of work – but, hey, that’s part of the artistic process, right?). 

I started out with the colors Squeezed Lemonade, Peacock Feathers, and Shaded Lilac. Using a foam blending tool I shaded the index card starting with the yellow, then on to the teal, and then the lilac. The yellow and teal blended to make a lovely greenish color. The teal and lilac made a shade of blue like the sky at twilight – an impossible ultramarine blue. The lilac ink wasn’t quite as dark as I wanted so I added some Dusty Concord. 

The butterflies were stamped with Peacock Feathers ink to keep the color scheme balanced. I inked the text stamp behind the sentiment with both Peacock Feathers and Shaded Lilac being careful to not get too much ink contamination between the pads. I wanted the text to blend in with the two colors I already laid down. That worked way better than I thought it would. These inks were beginning to score + points at this stage. I even splattered some water on the background to take advantage of the effect that creates. 

To make the 3D butterfly I inked part of an index card scrap with Squeezed Lemonade to match the background. Then I stamped the same butterfly in Peacock Feathers and cut it out. Using my extra sparkly gel pen I drew in lines and dots on the wings. Using the foam blending tool I inked the edges of the wings with teal and a bit of the Dusty Concord to give it dimension. I carefully folded the wings up and made the body curve a bit. The antennae are repurposed fake flower middles! 

The sentiment is stamped on an index card, as well. How lucky is it that the lines kind of matched up well?! The edges of this were inked with lilac. Next I added brads to anchor this piece. There’s a bit of tissue tape behind the sentiment and under the key embellishment. I tied a little purple ribbon to the key before gluing it down with Glossy Accents. That stuff is amazing as glue. 

The yellow flowers started as white flowers I bought in a giant glass milk bottle. Again with the foam blending tool I inked them with Squeezed Lemonade to match the card. They are adorned with a sparkly brads and adhered with Glossy Accents. Each flower is made of three flowers. 

For a little more texture I distressed the edges of the whole card. I love how much that adds in such a simple way. 

I am quite thrilled I took the time to learn more about Distress Inks this way. There’s no learning without some mad scientist experimentation, right? 

Did I know what I was doing? NOT REALLY! That’s why I went ahead and did it anyway! 

I encourage you to go try something new – something you have no idea how to use that has been in your crafty stash for a while. Grab an index card and JUST DO IT! Whether it works out or not I guarantee you will most certainly learn something. 

My mantra: “It’s just paper!” 

* If you happen to know what I could use to put over these Distress Inks so they don't smear or bleed into my next layers of work, I would be very happy to hear it!

- Vickie

This Needs A Hug

While this little notecard is kind of cute on its own, being powerless to the call of mixed media, I had to do something about its lack of dimension.

I mean, really. How could I send out such a bland, unloved, little thing? Doesn't it look like it needs a hug?

This was a pack of 12 cards + envelopes I purchased at my local craft store from the cheap bins. I always stock up when they have them because they make nice thank you notes for my Etsy shop orders. They are either 50 cents or $1.00 per pack... I don't recall.

The cards measure 2.75" (7 cm) square. The corners are rounded. The print is a tie dye and a gingham design. Both sides are printed and are glossy.

I like that both sides are printed and the design can be turned. These blank cards could be rotated to open from the side or from the bottom. You could even make a "lefty" card with them!

I gave this one a mixed media, stampy hug.

I've been looking for a use for this yellowish ledger paper I got at a garage sale. It went nicely with the greenish yellow and white of the card. The blue and red lines accented the other colors and added a little punch. I used a glue stick to adhere this as I didn't want a wet glue warping the card.

Since the card is glossy I used Archival Ink by Ranger in jet black to stamp the tree branches and bird. I love this stamp. I don't use it enough.

I also love my vintage DYMO label maker! So simple for a quick sentiment! I got my DYMO for $3.00 at a garage sale and it came with three black tape refills. Best deal ever. I darted the end to look like a ribbon and glued it on even though it's self adhesive. I don't trust vintage adhesive to really stay put for the long haul.

I probably could have dressed it up a little more with some tiny staples or stitching on the sewing machine. At 2.75" square they are the perfect size to play around with and not be too upset if I mess one up.

My plans for more of these include making whole sets at one time (thank you, birthday, hello, get well, ...) so I have the perfect little card all ready to go to tuck in a package or gift when needed.

Yay to Future Me when grabbing up a ready one instead of running around like mad trying to make one in the two minutes I have before leaving the house!

- Vickie