Sunday 29 March 2015

Shimmering Butterfly

Hello everyone, so happy you decided to visit today.

Well it almost is the end of the month and today it is my turn to share another project on the Countryview Challenge blog.
Beautiful butterflies to me always seem to herald the coming of Spring, and with this wonderful season now having officially started here in the Northern hemisphere I decided to create a card with a butterfly as the focal point.
The background was created with the help of Distress Sprays, using the so called salt technique. For those who don't know the technique, - it's very easy, - you spray any kind of sprays quite randomly, making sure your paper is quite wet. Sprinkle with some coarse salt and let dry naturally. I usually make a few backgrounds at the same time and dry them over night.

For this one I added quite a bit of gold mica spray as well.
Here you can perhaps see how the salt creates wonderful random patterns.
Once my piece had dried, I cut it to size and stamped one of the stamps from the Tim Holtz Classics 14 set, first with white paint, straight onto the background, and then again in black, on another piece of sprayed card. I cut the central piece out and adhered it to the card background.

The butterfly was cut from another bit of sprayed card with the Tim Holtz Butterfly duo Bigz die, it has a matching embossing folder, and adhered to the centre together with a pen nib. A word band and some background stamping, finished it all off.
Most of the products used for this card can be found at Countryview Crafts, and for UK people there is never any postage to pay!!!

Thank you for visiting and I hope you like my card!


49 comments:

brenda said...

I can only begin to image the glorious shimmer IRL Astrid because it even shows through on your photos and I know that's a difficult one to achieve. Beautiful work.

B x

Unknown said...

This is stunning Astrid, I adore the colours! Makes me want to go out and buy some stains to give this a go x

Chrissy said...

So beautiful Astrid...gorgeous colours and the butterfly is stunning.Thank you for the freebie papers..I took a few and cant wait to print some out..

luv CHRISSYxx

Valerie-Jael said...

Love your use of the butterfly as focal point. Have a nice Sunday, Valerie

maria's knutselplezier said...

What a great , very special cad, all the details match perfect with each other , great colours and super butterfly, I love it!!

Greetings
Maria

chrissie said...

This is very beautiful and the shimmering butterfly stands out against the beautiful background

Love Chrissie xx

froebelsternchen said...

Such a beautiful card ! Super butterfly! Wishing you a happy Sunday Astrid!
xxx
Susi

Rita said...

Fabulous card Astrid. Love this technique so much. I do adore butterflies and these are so stunning. Have a Good Day. Hugs Rita xxx

Ruth said...

Fabulous background, finished off perfectly with your choice of stamps.....love the stitching! A beauty of a butterfly....I think butterflies and pen nibs are one of those matches made in heaven....just gorgeous Astrid! Ruth x

Anne (cornucopia) said...

Beautiful card! I like the color choices.

Ros Crawford said...

Beautiful! I love that butterfly and the way you used the pen nib for it's body...

Candy C said...

Astrid...your card is so pretty. Love your tutorial! So easy to read and understand. I need to try that salt technique. It's very cool. Your design with the stamping in white then in black on the different cardstock is pretty. My love how you created such a lovely background for your gorgeous butterfly.

Silvia(Barnie) said...

A gorgeous card with great texture. Always love the use of a pen nib in the middle of a butterfly.

Pamellia said...

Wow Astrid, gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! Love the pen nib body on your butterfly, I can't wait to get my hands on that die set!! I love the little panel behind the butterfly, it is such a great way to highlight the fabulous shimmer on the wings! Wonderful background, just an incredible card! hugs :)

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

Gorgeous design with the texture from the salt and wonderful stamped images. The butterfly is a very beautiful embellishment. Happy Spring! Shirleyxx

Meggymay said...

A beautiful card Astrid, the butterfly has a wonderful glow on the wings.
Yvonne xx

Shilpa Nagaonkar said...

Beautiful card, Astrid, love that embossed butterfly and colorful background!

Rosie said...

Absolutely gorgeous, as always, Astrid.

massofhair said...

Love the doodled border, really grungy. Your butterfly is sublime:-) xxx

Kathy Bradley said...

Astrid,
Beautiful card and beautiful butterfly! The background is wonderful and the stamps look great - I especially like the colors. Thanks for sharing your art.

Dorthe said...

I love the salt tecnique, and it is wonderful on your card.
The butterfly in all its glittery beauty and the golden background ,creates a gorgeous card, Astrid.
Hugs,Dorthe

Berdien Weideveld said...

Hoi Astrid !!
Wat een leuk berichtje van jou laatst op mijn blog. Dan schrijf ik hier maar in het Nederlands, dat is makkelijker voor mij :-). Wat toevallig zeg !
Schitterende kaart is dit ! De achtergrond is echt super.
Groetjes Berdien

Patty O'Malley said...

This card is so beautiful, Astrid! I love the butterfly. I just ordered that die and can't wait to use it. The background is so pretty--I'll have to try that salt technique.

Mrs.B said...

A beautiful card Astrid, the butterfly looks stunning.
Avril x

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

Lovely in total Astrid...love those shimmers and all the details!

Karin said...

Beautiful card, great colors and I love the butterfly!
Groetjes Karin

sarascloset said...

A beautiful card with a lovely butterfly and gorgeous background with incredible depth! I love the colors and the simplicity of the whole piece.

Unknown said...

As always - I love your blend of colors Astrid. This butterfly lacks the "simplicity" of spring with it's bright colors and flowers - and for me.... that's perfect. I really like the elegance and uniqueness of this butterfly design! Beautiful. j

Unknown said...

As always - I love your blend of colors Astrid. This butterfly lacks the "simplicity" of spring with it's bright colors and flowers - and for me.... that's perfect. I really like the elegance and uniqueness of this butterfly design! Beautiful. j

sarascloset said...

A beautiful card with a lovely butterfly and gorgeous background with incredible depth! I love the colors and the simplicity of the whole piece.

rachel said...

this is beautiful Astrid - I love the salt background - its awesome - gorgeous colours and that butterfly is fabulous! Big hugs Rachel x

Deb said...

Beautiful Astrid, love the salt effect! I've used that with watercolours before but of course it would also work brilliantly with Distress, thanks for the reminder. Your butterfly is gorgeous and love the pen nib body, perfect for a card! Thanks for sharing xo

Redanne said...

The salt technique background looks fabulous Astrid and the butterfly is just stunning - your colours, as ever, are beautiful too. Anne xx

Words and Pictures said...

Gorgeous salty background, and the shimmering gold throughout is fabulous!
Alison xx

experiments in paper said...

Gorgeous card, Astrid - love the depth of the background and your butterfly is absolutely stunning! xx Lynn

Nicole Wright Designs said...

ohhhh I must try this Salt Technique because the background is amazing. I love the card and butterfly. You are always making such beautiful pieces!

Sandy said...

Beautiful! Your butterfly is spectacular! !
Sandy xx

Rupa Swaminathan said...

That's a stunning background with the salt technique and the a perfect setting for your beautiful butterfly, Astrid. Just plain gorgeous! Hugs.

Anonymous said...

Ohh, Astrid, this truly is a beautiful work of Heart. I love the background; the butterfly; the use of the pen nib for the body; the metal word charm; and think the chosen stamps which you used were a totally inspired choice!

Love the whole kit and caboodle. It's one of those art works which you have to look, then look again, and then just keep looking at. Every part of it draws me in and grabs me. Fabulous.

Barbara Rankin said...

This is absolutely gorgeous. I love how you lightened the center with the gold mica spray. I want to try that on one of my cards. TFS

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

I love the salt technique! Gorgeous background! LOVE the butterfly!

Marisa Job said...

This is stunning!! Love the background!!

Barb said...

Stunning!!! Luv the soft colors. ♥

Vintagehandmade said...

OMG, Astrid, this is stunning! I love your fabulous grunge background, amazing colors, awesome stamping (especially in white) and the absolutely beautiful butterfly with the pen nib! I really need to try the salt technique, it's fantastic!
Hugs :)
Branka xxx

Klaudia/Kszp said...

Just amazing! :)

Heather Jacob said...

you inspire me x

Evelyn Walter said...

Stunning project, Astrid! The salt technique is gorgeous, love your background and the pretty butterfly.
xxx Evelyn

Margaret Mifsud said...

Of course I love this, how could I not?? Fabulous colour, awesome texture and a lovely design. Love the salt technique although I haven't tried it yet. It is on my to do list with so many other things, LOL!! Stunning card Astrid!! xx

Jackie PN said...

What a fun use of that nib Astrid!! xo

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