Sunday, October 3, 2010

Tutorial: Embossed Butterflies


I really hate to throw anything out of my kits and love to use things like the packaging the flowers come in for matting my photos or making a fun embellishments. This month as soon as I saw the cardboard backing piece in two of the Prima flower packages, I knew I just had to use them one my layouts. I used some of the background paper as matting behind one of my photo's and used some of the extra middle scraps from it to make these little Embossed Butterflies. Here is what you'll need to make the little butterflies I made for the above l/o.....

You will need:
~Cardboard backing from the flowers in the kit
~florist wire (I cut mine from the roses in the kit, I only used the flower heads on my l/o's so rather than discard the stem I saved them for the butterfly antenea)
~some chalk ink & scissors
~a small foam matt (the type you get with stamp sets, or you can use a mouse pad from your computer)
~a stylus or embossing tool (see photo)....a dull pencil could do the trick in a pinch.
~a tiny bit of modeling clay (I used some of my kids fun foam clay, it's a non-bake clay that air dries to a soft spongy consistancy)
~glue
~I like to collect different shapes of butterflies to use on my layouts. When I cut a butterfly out of some patterned paper I always make a little 'template' butterfly to use for future layouts (brown butterfly in photo).

Step 1

Trace out and butterfly shape onto the patterned cardboard backing paper from your Prima flower package. Cut out with a pair of scissors, then lightly ink here and there with a little bit of chalk inks (I used Chestnut, Denim blue and Wisteria on mine)...


Step 2

Lay your butterfly cut-out facedown on the foam matt, then use your ball tip stylus (or embossing tool.....or a dull rounded tip pencil) and draw some lines on the wings pushing down firmly as seen in photo below.....


Step 3

I snipped the stem from one of the blooms in the kit and folded it in half. I twisted a little loop onto each end (I also painted my wire with some white paint so that it would show up better on the page but that is optional).....



Step 4

I now just used a tiny piece of air-dry modeling clay and wrapped it around the bottom part of the wire to create the butterfly body....


Step 5

Now you simply take your embossed wings and slightly fold them upwards to give them a bit more of a 3D look, just so they look like they are lifting off the page a little. Next glue the butterfly body to the center of your Butterfly. You can also add a little glitter glue to the body of the butterfly for a little more sparkle. Here are a couple more of my finished butterflies up close....

The 5th of each month is Reveal Day for the My Creative Scrapbook kits, so please do come back and have a look at the full page I made with these embellishments (I've got lot's of things to share with you all on the 5th!) Thanks for stopping by!

~Gabrielle xxx

27 comments:

Jan scrap said...

Great idea for the antenna and the air drying clay....I have both of these items.
Thank you

Lorraine said...

Fabulous. Thanks for sharing. I've no air dry clay so may have to adapt it somehow, but love the concept.

Your LO's are stunning.

Maureen Reiss said...

very pretty butterflies!!! TFS

Gabriele von Conga-Baeren said...

Oooh very nice butterflies.
Thank you very much for your comment to my blog. I only can a little bit English and I understand a little bit as you.

Many greatings
Gabriele
...

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your lesson on make the butterfly. I think I could do that.
ava
cottagerca

Joséphine said...

What a great idea, thank you for sharing!!

Cindy Gay said...

Very neat!

Rhonda Merry said...

These are beautiful, does it hold its shape if placed in a scrapbook??

JJ Sobey said...

DANG Girl! Wish I'd seen this a couple weeks ago - I just blew $$ on two packages of those new Prima butterflies - yours look as good if not better!

Love your tutorials!

Jolanda said...

Thank you so much,i really gonna trie this!!!
Have a nice day!!
Love,Jolanda

Romy said...

Oh wow, I'm so happy you shared this little tutorial. I thought those butterflies were originals from Prima, but that you handmade them makes them even prettier. They turned out great and I sure have to try this.

angelwhispers said...

You have such great ideas to share with us Gabrielle!!! Do you ever get to sleep or are you always thinking of ways with crafting!!! lol

Just beautiful and thanks for sharing will add a gorgeous element to our layouts or cards. Love Chanelle xxx

Zarah said...

What a great idea - and that's such a CUTE butterfly!!

Ms. Jen said...

Great tip sweetie! I actually have a book of "Gabi's Tips" so I can refer back to them. They're just so fantastic. You really should think about publishing them!!

Unknown said...

wow that's cool did what a super fun idea to make butterfly.
You always know something you do yourself a lot of ideas.
Thank you for the technique

XXcarla

Sandi Smith said...

Love it!!!Will definitely be trying this!!!

Carin McDonough said...

Gorgeous Gabrielle! I love anything butterflies and it is recycling too! :)

Lynne said...

Awesome technique!! Your butterflies are stunning!

LISA said...

I know what you mean about the packing. I just used this same one on one of my last LO's. Your butterfly is so sweet!! I love it!!

Jolaine Frias said...

I have a TON of Prima packaging I've been saving, this is GREAT! Thanks so much for sharing, FABULOUS tutorial!!!

Anonymous said...

Just found you by accident! What a happy accident it was! You have some of the most fabulous artwork I have ever seen, SSSOOOO talented!
Love the butterfly tutorial.
Looking forward to a very long "relationship" with you.
Thanks for sharing your talent!

~Scrappygirl~

Unknown said...

Gabi, I just love your Butterfly tutorial! It`s so clever, easy to make and of course so pretty! Thank you for sharing! Hugs, Gerry

Michelle said...

Does your creative genius have no end??? Gabi these are stunning ...you are, as always ...amazing!Thanks for sharing!

MariLynn said...

Love the clay body.

Vicki said...

Great tutorial, Gabi! I love the modeling clay around the wire. You are so inspiring, girl! TFS!

Unknown said...

Great tutorial! I too love the modeling clay around the wire. I had one of those why didn't I think of that before moments lol! You are so creative I love your style and tutorials!

Crafty Loops said...

Fantastic idea and the butterflies are so pretty. I just bought some of the air dry clay yesterday and wasnt quite sure what to do with it, now I do. Lee xx

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