Imagine Butterflies - Inlaid Butterfly Cards By Judi Kauffman for The Queen’s Ink

It’s been so cold and gray lately. I thought I’d play with bright colors for a change, and what better to bring thoughts of warmer days ahead than butterflies! I used the largest die from  Laurel Burch’s ‘Imagine Butterflies’ die set because it’s big enough to star on an A2 card front and it’s a simple, graphic shape.

These cards employ one of my favorite techniques: Inlay. And one of my favorite materials: Shimmer Sheetz. I just love the sparkle!

It’s so easy!

1. Die cut the same shape from two 4” x 5.25” pieces of embossed and lightly sanded Shimmer Sheetz* as shown - in this case, a butterfly angled on a landscape rectangle. Alternatively, die cut or from cardstock or coordinating patterned papers if you prefer. Then die cut the same shape two more times from a piece of Shimmer Sheetz or coordinating solid color cardstock.

(*Reminder - You MUST use a metal adaptor plate or Big Shot machine with Precision Base Plate for die cutting Shimmer Sheetz. Review Els van de Burgt’s YouTube tutorial if you are new to this technique or post a question here on the blog and I’ll answer it.)

2. Working from the back, tape the solid color piece into the die cut shape cut from the rectangle. (This creates the ‘inlay’!) Adhere the inlaid piece to the front of an A2 size top-fold card base. (Shown: Patterned cardstock.)

3. Carefully bend the wings of the butterflies upward and adhere to the card front as shown - butterfly is secured along the body only using tiny snippets of a Tombow Xtreme Adhesive Tab. Use non-stick scissors to cut the Tab. Mix the colors so the butterfly cut from one background is adhered to the other one!

DONE. See...I told you it was easy!

Supplies:

• Laurel Burch ‘Imagine Butterflies’ die set (Stampendous)
• Shimmer Sheetz in 2 colors of choice
• Allover pattern embossing folder
• Sanding block
• Die cutting machine with metal adaptor plate (Big Shot with Precision Base Plate)
• Tombow Xtreme Adhesive Tabs
• Non-stick scissors (to cut Tabs)
• Adhesive tape (one sided)
• Adhesive sheet (double sided)
• Patterned cardstock 4.25” x 11” or purchased A2 card base