Spread Your Wings and Fly!!!

Good morning:) Sure hope your week has been FABULOUS!!!! My card for today was inspired by this week's Creative Inspirations Paint Challenge...it's all about Butterflies!! AND, I love anything butterfly themed:) I don't know why, but they always make me smile...like daisies and sunflowers:) Don't you just love those wonderful gifts from God that touch your heart and bring joy into your day?

Recently, I received some beautiful Prima butterflies from the Farfalla Collection...which by the way are on SALE at SCACD (:currently 25% off the regular price:)...wish I would have picked up a few of the others cuz they are WONDERFUL!!! All I can say is... if you think they are something you might be interested in...I would get my order in soon because once they're gone...they're gone! I am SO hoping to get the ones that didn't make their way into my shopping cart...but I just placed an order and have to wait a bit...don't want DH snooping around the ol' craft room...KWIM?;) I painted the butterfly's body with Ivory CI Paint and its wings with Fairy Dust CI Paint...can you see all the lovely shimmer it added? It also made the original colors *pop* a bit more:) I also used the Ivory CI Paint on the white blossoms. Man, I love these paints!!!!

Did you notice the doily? Can you believe it was originally a plain, white doily? Don't get me wrong...I love my white doilies, but every now and then...I wish they were a different color to better match my card. So, I painted on a coat of Beige CI Paint to help it match the colors I selected...and I must say, I really like how it turned out:) I also used this paint to "ink" around the edges of my patterned paper and card stock. I tell ya...these paints are a paper crafter's dream!!!

I also busted out my new Sew Easy on this card...and I love it!!!! Inititally, I was a bit hesitant about purchasing it...because I have the Cutter Bee Bug. It is supposed to do the same thing (minus the interchanging tool heads), but it only works when used on lighter weight card stock/ papers. Since my sewing machine doesn't really like me...and I love all the sewing I see on projects...I decided to bite the bullet and give the Sew Easy a go...AND I am SO HAPPY I DID:) The piercers in the tool heads are longer and have a pointier point than the Cutter Bee Bug, which makes them go through your paper like a hot knife in butter. Now, I want to get my hands on the new attachment heads Susana has added to the store!!! Woo Hoo...I can start sewing on my projects much more often:)

Here is the card's interior. I opted to keep it VERY simple. Can you see the sparkle? It was created with Maya Mists and CI Paints:) I know you have already heard me say this, but I don't know what I did before Susana introduced me to Creative Inspiration Paints!

I am also playing along in the following inspirational challenges:

• Creative Craft Challenges - Distressed/Vintage
• Cupcake Craft Challenges - In the Garden
• Get Hippity with Ippity - Flowers
• Happileigh Scrappin Challenge - Stitching
• Make It Monday - Anything Goes
• Creative Cowgirls Challenge - Anything Goes
• Cupcake Inspirations - Inspiration photo
• Dream Valley Challenges - Dig Out the Old to Use with the New (there is a combo of both old and new goodies in this card)

Okay...have you fallen asleep at the keyboard from this mega long post? Sorry for blabbing away! I hope your Wednesday is filled with blessings and all things beautiful:) And...don't forget to check out my SCACD sneak peek post for today! Today marks Day #4...only a couple days away from Friday's Carmen Medlin "Natural Beauty Collection" for SCACD Blog Hop:) I am SO excited!!! The chance to win the awesome blog candy that coincides with this release ends tomorrow...if you want to get the deets, check out my sneak peek post HERE. Thank you for stopping by!!!!

HAPPY HUGS!!!

Carolyn

Card ingredients:
Stamps: Prima Clear Stamps "Recital" and Verve (sentiment); Card stock: Papertrey Ink; Patterned paper: Tim Holtz Idea-ology "Vintage Shabby; Miscellaneous: Creative Inspiration Paints (Ivory, Beige, Fairy Dust), Prima Butterflies "Farfalla" (currently 25% off at SCACD), Sew Easy (zig-zag), Maya Mist (iridescent pearl, latte metallic), Spellbinder's (Fleur De Lis Motifs, Flourish Accents), Tim Holtz Distress Inks (vintage photo), Prima E Line Flowers (#300388, #300159), Prima Innoscence Collection (#540333), EK Success corner punch, Paper Studio Pearls, DMC floss and paper doily from stash