Pearlescent Black Magic (and flutterby trails)

ETA: Hi Gals n Guys, Not feelin' well; taking a day off.
Hope you have a good Friday.
New video today on Scrapbook Lounge, if you'd like some inspiration. 20% off all bling at Paper Garden Projects, if you'd like some blingspiration!

This is a big one! A 4 2/8" by 8 1/2" card that has the acetate tags from yesterday's tutorial. It uses the Black Magic technique, but with with embossing & Pearlescent paints instead of pencils. It's really quick way to get a whole lotta shimmeriness goin' on.

Stuff in this post:

1. Pearlescent Black Magic technique
2. Stretching 6x6 paper packs for big cards
3. 3D Butterflies & trails

1. Pearlescent Black Magic



Step 1) Emboss your image in white. I'm so glad I finally caved & got some fantastic white embossing powder that is so smooth! [This is the Victorian Single Flower. It's on the black paper from the Urban Prairie 6x6 paper pack which is distressed a lot.]

Step 2) Paint image with white Pearlescent paint



To use the Pearlescent paints just squirt some water in there (a waterbrush is great for that) & brush it around with the brush to get the pigments all nice & worked up into the water. It's neat because you can control the density of the colour by how much water you add, how much you work it up, and you can always add more water. You can mix colours in the palette lid too. :O)



Step 3) Paint colours over top of the white.

2. Stretching 6x6 Cardstock packs:



This stripey paper is from the Putting on the Glitz paper pack (which rocks with Basic Grey's Urban Prairie papers.) I probably used too much on here considering I covered it up, but I worky without a plan. :O)



These bits are the the Basic Grey paper. They're cut to be mirrored so they look like a big piece of paper. A trick that might come in handy if you wanna make big cards with those 6x6 packs. Here's how they were stuck on.




3. Butterflies & Knotted Trails:



To cut out teensy butterflies from the new Basic Grey papers, I paint the back of it with gesso and then it's stronger. This is the Ambrosia paper which has butterflies too:



Step 1) Paint the back of the paper with gesso & let it dry well



Step 2) Cut the butterflies out. A cutting tip: to cut teensy detailed bits start with the trickiest parts first (like the antennae on these.)



Step 3) Paint the butterfly with white pearlescent for shimmeriness.

To add the butterflies...



Step 4) Place the butterflies where you'd like them & Draw on lines for a trail (with a glitter pen or something that will give you a guide for piercing but won't show too much.)



Step 5) Pierce the trails for the butterflies and stitch them with knots of embroidery floss or any thread:

1. Come up from the back with a needle & thread.
   
2. Tie a knot
   
3. Go back down the same hole with the needle & repeat it.

Knotting is really easy and addictive and you get an unusual 3D element on your card. It's super affordable too.



Affixing the butterflies:

1. Glue them on (you know i loves me that Tombow.) Gluing just under their bodies means their wings can be raised up. You can stop there or add sewing...
2. Pierce two holes in their body (ouch!)
3. Stitch them on with one stitch:
   

and Ta Da! Black magic that's shiny with da flutterby trails.

Wanna win some PCP Blog Candy? Not here but..

You can enter to win a Homemade Holidays stamp kit just by making a Christmas gift with stamping in it & posting to the Paper Craft Planet thread.

Get the details, see the kit, & Cathy's adorable projects on her blog here.
I so love that kit. The little Odd Bird Planet Cardinal is named Charles...and even looks like my DH Charles! (Cute teehee)

You do hafta join PCP first, so come be my friend, will ya? ;O)
(I feel like I'm in Kindergarten, and I love it!)
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Hope you are having a really really really great day,



P.S. Some fab things to check out:

• Curt's latest project blew me away BIG time. See it in all its gorgeousness here(and he's working on a tutorial!!!!)
• There's still a little time (I think) to play Erum's guessing game & win something lovely. If not, you can still check out her incredible work, and you're sure to be inspired!
• Sue is always amazing me & her gesso on mulberry paper is no exception. Lovely! You know I adore gesso! :O)