Curt's Best Shots Slideshow

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

BUTTERFLIES AND A TEASER

Hey All! Happy Hump Day. Hope your week is progressing nicely. I have 3 cards to share with you today. As I was uploading them, I noticed that they all had one thing in common. They all had a butterfly in the theme. Here is my first card:


This is a square card. I cased this card from SCS. The card I cased can be found here. I followed the "rules of casing" and changed more than 3 things. I just loved the unique idea of using Nesties within Nesties. The stamp set I used on this one was from Flourishes called Poppy Patch. The butterfly was from an Inkadinkado set. I'm not sure who does the corner bracket stamp. The main Nestie die cut is lifted from the card with foam squares for dimension. You can see it better in the pic below:



I really love the look of this technique and I love how the card turned out.

Here is the second card I'd like to share with you:



Again, another cased card from SCS. You can see the card I cased here. The only thing I really cased was the actual "concept" of the card. I literally changed everything about the card. Different butterfly, different color, matted the image, added a sentiment, etc. I really do like how this one turned out as well. I thought the "dream" sentiment fit this card. The butterfly and sentiment are both from an Inkadinkado set. I used a dew drop at the end of the word dream, and I used rain dots on the corner brackets.

Here is my last card for this post:


I made the background paper for this card. I started with white card stock and dragged some Ranger Distress Ink over it. I used two colors for this effect. Tea dye and Antique Linen. I then stamped the image in black Archival Jet Black ink starting with the lightest going to a darker image. Cut it out with my Nesties, and added the sentiment on the bottom. I then stamped the small butterfly on the paper and cut out a smaller size with the Nesties. I used a black pen to trace around the inside of the Nesties die before popping it out. I cut a second one in black card stock and rotated it 1/4 of a turn to get the effect. Added a jump ring to the top and attached it to the black satin ribbon. Below is a close up:


There you have it. I also wanted to give you a little teaser with this post. I have some exciting news to share with you, but the details won't be given until the next post. What I will tell you is that I've been asked to join the design team of a new stamp artist!! I'm really excited, and I will share more details next post. There is something in it for all of you too!!!! So keep watching for the details.

Until then, hope you liked the post. In keeping with the butterfly them, the pic of the week is also a butterfly. LOL Thanks so much for coming by to see me. Love having you here and I so love your great comments! Thanks again for sharing your time with me. I'll be seeing you on your blogs!

Best,


Curt O'Brien

"God help me be the person that my dogs think I am."

38 comments:

Jackie said...

Your cards are so beautiful, you have done a wonderful job with the coloring! I especially love the butterfly one, very cool. It seems to be the simple things that elude me, though, I never thought of tracing around the inside before removing the Nestie die. I will now - thanks to you!

Patti J. said...

Oh Curt, these are all just beautiful! I would have a tough time picking a favorite! Your work is so lovely and elegant! Congrats on being part of a DT! I'll be eager to see which one, and what you create with their stamps! Let us know asap so we can go shopping for new stamps!!!

Rita said...

All of your cards are so beautiful Curt!

Congrats on joining a DT!!! They are so lucky to have such great talent & you inspire us all! I'm so happy for you kiddo!

Sharon Caudle said...

WOW!!!! Curt, these cards are AMAZING!!! I am loving all three of them, but I think my favorite is the Dream one!

I'm not one bit surprised that you've been snatched up for a DT position. A huge Congrats to you! they're lucky to have you! Can't wait to hear all about it.

hugs
Sharon

Mandi said...

Absolutely FABULOUS Curt
your cards are amazing!

Have a good weekend
xx

Lauri said...

Love the nested nestie!! How clever!!! and your news....YAY!!! I will be watching for details!

mudmaven said...

Curt these are absolutely fabulous! Wonderful techniques and truly gorgeous cards. I'm on pins and needles waiting to hear your news!

Nina said...

Curt, these are all so BEAUTIFUL!! even your picture of the day is a butterfly!! truly, they are all so elegant and stunning... you have a lot of detail in these which make them so beautiful!! Great work my friend!! I will keep elegant in mind (wink wink)

Nina said...

PS I gave Card Stock a snack! :O)

Anonymous said...

These are now my favorites Curt! I love that idea of using a Nestie inside a Nestie. I love how you make these cards your own from a case. You give them your special touch and they turn out so beautifully! I LOVE coming here to see what you do. Such talent my friend! And the DT spot - OMGosh how exciting. Can't wait to hear about it. You are so deserving! Tina, Billings MT

Cheryl Walker said...

Curt your cards are Beautiful and I love your style!!! You did an Awesome job with the flowers and I love the butterfly!!! Also your dogs are tooo sweet, love the pics of them:)

congratulations on your new DT!!! You are going to have a ton of fun!!!! Happy stamping hun!!!!!!

Hugs,
Cheryl

Jodi said...

WowZers!!! These are just beautiful cards!! Love all your fabulous butterfly creations!
Hugs
Jodi =)

scrapperjulia said...

Great butterfly cards! Butterflies are my favorite!

PaperAddictJenn said...

All of the butterfly cards are so beautiful! Congrats on your wonderful news. I can't wait to see the new stamps!

Jan McC said...

Curt, you always have some new little trick for us. I am so happy you have a DT coming up for you. Can't wait to see who it is going to be. Congrats!!!

6 wacky women said...

Absolutely gorgeous cards, Curt.
Fabulous layouts, stunning work!!
Love the pic of the week too.

I can't wait to hear all the details, I hope we don't have to wait tooooo long....you are such a tease!!

Have a great day..
Karen x

Sue said...

Hi Curt
3 stunning cards as always, so classy looking, i luv the middle flutterby great idea, also the disstressed on, fabby work. Look forward to hearing our news,sue.x

Becky said...

This must be butterfly month :). The first one is stunning and your coloring is fabulous, I must case this myself. The second one, I love how it comes into color, and the coloring is fab on this also, love the corners. The third one, I love these colors, and great job on the background paper, I love it, and this black ribbon is made for this card. The fourth, What a cliff hanger!! I am excited for you and can not wait to hear about all the juicy details. :)

Sue from Oregon said...

great cards...esp like the last one with the background paper you made! Can't wait to read about your new DT news! I am so excited for you!

Jane Wetzel said...

WOW..Very cool cards Curt..havent been here for awhile and I like the new look for your blog! Your photos are outstanding and I really love the dogs! :)

Terry said...

Love your new look Curt!!!
Good to see you're back- with a bang....
Thank you for the great cards.

christina d said...

Your cards are beautiful! Congrats on being chosen for a design team. Can't wait to see which one. Your photo of the Monarch b-fly is gorgeous. You didn't miss a thiing on it.

lisa808 said...

All of your cards are great, but the third ones really jumps out at me. I love the colors and the added little charm is the piece de resistance!

Congrats on your DT position. I'm waiting on the edge of my seat for your next post!

Papier Creatif said...

Mornin' Curt!

I really liked the *Dream* card - but I'd imagine you would have been able to select that as my fav, huh? :D Cool how you brought the butterfly forward in succession - great stamping on that piece! They are all beautiful. The copics >?< technique you use is awesome, very blended and fine. Yea - you are just that good!

Hope you are doing great. Texas is sizzlin' hot!

{lots of hugs for you and your doggie-dogs}

Juls~

Anonymous said...

ONE OF YOUR BEST BLOG'S EVER...LOVE BUTTERFLIES...REAL AND ON "YOUR CARDS" LOVE YA MOM

Ila said...

Wowzers!! these cards are all Beautiful!!...I love the top card with the cutouts...So Fabulous!! the middle one is simply Gorgeous.. I love the way you created you own background paper and used the nesties in the third card!....Can't wait to hear your exciting DT news....I'll be back!!...Hugs, Ila...p.s..the butterfly photo is Beautiful!!

Elaine M said...

So good to get a post from you - it's been a long time and you've been missed.

These cards are just incredible (as usual). What stamps did you use on the last card?

I can hardly wait for your next post to learn about your new adventure - Congratulations
Elaine Moore - mtn.moven.faith@comcast.net

Sharon (notimetostamp) said...

Hi Curt! Thanks for stopping by -- and HUGE CONGRATS on your soon to be announced news -- how fun!!! I LOVE all of your cards, but boy oh boy, does that last one speak to me -- the image, the colors, ribbon and design -- SO what I love! GREAT work on all three!!!

Michelle Alejandro said...

These are all absolutely beautiful! I especially love the first one with the little windows. Just beautiful. I am a big butterfly lady myself, so bravo!

Hugs,
Michelle

Sharli Schaitberger said...

Curt,
Great cards! I can relate to the last one especially as I just bought the Ranger distress ink (the antique linen) and it does make beautiful, aged paper! How fun, huh! The first one is so bright and pretty with the butterfly in the window - and the second one does give the impression of movement. Nice work!

Anonymous said...

Curt, these are all so beautiful! Love the butterflies. can't wait to hear your news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Etha said...

beautiful casings :) love how you worked with the concepts and then made them your own, super!

Becky said...

PS I have an award for you, come by and pick it up, it is an original. :)

Joan Fricker said...

Curt, Wow, these cards are beautiful. I love butterflies and you certainly did an excellent way of presenting them. Absolutely stunning!!!!!

Joan

1CardCreator said...

Hi Curt, I love the Nestie in a nestie look! You did such a great job with that, I like it better than the card you cased it from (and that says a lot because I love her work!) Keep up the beautiful work!

dpkennedy said...

They are all beautiful Curt! Love the dimension on the first one - the windows are great! The second one just comes alive with color! And the third one is so elegant! Great!

Gina Wrona said...

What an awesome idea w/the punched out windows! I definately will have to case that layout, when I'm not feeding/playing with all the puppies.

You truly are an inspiration!

Hugs,
Gina

Shirley said...

Wow, Curt, you have really been busy and created some beautiful cards. The first one is just a fantastic piece of art with the die cuts and the colors too! The second one is so creative with the butterfly transition. The third is so elegant. Wow!