Saturday 2 February 2013

Madame Butterfly

Greetings from Dublin. Welcome to my blog and very many thanks to those who have signed up as followers - it is really lovely to have your company.

I seem to be going through a butterfly phase with yet a third butterfly card but with all the challenges about love at the moment how could I possibly leave out Madame Butterfly?



My background is collage stamped with Distress Inks (Spun Sugar, Milled Lavender, Victorian Velvet) using Stampers Anonymous Papillon stamp set. (I recently bought these stamps from The Funkie Junkie Boutique from whom it is a joy to receive a package as Linda wraps everything so prettily and often adds an extra goodie or two. I thus am entering card to The Funkie Junkie: Sunday Share). I next dry embossed the background with Cheery Lynn's embossing plate Petite Hearts - these plates are the width of the Big Shot and so give better size embossing than most folders.

The beautiful Madame Butterfly is by Stampington & Company (P2201 Pucinni's Muse). I stamped her on silk tissue paper using Archival Rose Madder and embossed her with Sparkle n Sprinkle EP (rather fittingly shade is my fave 'Japanese Lacquer'). I cut two different Japanese Chiyogami Papers using Vintage Cabinet Card die. Rubbed each edge as I went along with gold gilding wax for definition. I matted Mme Butterfly onto the darker shaded paper and then framed her with the lighter pattern. Next 'Frantaged' a little using Shabby Pink embossing enamel. Also applied some diecuts that I made with Cheery Lynn dies (Heart Chain Border and Love You More Heart). The way the diecuts isolate her sadly is deliberate. Also placed some gem hearts as her tears. Added more pretty butterflies and hearts. Completed with various charms including a clock - particularly relevant given Madame Butterfly's desperate wait.

Thank-you for visiting - I hope you have a great weekend.

Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges;
Inspired by Stamping - Colour Challenge # 44
Cheery Lynn Challenge - Tickled Pink
Fashionable Stamping Challenge - Show Some Love
Vintage Stamping Challenge - Vintage
Craft-room Challenge - Monochrome
Anything Goes Challenge Blog - Monochrome
Flutter By Wednesday - Open Challenge
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Only from your heart can you touch the sky
Sugar Creek Hollow - Romantic Love
Crafts and Me - Favourite Embellishment (Butterflies)
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
The Artistic Stamper - Hearts and Flowers

47 comments:

  1. Absolutely enchanting, Nicola! I love the delicate textures and subtle sparkle surrounding your Madame Butterfly. Beautiful card with such movement from those gorgeous butterflies!
    Alison x

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  2. WOW this is amazing! Beautiful design and I love all the dimension in this creation! Thanks so much for joining us at The Sisterhood ‘I {HEART} VALENTINE’S’ challenge and please come back again soon!
    Darlene
    one of the 'Sistahs'
    DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS

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  3. This is stunning Nicola! I love the charms on the butterflies and all the little details!

    Sheena
    xxx

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  4. What an absolute stunner Nicola and such amazing detail. Just love all the texture and the use of the pretty Japanese papers.
    Hugs, Fliss xx

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  5. That's amazing, your Madame Butterfly looks fantastic. A great piece of art. Thanks for joining us at FlonzCraft Vintage Stamping Challenges.

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  6. Your card is beautiful Nicola, you can never have too many butterflies! The frantage is beautiful and I love that heart chain surrounding Madame Butterfly..... Hugs, Anne x

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  7. Stunning mixed media card! Love it!

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  8. THAT IS ONE GORGEOUS CARD!
    Well done!
    hugs Lynn

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  9. brilliant--wonderful techniques and stunning effect. My fave opera, Madame Butterfly!

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  10. This is a little piece of art, Nicola! My favorite detail must be the keys, musci notes etc that are placed on the bodies of the butterflies - cool and beautiful!

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  11. what a pretty card thanks for sharing with us at flutterby wednesday

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  12. Superb Nicola and the most marvellous theme for Valentines! A gorgeous image, stamping and colours and I love the delicacy of your oriental theme, I think the butterflies are perfect, I have a thing for them too :D! Hope you're having a good weekend. Chris x

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  13. Beautiful card Nicola, I like the Image,the oriental papers and the design.
    kevin xx

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  14. Gorgeous work nicola! Lovely delicate textures and very pretty colours x

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  15. Very nice!! Thank you for playing along with my Flutter By Wednesday Challenge!

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  16. An explosion of nouveau-vintage goodness. The more I look the more I see little bits of yout crafty genius, Nicola. And the colours are so elegant and sophisticated. Absolutely astounding! Well done, teamie! Thanks for so generously sharing how you did it.
    xxx Asha

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  17. Beautiful card, there's so much detail. Thank you for sharing your wonderful creation wit us at IBSIC. Deb x

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  18. Your card is lovely. There is so much to entertain your eyes. Thanks for joining us this week at Cheery Lynn Designs Blog and good luck.

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  19. She is very cool! Love the red and white! The butterfly phase is a good one too! They add so much and the 3D quality is always a plus! Fab card...love the tassel pulley bits!

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  20. Wooow, really stunning again and fabulous card Nicola !!! I'm really impressed by the extent of your talents, I'm FAN of all your artworks !! And the big shot suits you like a glove ! :) I think I should try to do some card like yours for my sister following your how-to. She loves Japan and japanese inspiration.. Have a fab week-end, Coco xxx

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  21. Hi Nicola, what a beauty!! I love the stamp and the gorgeous colours. It has such an oriental feel, using those delightful papers and such a subtle sparkle, really stunning. xx

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  22. Just wonderful creation my dear friend^_^
    Gorgeous heart diecut and lovely vintage image^_^
    Happy Sunday^_^
    Hugs,
    Sonia

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  23. WOW!! Nicola What a work of art.. Truly Beautiful.. Love the image, colours, design, textures... you've guessed it I Love it all.. Hugs May x x x

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  24. This looks Awesome Nicola! Fabulously eclectic and romantic, it looks gorgeous! :)

    Thanks so much for joining us at Cheery Lynn Designs this week,

    hugs

    xxalisonxx

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  25. Nicola, you are beautifully showing some love! Love the heart framing around the image! Wonderful texture and elements! Thank you for joining us at FSC!

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  26. WOW!!!!! This is a truly fabulous creation!!! Thank you for all the detailing. You have used such great techniques in this and the whole effect is fabulous...love those heart tears and the feeling of isoloation. you have put such thought into this. Thank you fo sharing this time with us at Anytjing Goes and I wish you the best of luck
    Carol xx DT

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  27. What a fabulous creation. I love the colours and the layout. Hugs Rita xx

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  28. Hi Nicola,hope you're having a good weekend. this is a gorgeous project. I just love the background and I love the way you've framed the focal image.
    Claire xx

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  29. Wow! This is amazing. Thanks for joining us at IBSIC! Hugs, Joanna

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  30. Well you know me and Oriental Nicola! so this was always going to be a winner, and then you add my favourite opera (I always cry at the end) and the mix of stunning elements and I'm hooked, cheering and applauding madly! Another superb creation! Hugs, Jenny x

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  31. Very pretty and such a cool stamp that! Thank you for entering it into the Artistic Stamper Creative team blog challenge!

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  32. Hi again, wow what can I say apart from this is spectacular Nicola. I have got to get that image as Madam Butterfly is one of my favourite operas, (apart from Tosca my ultimate favourite lol). Thanks for sharing this special piece of art with us at Craft Room Challenge. Julia xxxxx

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  33. Wow! So beautiful Nicola! Swooooon!

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  34. Very pretty! You've added some very nice details! Thanks so much for playing along with us over at the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog!

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  35. Wow... Nicola, this is such a stunning piece of art work. Love the beautiful color scheme and the amazing texture. Great design! :)

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  36. Oh my goodness sakes alive - I would not have missed this very artistic and creative and wonderful creation for the world!!!!! Can you tell I love it -- Nicola - this is grand. I too like Linda at the Funkie Junkie -- This is so extraordinary I am sure Linda will love it - I know I do!!!!!!
    Sandy

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  37. Great creation, love the heart die from cheery Lynn. The colours you have used are gorgeous. Thank you for joining us at cheery Lynn
    Hugs
    Tamara xx

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  38. This is heavenly! I like the delicate heart chain surrounding the pretty lady stamp.

    Thanks for playing with us at Inspired By Stamping!

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  39. Your card is amazing Nicola — love all the trimmings and the way you have put it all together. The colours are also beautiful.
    Thanks for joining us at Sugar Creek Holllow for our Romantic Love challenge.
    Amelia (DT Sugar Creek Hollow)

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  40. This is just gorgeous Nicola,love the colours and your design is beautiful.
    Hugs Linda

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  41. Stunning Card Nicola - Love the heart die cut framing the image, and such a beautiful frame. This really is sharing the Love
    Thanks for joining us at FSc
    Avril xx

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  42. This is a gorgeous card Nicola, full of shabby colours and techniques, I just love looking at it to see even more detail. Thanks for sharing some love at Fashionable Stamping Challenges.
    Hugs Brenda xox

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  43. Nicola, you can never have too many butterflies!! Beautiful card, love the colours!
    Claire xx

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  44. You take my breath away once more.
    I do believe we have the same taste in stamps as I own this one (I purchased on E-bay last year and was I so thrilled to have won the bid as it was on my Wish List for such a long time).
    Adore the way you created the layers and silk tissue paper, I have never heard of this but it looks amazing. Would you know where I could purchase this from?
    Dreamy, romantic and very special indeed.
    Wishes
    Lynne

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    Replies
    1. Seperate reply sent to Lynne, but for anyone interested I bought the paper in Dublin at Daintree Paper (http://www.daintree.ie/Products/A4_PAPER_AND_CARD/A4_Paper_and_Card.html). Similar sheer papers also available in US at Handmade Paper Superstore (http://www.handmade-paper.us/). Nicola x

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  45. Another wow, this is stunning Nicola. I love how everything ties in together so perfectly. There are some of my favourite things in here such as the shabby ep and Papillon stamps, and I love how you've used them. I haven't seen the Madame Butterfly stamp before but it is so beautiful, especially framed as she is - I've also not come across silk tissue paper but thank you, I will visit the link above.

    Take care
    Maria xxxxx

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Thank-you! Your visit and comment is very much appreciated. Nicola x