A large card that features stamping, embossing and blingy punchies

My sister's birthday is coming up and I made her this card.  I found a large blue envelope in my stash so it is a large card which is not my usual size but I felt called to make it bigger than usual for some reason!! 
I created a white card and layered on blue cardstock which I embossed with an organic embossing folder both top and bottom.  I was happy to see that where they meet was not at all evident once the focal element was in place.  The focal element is a piece of alcohol ink background which I found in my stash and it coordinated perfectly with the cool ribbon I found last week which I used to back the butterfly frames.  I stamped the background with a solid daisy (Magenta) in several different inks - light violet, purple, light blue and medium blue overlapping as I went.  I used a small flower to fill in using the medium blue ink.  I stamped and embossed in clear embossing powder a large swirly image then added some stippling around the edges using silver ink and embossed that too.  It does not show well but I was wanting to echo the silver punchies I was putting over the ribbon.  I mounted the background to a black piece which I had already punched with the butterfly frame punch and then the scallop border punch.  I added the fussy cut greeting using tiny silver brads and mounted a piece of that gorgeous metallic ribbon in behind the butterfly frames using double sided tape.  I mounted my large focal element to the front of my card.  I mounted the silver butterfly punchies into the openings in the frames using tiny pieces of double side tape which leaves their wings free to be raised just a bit.  I added clear rhinestones to the scalloped border just below them.  I added four little black butterfly punchies (from the frame punches) to my card using the same double sided tape method as the silver ones.  I used a silver gel pen to highlight their bodies. 
Very happy with my card and it will be off to my sister in tomorrow's mail!!!  Therese

Exchange cards featuring a lace background, sequins and laser printed greetings

I made up these cards for my Card Exchange partners for this month.  I found a piece of plastic in my stash which was printed with a lacy floral pattern which was saved from a used greeting card.  I trimmed out two pieces (2.75" x 5.5") and layered them onto maroon cardstock.  I used double sided tape behind the most solid parts of the images to secure the plastic to the card stock.  I mounted these elements to green card fronts.  I used laser printed greetings from my stash which feature a butterfly oval frame from Birdie Brown and a font greeting.  I chalked the inside with a coordinating red and sponged the outside with a coordinating green ink.  Mounted the greetings to the card fronts using 3D foam tape.  They still needed a bit of something so I added three sequins to each card securing them with small pieces of glue dot and added clear glitter dots to the butterflies on the greetings.  That as better!!  They are off to my partners in today's mail.             Therese