Card Exchange cards - All occasion cards featuring butterflies that flit from inside to outside!

I have taken time this week to make my exchange cards for the CCE (Canadian Card Exchange).  I wanted to challenge myself to something different and found a card in my inspiration file that fit the bill perfectly!  

I found it on Splitcoast Stampers and it features a butterfly that is mounted on the inside of the card that also appears on the outside of the card.  The magic is in the slot on the front of the card that allows the butterfly with its wings folded to pass through from the inside to the outside.   FUN!!!!!!!

I started with a large yellow card which fit in a large envelope from my stash.  I adhered the hexagon paper (SU - digital - colour printed) background which I trimmed from a letter sized sheet to my card front.  I created my butterfly by die cutting a blue butterfly using the medium one on the Beautiful Butterfly die (SU/Sizzix).  I stamped a butterfly in the middle (Applalachian Arts) in blue and then highlighted the body and antennae with a black fine tip marker.  I colourwashed the edges and the inside of the stamped butterfly with blue green watercolour.  I embossed it with a script embossing folder (CB). I situated my butterfly on my card front with it wings folded and drew a line where I wanted it to come through the front of my card.  I cut a slot with my exacto knife as tall as my butterfly and then enlarged the opening with another cut. I used my Japanese Screw punch to round the ends nicely.  I adhered a piece of the same paper on the inside of my card so it coordinated with the one on the front.    I added a slim piece of 3D foam tape to the middle of my butterfly, closed my card and positioned it in the slot so the foam tape would adhere to the paper on the inside of my card.   

When its wings are spread it keeps the card closed.  As you fold the wings to each other the butterfly flattens sufficiently to slide through the slot as the card is opened.  It spreads its wings again on the inside of the card. I added a yellow ribbon to my card - across the inside with each end dipping around this piece from the front and back to the front to be tied with a double knot.  I flagged the ends.  I embellished my card front with 8 little yellow flower sequins inside the bottom hexagons. I adhered them with double sided tape.  I added a small piece of white paper on the inside where a message can be written.  The butterfly can be situated  perpendicularly or at a bit of a slant.  It worked out really well and it was fun to make this card!!  

I needed two cards because I have two exchange partners so I made another card using the same technique. For the card below I created the butterfly in the same way as my previous one  - just used a different colour to coordinate with my polka dot background (SU - digital - colour printed).  I chose to make my card in the landscape orientation.  I cut the slot as tall my my butterfly but as I opened it I realized that I could have cut it a bit shorter due to the arc of travel of the front which is shorter near the spine.   It is all good!!  I adhered a piece of the same paper on the inside and added a piece of white bond paper for the greeting.  I tied on a gray ribbon from the slot to the edge and tied a double knot.  I added three turquoise sequins and added yellow rhinestones inside them using tiny drops of white glue.  The 3D foam tape seems to be holding up quite well to the butterfly being folded and passed through the slot several times now.  

I have not been able to located the card which was my inspiration on Splitcoast.  Thanks to the person who posted this technique there a while back.  I realize now that it should have been a bee on the hexagon paper - that would have been more perfect!!  I expect the focal element could be a flower, a book, a doily, a wreath, etc.  Anything symmetrical would work well.  

Challenge yourself you make a card with a technique you have never done before!!  It works your creativity and your brain all at the same time.  Therese