Hope, Flowers and Butterflies card

Supplies: ribbon (W-M Christmas butterfly); flower (Michaels Harvest stems); stamp (Studio G); butterfly die and embossing folder (Cuttlebug); gold embossing powder, Krylon gold leafing pen.

Would you believe that background is actually a 5"-wide butterfly "ribbon" that Wal-Mart was selling this Christmas? I just mounted it onto burgundy paper. (I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this beautiful ribbon the day after Christmas, and I was more than happy to snatch it up!)

The flower came from a stem of flowers I got at Michaels when they put their harvest-themed merchandise to 90% clearance. I got several of these large flowers from each stem, so I was happy to get the bunch (around 10 stems, I think) for $0.60. To get the flower, I simply pulled the bush apart. If you're in the floral business, it might sound horrific to tear apart a bush of flowers, but it's a great way to get big, beautiful flowers cheap if you're using them on cards. :)

The stamp is a new one I found in the Michaels $1 bins. I was fortunate enough to be browsing just as they were putting the new stuff out. I got quite a bit of the $1 things, and I'm glad I picked them up when I did because there wasn't much left of some of it two days later!

I borrowed my friend's butterfly die and embossing set the last time she visited, and I made a bunch of these butterflies since I love them so much. I love easy things, and it doesn't get any easier than these butterflies! They're on my wish list, but I have to find someone that sells them first. There's no Hobby Lobby in my state.

For this butterfly, I pressed the white butterfly onto my VersaMark pad, heat embossed with gold embossing powder, and then colored the remaining white in the background with a coordinating burgundy marker.