Sparkle and Shine and graduation photos

Good morning to you all, it's time for our new challenge at Allsorts and this week Susan has chosen the theme 'Sparkle and Shine'. Our sponsor is Stix 2.

We had a very special day in Cambridge this week when Zachary graduated gaining a First with Honours in History and below are a few photos of the day, not that clear I'm afraid as they were taken on my phone, but will still make their way to the family album.

I also have my card for the new Butterfly Challenge where this time round it is H for Hoops and/or Harebell along with your Butterfly.

Above is the card I made for our Granddaughter Amelia's 21st Birthday in the Summer and as she is a pink girl I had to indulge her passion for her special day. The focal image is a Sweet Poppy stencil designed by the talented Tracey Dutton of Lavinia stamps.

I started by masking the sun and sponging the sunrays........pink ones of course in this fantasy world of mine and Amelia's it seems as she loved it. Next a Penny Black stamp to add some blossom across the top with sparkle added to the blossom.

Then I stenciled the Fairy image using white texture paste and added more pink glitter over the whole and  a few Lavinia toadstools stamped on the bottom. The sentiment is computer generated, an TL embossed panel and some pretty ribbon which I bought in Worthing when we were staying with one of our sons and DIL..........like me she loves ribbons and took me to a gem of a shop which was like an Aladdin's cave of ribbons and fabric.

With Azaria (she graduates from Cambridge next year) and Anysia (she graduated from the same uni last year)

Zachary (sorry about the background, was taken in Cambridge Grand Arcade wandering between robing and the ceremony)

The class of 2016, Zachary second from left

Now for my Butterfly share and I was certain I had a Harebell (Campanula) stamp but I drew a blank searching my draws and boxes but I did realise after making my card that the flowers in the pink card at the top are probably Harebells. So I just went with the colour along with some hoops and of curse the Butterfly. I started with a piece of 600gsm Fabriano and sprinkled lots of water, Brushos and pearl mica and allowed the colours to blend.

Next I used tops from embossing powders and dipped them into distress ink and 'stamped' them onto the background, followed by some stenciled circles using a white ink pad. The main image is a really old wooden stamp called Filigree Butterfly from The Artful Stamper, this must be at least fifteen years old and I was surprised to find it's still a stock item. I stamped the Butterfly a second time, coloured with the same Brusho's, added wire antenna and some white Frantage around the edge and decoupaged. 

The sentiment is from Inkylicious and as the words overlap I used a post it to mask first the top and then the bottom as I stamped so that it was split into two, then more Frantage around the edges of both the sentiments and main piece before assembling.

Happy weekend all.