Jo's Crafty Place: Steampunk Dreams - Cut Out Butterfly Card

Steampunk Dreams
Cut Out Butterfly Card

This card has been created using a section of paper cut from this double sided 12x12 sheet - it uses a square section cut from the bottom, left corner. My card blank is 15cm square - I have added some ink around the edges before sticking my backing paper down.

Having cut out the square I've used a craft knife to cut around the wings of the butterfly, but not the body - so that the wings can be lifted.

I've also used a slightly larger section of the dark side of this paper as a mat layer behind the paper with the butterfly.

Once you have cut the 2 pieces of patterned paper to size, stick the darker paper down onto your card blank. Then use a craft knife to release the wings of the butterfly from the paper - it doesn't matter if you don't cut exactly on the line, but get as close as you can. As the wings will be lifted, you can trim any extra bits from the wings or the edge of the aperture and it won't be noticed.

Having cut around the wings, I've added some ink around the edges of the wings, and the opening where the wings have been released, and also in random areas of the paper, to give it an even more distressed look.

Before sticking the paper down onto the backing layer, add some foam pads to the back of the wings, as shown below. This will keep the wings slightly raised so that they don't become trapped in the opening.