BUTTERFLY RETIFORM TECHNIQUE CARD

Happy Friday and welcome! Spring is on my mind going into this weekend - the time of new growth, flowers, gardening & yes - butterflies! I thought I'd celebrate by sharing this retiform technique card with you today! I'm going to break this into 2 parts - first, the technique itself, and then making this card.

RETIFORM TECHNIQUE

The basic idea is to add color to certain parts of your cardstock, while leaving one area, usually the center, the original color (white in this example) to highlight your image or phrase.

Supplies:

*MASK - 1 sheet 8 1/2" x 11" copy paper, folded in half (I used paper from my recycle bin)

*3 or more different shades of inkpads - a dark, a medium & a light (I used Palette ink pads - Starry Night, Beaux Arts Blue & Chartreuse)

*Sponges

*White CS (cut to 3 3/4" x 5" in example above)

Instructions:

1. Place mask (folded copy paper) over the CS diagonally, leaving the lower right corner exposed. With sponge, lightly add dark ink (Starry Night), until desired shade is achieved. When you remove the mask, you should see a colored triangle in this corner - see photo above.

2. Place mask over CS diagonally, leaving upper left corner exposed. Sponge dark ink onto exposed area until desired shade is achieved. Upon removing mask, you should see another colored triangle in upper left corner.

3. Place mask over CS diagonally, leaving the upper right corner exposed - you'll see a little dark ink at each edge, this is great. Sponge on medium ink (Beaux arts Blue). Remove mask and reposition so that only lower right corner is exposed, again with a little dark ink showing, and sponge on medium ink. When you remove the mask, you should see a white diamond-like shape in the center!

4. Now its time for the light ink (Chartreuse, light green). Position your mask so that you will be sponging from the upper left corner down through the upper third of the right side - see where the green shade is in the photo? Now sponge on the light ink. Reposition the mask so that you'll be doing the same thing in bottom third of left side to just above the lower right corner - see green ink in photo again.

5. Congratulations! You've created a retiform technique background!

TO MAKE THIS CARD

Now that you've created the background, the rest of the card is easy! I used the negative from Spellbinders Les Papillions Two die as a stencil for the butterfly in the white center space (you could also stamp an image here if desired). I lightly sponged ink using this stencil placed over the white space (the same dark, medium & light inks used to create the background).

Next, I randomly stamped "Just Because" with dark ink and stamped the "flutter by" phrase above & below the stenciled butterfly with dark ink also. Because I wanted a soft look, I sponged the dark ink around all the edges, then attached this to dark blue CS (4" x 5 1/4") as a matting. I attached a ribbon bow to the left of the butterfly (if you are going to punch holes to tie your bow on, now is the time ).

I stamped "Get Well Soon" with black ink on white CS, lightly sponged the edges with dark blue ink for a soft effect, and attached it to the lower right corner with pop dots, as shown in photo. And finally I attached this to a light green A2 card front! The last step was draw in antennae for the butterfly - I used a light green glitter glue, but you could also use a marker or a gel pen.

I could have stopped here and had a beautiful card, but you know me, I love bling! So I added little Icicle Stickles Glitter Glue "dots" randomly on the card, and little "spots" on the butterfly! This step is, of course completely optional!

Okay, so now it's time for you to head to your crafting table & practice this technique. Try using different color combinations - pinks & purples, blues & purples, red & orange, the possibilites are endless & limited only to YOUR imagination!

I'll be posting another retiform card later today - check back this evening or tomorrow to see it!  I'd love to hear from you to see what you've come up with! I hope I've helped to inspire your creativity today! Smiles, Laura