Butterflies are free

Fashionable Stamping Challenges has a challenge going on -  Use Your Inks Any Way You Like. Since they're all about stamping, the main focus has to be on your stamping.

I have some small, empty tins - about 2.5" x 1.75" - and decided to use one as my base. I covered it with clear gesso & found it dried whitish which was fine.

Then I got my stamps & ink together. I had a cute stamp with a couple of butterfly girls which was perfect because I wanted to use a new set of stamps I got from Sin City Stamps called Love of Butterflies.  

I went over the tin with a couple different Art Alchemy waxes before putting everything together and the result, I think, is whimsical & fabulous! 

I stamped the girls on a scrap piece of patterned scrapbook paper, did some fussy cutting, & colored it in with some oil water colors. Some areas of the tin had some thicker areas of gesso which gave it a little texture inside. And look at the patterns within those butterflies - gorgeous! 

I used various sizes of the butterfly stamps & stamped them on regular cardstock with different ink colors and cut them out, adding some ink around the edges. I then mounted them with foam squares. Also added some word phrases. 

On the back, I used a larger butterfly stamp, using first a shade of blue & then stamped over it with black. I drew on some antennas then lightly went over it with a little Art Alchemy wax for some shine and color contrast.  I also used black ink around the tin edges and various areas to grunge it up a little. 

This stamp is so gorgeous - it has writing within the butterfly. 

This little project packs a punch - dimension, color, texture - and most importantly for the challenge, stamps & inks!