Butterfly Flourishes: She Flies With Brave Wings

By Judi Kauffman for Quietfire Design

My friend Jane is nearing the end of her chemo and radiation treatments for breast cancer and I wanted to make her a little sign to hang in her kitchen to remind her how strong and brave she’s been! Suzanne Cannon’s Butterfly Flourishes die set captured what I wanted to express – it’s airy and upbeat.

I found some washi tape in my stash printed with the words ‘She Flies With Brave Wings’ that was just perfect with the die cuts. Since the tape has likely been discontinued there are several ways to get the same look: Computer-generate a sentiment and print onto vellum; use clear double sided adhesive tape on the back of the vellum. Hand-stamp or hand-letter the words onto ribbon, cardstock, vellum, or solid color washi tape.

Instructions:

1. Choose a color palette that pleases your eye and suits the occasion. Needed: Three Shimmer Sheetz colors and a coordinating piece of patterned paper. Shown: Background rectangle – Amethyst Gemstone Shimmer Sheetz; Small butterfly flourish and one large butterfly – Pink Iridescent Shimmer Sheetz; Second large butterfly – Light Blue Iridescent Shimmer Sheetz; Patterned paper – origami paper with cherry blossoms.

2. Back a 3” x 4” piece of origami paper or other heavy weight patterned paper with double sided adhesive sheet. Use the large flourish die from the Butterfly Flourishes set to die cut the origami paper.

3. Cut two 3.5” x 4.75” pieces of Shimmer Sheetz and put a piece of double sided adhesive sheet between them. Using the 4.25” x 3” die from the Dashing Rectangles set, cut the rectangle. Use a sanding block and very little hand pressure to lightly sand the front of the rectangle on the diagonal and again on the diagonal in the opposite direction. Dash lines are de-bossed on the front. Refer to the photo below.

4. Die cut the small butterfly flourish and one large butterfly from Pink Iridescent Shimmer Sheetz. Die cut the large butterfly a second time from Light Blue Iridescent Shimmer Sheetz. Bend wings upward on all three.

Reminder: A metal adaptor plate or Big Shot machine with Precision Base Plate is REQUIRED for die cutting Shimmer Sheetz. Review Els van de Burgt’s YouTube tutorial if you are new to this technique. (Place Shimmer Sheetz on metal plate, place die on top of SS with cutting side facing DOWN, then complete the machine’s cutting ‘sandwich’ as usual. Fun the piece through the machine twice before removing it from the die for best results.)

5. Arrange and adhere the large flourish, small butterfly flourish, and two butterflies (light blue on top) as shown. Use non-stick scissors to cut small snippets from Tombow Xtreme Adhesive Tabs to secure the small butterfly flourish and two large ones.

6. Add three-eighth-inch strip with sentiment across the bottom of the rectangle, just above the dashes.

7. Using an awl or piercing tool, pierce two holes at the top left and right, .75” from the sides and .25” from the top edge. Create a hanging loop with silk cord, metallic braid, or narrow ribbon, fed through the holes from the front and knotted at the back on both sides.

Supplies:

Butterfly Flourishes  Quietfire | ECD

Dashing Rectangles

Shimmer Sheetz in 3 colors of choice

Clear double sided adhesive tape

Tombow Xtreme Adhesive Tabs

Non-stick scissors

Origami paper to coordinate with Shimmer Sheetz

Awl or piercing tool

Sentiment strip (washi tape or other)

Silk cord, metallic braid or narrow ribbon And I found some washi tape printed with the words ‘She Flies With Brave Wings’ that was just perfect with the die cuts.