Kim here today! Welcome to another Tuesday With The Team! I’m excited to share my project and technique, it’s a process that I find to be really satisfying and the results keep making me happy!

I LOVE making mono prints using my Ranger Gel Plates and all sorts of acrylic paints. I can get lost in creative play for hours during this process and life stress just melts away. When I make my prints, I most often use plain computer paper, the finished page is thin, which I like!

I take my favourites and scan them into my computer, this allows me to use them in so many ways. I will often print four to a page on a nice sturdy card stock, they are perfect for card bases!

I store them all in a ziplock bag and pull them out often for card making and mixed media projects.

For this card, once I choose my background, I added some text to the left side using Stampers Anonymous Entomology set. This adds some extra visual interest to the background.

Next I stamped a butterfly from the Stampers Anonymous Specimen set using black Archival Ink. I try to place focal points on projects using the rule of thirds, I rarely have a subject front and centre. This stamped image will act as a guide for another step.

I use my colour wheel quite a bit. In order to have my subject POP off the background, I want to use colours on the opposite side of the wheel.

Next, I stamp my butterfly on my chosen mono print, this time using Black Soot Distress Oxide. I like this step to be on thin paper [remember my mono prints are done on computer paper] to achieve the look I want. I embossed using Hickory Smoke Distress Embossing Glaze.

Next, I use my small Tonic Studio scissors to cut out my butterfly. Do not worry about the small details, but it is important to cut just inside the outline.

Time for the fun! Using a glue stick, adhere the cut butterfly to your card, keeping it within the edges of the first stamped image. Once in place it will appear to all be one layer and have people wondering how you did that!

Next is about finishing details. I used a black Doodler’s glitter pen from Zebra Pens to outline my butterfly, this darkens and unifies the parts. I also used it to draw over the details such as the antenna and legs. This may seem like an unnecessary step, but these little details are important. I used a couple of colours for little wing details and highlights.

Finding the right sentiment is always fun, Stampers Anonymous Tiny Text makes it easy to add the right words!

I hope you try out this technique, it’s so fun. I use monoprints that I have made, but the same process can be done with scrapbook papers or inked papers.

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