ID: Vera's Journal "Butterflies are Free" 

closed: 7"w x 5"h

Created: May 9, 2008
Modified: June 13, 2008
Vera used a white, slightly heavier than text weight paper and coil bound it. I started out by drawing the fairy with over sized butterfly wings. Used colored pencils to color them in. Rubber stamped the flowers (Stubby Stampers #2754 & 3718) along the bottom with a  black stamp pad and used Sakura gel pens for the violets and Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils for the wild flowers. Added some yellow and orange Stickles centers. Masked off the fairy and rubbed Pan Pastels in a greens around the bottom area and pinks/violets in the top area. After the quote was written, rubber stamped the 2 little butterflies (Stamp-It #SISET-010) with Color Box multi stamp pad, and the large butterfly (Evolving Images Plate #63) with black stamp pad, then clear embossed all three. Colored in the larger one with some watercolor pencils.

Wrote in my quote using a Hunt 56 nib and Moon Palace Sumi ink. Now this was the hard part, because even after fixing the Pan Pastels they were still (a little) erasable, so I couldn't draw pencil lines to do my calligraphy (and then erase them when it was dry). The previous page had opaque pics on it so I couldn't use a light under that to see my lines. Dilemma... So I pulled out my Phantom Liner which I've only used a couple times before. Only problem was the pages were raised since they're in a journal, and they weren't flat, flat, so that was extremely difficult. Sheesh, not something I would try again.

Quote: If we opened our minds to enjoyment, we might find tranquil pleasures spread about us on every side. We might live with the angels that visit on every sunbeam and sit with the fairies who wait on every flower. Samuel Smiles

Mailing Envelope

I used a Rollagraph (#9335 Modern Butterfly), and loose butterflies from (Stamp-It set above). Used the multi Color Box stamp pad and clear embossed everything. Swiped some Pan Pastels over the top area in blue and pinks.