There's a new [butterfly] in town. . .

I have to admit that I've been on a butterfly kick lately. Tonight there's a new sheriff--I mean a new butterfly--in town!  Do you know how long I spent cutting out around the antenna, punching circles in the wings, and dry embossing him?  (I'm almost embarrassed to tell you.) About three minutes. . . (Yes, way!)

What was the secret to my new-found speed? I cheated. Bet you didn't know that Spellbinders makes a butterfly rubber stamp set with a coordinating die that both cuts and embosses. How sweet is that? I see more curvy embossed shapes in my future now that I know this. (See added note at bottom about compatibility with Cuttlebug, Big Shot, and Big Kick.)

The Celebrate! sentiment is from PaperTrey's Little Lady. I'm very fond of that font with the mixed upper and lowercase--whimsical with a touch of class. The butterfly, one of a set of four from Spellbinders (linked above), is stamped in So Saffron ink. I used a Marvy Mega scalloped punch for the butterfly's base, and a Super Jumbo circle punch for the burgundy layer. Patterned paper is Basic Grey Perhaps collection in the 6" x 6" size.  I zig-zagged on my sewing machine, whose tension adjustment settings have seen better days. . . Clear rhinestones are Hero Arts Gemstones that I picked up at that stamp convention a few weeks ago. Bright silver brads are from Cindy Lyles. Finished size of the card is 4-1/4" square.

A couple of you have written to ask when my new SU preview stamps will be here. I ordered right after midnight on June 1, and they shipped today.  It takes UPS seven days to get to the U.P. of Michigan, so I'm hoping for next Monday.  Until then, I'll just keep enjoying them vicariously through the SCS galleries. Thanks for visiting!

Edited to add: Many of you asked if the Spellbinders dies are compatible with a Cuttlebug; the official short answer is yes.  Here is a Cuttlebug sandwich:

Using the CuttleBug ™ to cut and Emboss Spellbinders® Style Dies:

Cutting Sandwich-

  ( Stack from bottom up )

1. A plate
2. C plate
3. Spellbinders die face up ( rough side up)
4. paper or cardstock
5. B plate
6. run through Cuttlebug machine.

Embossing Spellbinders Dies in the Cuttlebug- ( Stack from bottom up )

1.      A plate

2.      B plate

3.      die face up (with die cut still in die)

4.      3 pieces of cardstock

5.      1 Spellbinders tan polymer mat

6.      2^nd B plate

Run through Cuttlebug machine.

Below you will find the instructions for using Spellbinders dies with the most common die-cutting machines. Hope this helps!

Download big_kick_machine.doc

Download big_shot_by_ellison_design.doc

Download using_the_cuttlebug.doc