stamp camp swaps

Some of you know that recently I attended a demonstrator Stamp Camp in Rotorua. I made butterfly necklaces/pins for my swaps. I have to say my first attempt at these was a bit of a disaster and I was seriously running out of time to make them (mainly because I had left it to the last minute and I needed to prep for the class I taught at Camp also). I had a few rejects from further attempts too so I had none to give my fellow demo teachers as well as none left over to show my club people or to blog, so I had to make some more last week. The thing about trying a new technique is that the more often you try it, the better you become at it, and often you find better ways of doing it.

Anyway, these are my latest butterfly necklaces.

Thanks to  Bekka Prideaux for the idea and the instructions for these little gems.

I think I still need a little practice as I think hers were a lot better than mine but practice makes perfect as they say.

If you would like to have a go at making these, you will need thick acetate, Stampin" Up!'s Crystal Effects, reinkers and shimmer paint. I found the Crystal effects to be quite runny in warm conditions so this might be a good winter project. I did mine slighly differently to Bekka:
Runa piece of the acetate through the Big Shot using the small butterfly of the "Beautiful Butterflies" Bigz die to get your cut out butterfly. Puddle some Crystal effects on an old (no longer to be used for anything but crafts) saucer, drop on a drop of reinker and a small drop of shimmer paint, swirl with a toothpick and paint onto the butterfly. repeat with a different colour. Let it dry overnight and repaint with clear Crystal Effects and let it dry overnight again. Punch a small hole in the middle near the top (you can use a paper piercer). I prepared mine on the back of a cutting mat but I did get CE stuck to the mat. Dont be tempted to prep them on paper as the paper will not come off the back once dry.
I bought the necklace 'clips' (not sure of the correct term) from my lcal beading shop.