Thursday, April 7, 2011

Spring may have Sprung!

This is a picture heavy post!  Be warned!
Spring is trying hard to come out and it definitely is influencing me.  My friend Marsha just had her birthday and I made her a beautiful spring lantern to celebrate it.  This is my first attempt at a lantern and I think it turned out just wonderful.  (Remember, this is paper.  Use a flameless candle)!

Isn't this just gorgeous?!  The tutorial that I started with for this lantern is on 'From my Craft Room'.  I did some changes, ie:  windows in all 4 sides, slight changes in size, added a shelf with a holder for the flameless candle inside the lantern, etc.  The basic frame is almost the same though. 
This beautiful butterfly is one of my new dies from Mariannes Creatables.  (see last post for another die cut from Mariannes).  I cut it out of white cardstock and colored it with my copics.  All of the flowers are cut out with my cricut, shaped, sponged and assembled with brads.  All of the leaves are a sizzix die cut.

The ribbons are from Michael's.  The papers and brads are from my stash.  The windows all have acetate (fastened on the inside with ATG adhesive).  I use overhead transparencies for this.  To access the inside to place/replace the flameless candle, the top comes off.  Didn't Norma do an amazing job designing the top to this great lantern!? 

Including the top, this lantern stands close to 7 inches. 

I can't think of a better celebration of spring than flowers and butterflies.  What better way to say happy birthday to my friend!

This project may be entered in the following challenges:
Dream Valley Challenges:  Things with wings
Creative Cowgirls Challenge:  Spring or Easter
Sparkles Challenge:  Springtime
The Crafty Pad:  Flowers
I did it Creations:  Anything Goes
Bows and Berries:  Inspired by Nature
The Crazy Challenge:  Just add Flowers
Lollipop Crafts:  Make a box or a gift
There's Magic in the Air:  Lets use flowers
Clear it out Challenge:  Make a flower and use it
Papertake Weekly:  Anything Goes
Flutter by Wednesday:  Open theme, must have a buttlerfly, fairy or angel
Ambers Crafts and Such:  Try a new technique
Craft us Crazy:  Spring or Easter
Little Claire's Designs:  Celebrate Spring
Shannon's Sentiments:  Use an oval (the windows)
So Artful Challenges:  April Showers bring Spring flowers
Allsorts Challenge:  Bloomin' Blossoms
DYSU:  Follow the Yellow Brick Road
TSB:  Monthly Challenge




38 comments:

brenda said...

What a pretty lantern Gale, so different and packed with Spring elements.

Thank you so much for sharing your lovely creation and joining in my Bloomin’ Blossoms theme at Allsorts this week.

B x

There's a Stampalot voucher up for grabs here

Dawn said...

Such a wonderful creation! I bet your friend was over the moon!
Thank you for sharing it with us at the Crafty Pad for our flowers challenge!
Good luck with all your challenges!
Hugs
Dawn xx

Cindy Groh said...

What anamazing lantern. That butterfly makes me happy too. Fabulous project and thanks for joining us this week at I Did It Creations. We hope you will join us next week too.

Lisa said...

What a sweet lantern! And how creative! Thanks for joining us at Papertake Weekly :)

Jeanette said...

Hello Gale, You lantern is so beautiful. It is a lovely Spring project. Your friend is going to just love it. Thanks for being Soartful this week.

Rachel B said...

Wow! This lantern is so amazing! I am going to go check out that tutorial next! I love that fabulous butterfly! I love all your flowers too! Thanks for sharing with us at Clear It Out!

Gina said...

This is a fabulous project Gale! Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for joining in at Creative Cowgirls :D XXX

Louise said...

This is so pretty Gale, well done!
Thank you so much for joining us at Little Claire's Designs x

Choccy said...

A beautiful creation. Your lantern is stunning.
Thanks for sharing with us at One Stitch At A Time for our 3D challenge. Good Luck !
Choccy x

Lionelsa said...

Great project.
Thanks for joining us at The Crazy Challenge!

Linda said...

WOW you have created a very stunning project!!
Thank you for joining at Paper Cupcakes this week.

Robin said...

wow! Look at the detail and work that went into this! Thanks so much for playing with Bows and Berries!
Robin

WencheP said...

Gorgeous! What a fabulous project! Thanks for joining us at Do You Stack Up.

-Wenche

Norma said...

Gale, your Spring lantern is gorgeous. It’s a fabulous idea. All the changes are wonderful. Marianne’s butterfly is beautiful—must add that to my wish list…LOL. I’m a flower person too, so I love your gorgeous hand-made flowers. Oh, you’ve done such a beautiful job with your spring lantern. I love it!!!

Hugs,
Norma

Anonymous said...

WOW, absolutely stunning, love all the attention to detail..

Thanks for joining us at SFC.

Huggies Angel

Zulma said...

Beautiful proyect Gale! lovely idea for spring. Pretty colors, flowers and butterflies. Thanks for the tutorial link. I'm going to try this.
Thanks for playing with us at Lollipop Crafts this week, good luck!
Zulma

Natasha said...

Amazing. What a wonderful project. Thanks for playing along at Amber's Crafts and Stuff.

Natasha
Crafting Pal - www.amberscraftsandstuff.com

Barbara said...

Gale, you are right...this lantern is gorgeous. I am sure that your friend will be pleased. I would love to try making one of these soon. Thanks for joining us at The Creative Cowgirl for our "Easter/Spring" Challenge. We hope to see you again on Sunday for our next challenge. XX

Gloria Westerman said...

How clever and adorable.....I love it....awesome job.....will have to go and check out your tutorial site for this....thank you so much for playing with us at PCC.....

Alexeya said...

This is a great project. Love the swirls and butterflies. Perfect for our B&B nature challenge. Nicola, DT

downrightcrafty said...

Beautiful creation thank you for sharing with us at the SCSC
Hugs Kate xx

Electra said...

It IS absolutely gorgeous!!

Unknown said...

oh these are wonderful! love it! love it!!
thank you so much for sharing at Clear it Out!

Julye said...

Wow I do think this is clever I wouldn't know where to start, thanks for sharing with us all at OSAAT and good luck.

Anonymous said...

OMG....this is amazing!! Thanks for playing along with our Sentiments challenge.

Gill McCall said...

WOW this is stunning - thanks for playing along in B&B insired by nature

Mel said...

Fab creation!
I would never have thought of making one of these for spring! Hmmm ideas hee
Thanks for joining in the fun at Dream Valley Challenges
Hugs Melly xxx

Guylaine Seyer said...

Beautiful !
Many thanks for joining us at Craft Us Crazy!

MissyB said...

HI,

Fab project, it's really lovely. Thank you for joining us at Little Claire.

missyb x

Linda Wescott said...

This is so lovely. Wonderful balance of embellishments, and a fantastic technique to try.Thanks for joining us at Amber's Crafts and Stuff's Die cut challenge this week, hope you see you back again. Hugs lin

aqualeiga said...

Wow, this is beautiful, I LOVE that butterfly! Thanks so much for joining us at THE CRAFTY PAD. Don't forget to check out the awesome prizes up for grabs in our altered CD competition! Hugs, Ali x

The Crazy Crafting Lady said...

This is awe inspiring for me. I am just so shocked that its made of paper!

Thank you for trying out a new technique this week and sharing it with us at Amber's Crafts and Stuff.

~*~Amber~*~
www.amberscraftsandstuff.com

The Crazy Crafting Lady said...

CONGRATS! Your project was picked as a finalist by FOUR of the Crafting Pals, so by majority rule, that makes you wht winner of our New Technique challenge at Amber's crafts and Stuff!

Hop on by our blog and pick up your winner blinkie and drop me an email if you'd like your small winner prize for the week, and check back at the beginning of May to see if you win the April grand prize!

Tammie Edgerton said...

Hey Gale, I just finished our taxes (very depressing *sigh*)...I decided I needed a pick-me-up before putting my laptop away. I'm glad I got to visit with you yesterday and your lantern is absolutely gorgeous! Hope to see you again soon!

ElizabethR said...

Absolutely gorgeous, your friend is one lucky lady! Thanks for sharing at Rainbow lady's challenge this week and good luck. Elizabeth x

Rainbow Lady said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rainbow Lady said...

wow super project Gale. Sorry spelt my name wrong lol thanks for sharing Love Cynthia x

Colleen said...

Wow - what a beautiful project! love all the flowers! Thanks for joining us as TSB!