Sunday, October 18, 2009

Mosaic Monday: The Butterfly Inside

Today I have a card I submitted for publication, they were looking for sympathy or encouragement cards that did not have a greeting on the front. It wasn't accepted, but that's cool, now I can share it with you! :) I was really pleased with how it turned out. This is just one more variation on the caterpillar and butterfly themed cards I've done, but this may be my favorite: layering the caterpillar over the body with the butterfly behind it.Because the body of the butterfly and caterpillar (from "A Year of Leaves") are approximately the same size and shape this works a bit like a spotlighting technique even though they are too different images, but what it represents to me is that the butterfly is already contained inside the caterpillar, as our potential for what we can become is already planted inside of each of us, right now.

"Inspiration Mosaic" is stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black on Pure Luxury White and trimmed exactly on the border. I colored a few boxes and the border in a pale blue Copics to match the iridescent facets of the butterfly wings. Butterfly is accented with Stardust Stickles. Cardbase is Soft Sand.
Here is the inside of the card. The quote from "A Year of Leaves" is stamped in black over the versmarked butterfly from "Take Flight" to match the front.

I remember a wonderful story I read while researching Michelangelo for a report in junior high. Though I cannot find the exact quote now, the story went like this: when asked one time how he created such amazing sculptures, he replied that sculpting was the art of "taking away"and said something to the effect of: "God already put the sculpture in the marble. It is just my job to remove the rock around it."
(Sounds to me like a grand approach for life in revealing our true selves...)
I hope this inspires! Have a blessed week! :)

13 comments:

  1. Very nice philosophical approach and great idea in the whole card. You are a genius!! Love it much!

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  2. Wonderful Card!!! Love the idea!
    Jan Castle

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  3. This is an awesome idea! Not that I have any caterpillar stamps, but if I did....
    I laughed a little when I saw what your philosophy was - mine was completely opposite! :) No matter how far we've come from our beginnings, they're always inside us.
    This was just a stunning concept from beginning to end - can't figure out why they wouldn't want to publish it!

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  4. That is such a clever idea for spotlighting. I love it!!!

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  5. This is beautiful Melanie! I love the spotlighting with the caterpillar...really shows what our individual potential is (at least that is how I interpret it) :o) Love the inside too!

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  6. love this so creative and pretty
    Hugs
    Norine

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  7. I love it this way! To me, I use the butterfly/caterpillar to represent how we completely change when we accept Christ as our Savior...and on a less "deep" message, how we are constantly changing in our life!
    These are two of my favorite stamp sets!

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  8. I just love your cards. I always look to your blog for inspiration.

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  9. Lovely concept, Mel.
    I copied this quote for you, thought it may be the one you were referencing: "In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it."(Michelangelo).
    What an amazing person to be able to see the good and potential in others. Hugs

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  10. I liked this as soon as I saw the caterpillar over the butterfly. I knew just what you were "saying" with it this way!! You rock!

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  11. another awesome idea...love the caterpilla in the middle.

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  12. Their loss is our gain. What a glorious card.
    TFS
    Helen
    Firneze Cards

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