Monday, 6 June 2016

Beautiful Sunflowers card tutorial with Crafter's Companion.

Hello crafters,

I hope it is sunny where you are too. I'm still not 100% but I have been so very bored. I feel slightly better and hope that continues in the right direction. My craft stash has been calling out to me and missing me I think (and I've missed it in return), so crafting therapy it was....

I've been wanting to play a bit more with my Downton Abbey dies from Crafter's Companion and the Sunflower stamps from Sheena, so I decided to combine the two.  Sunflowers are so very jolly and they always make me smile.


This project began by taking a 6x6" card and cutting the Classical Edge from the Downton range in to the lower section of the card blank. A musical embossing folder, that came with the Crafter's Inspiration magazine and die cutting a Prestige sentiment,' Be your own kind of beautiful.' I also took an A4 sheet of kraft card and sprayed it with gold ink.

I decided I did not want to cut away the bottom section as the lace edge would then hang loose like a curtain above this and I could add some yellow Distress Ink to this lower part to complement the sunflowers.
A panel of Kraft card was cut and inserted inside the card blank, behind the die cut lace.  A second smaller piece was then cut for the front top section, the bottom of this was edged with golden polka dot ribbon.


The Sentiment and Downton opulent corners were embossed with gold powder. I then took a Versa Mark pen and drew along the bottom edge of the lace trim so I could highlight this with gold embossing powder too, to tie the design together. Scattered Straw Distress Ink was lightly wiped over the lace with a sponge and below and around the remaining white portion of the card.

Then I turned to Sheena's Wonderful Day stamp and die set. These are called 'Perfect Partners' as they fix exactly. After being cut and embossed, the Sunflowers were then stamped. The best way to do this is have your stamp inked up and take your die cut to the stamp face down and line it up. I used Memento Rich Cocoa as I wanted them to compliment the colour scheme and look more natural.


The flowers were then coloured with alcohol pens, the centre was darkened with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. Crafter's Companion AquaBlend pencils were used on the leaves. 

I gathered everything together to arrange the design. The white card which was embossed with the musical folder was coloured with Tea Dye Distress Ink and a touch of Scattered Straw. I used a technique on the edges that I suddenly thought of a while ago and use quite regularly to age something.  No one showed me how to do this, it was just one of those Eureka moments, I tried it and it worked and I liked the results and always return to this when required. I also glittered over the top with a Memento Galaxy Gold ink pad. 


Crafty Tip: 

If you want to age something, make the paper look old, this is a good and easy method. Tear the edges of the paper gently towards you. Always tear towards you and then you get the rough edge on the top side (the right side) of your paper or card. Use Distress ink, Tea Dye is generally best for this. Then take a dark brown alcohol pen and flesh coloured/natural alcohol pen.  Firstly, run the chisel end of the brown pen over the rough edges, side on, not over the top, you only want to catch the ends. Then after you have done all the sides like this, do the same with the flesh coloured pen over the top. This will then blend the colours and leave you with something that seems as if it is burnt on the edges. How dark you make this is up to you. 


You can't really see it in the photograph above but I cut out the sentiment a second time in dark brown card and used it as a shadow beneath the gold one. This added depth and lifted it forward from the background. I doubled layered the main sunflower too as you can see (glued flat.) The side blooms have foam tape underneath them.  I added the bow and then white pearls to match the ribbon and bring the design together.  Brown gems were added to the centre of the flowers. I realized again whilst making this card, I really must get some dark brown liquid pearls for the middle of blooms!  Note to self: Must remember to get brown liquid pearls!  (Let's see how many more times I forget... several more at least no doubt...part of being a crafter too many things to think about! lol) 

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial. I think this is the kind of card that could bring sunshine into someone's life all year round. Perfect to put in a frame and keep. :)

Crafty items used from Crafter's Companion:

Musical embossing folder
Downton Abbey Classical Edge die
Downton Abbey Opulent Corners die set
Sheena Douglass Wonderful Day Perfect Partners stamp and die set
Die'sire Prestige die Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful
AquaBlend pencils

Other crafty bits:

Distress Inks : Tea Dye and Scattered Straw
Memento inks: Rich Cocoa and Galaxy gold
Versa Mark ink pad and pen
Papermania fine Gold embossing powder
Kraft card
Gold spray ink
Gold Polka dot ribbon
Brown gems
White pearls
Foam tape.


Adele
x









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