Hello Friends and welcome to the Creative Scrapbooker Magazine blog today. My name is Karan Gerber and I am thrilled to be here with you today sharing my first post. School for many started back this past week and with that, I am reminded that fall is right around the corner. What I most love about fall is the cooler temps; harvest season and the bright bold colors of the gorgeous Sunflower. Did you know that Sunflowers symbolize adoration, loyalty and longevity? This is one reason it makes them one of my favorite flowers to create with the long list of stamps and dies from Heartfelt Creations.

So let’s get on with the “You are my Sunshine” Card I created for my first post here. I used the papers, stamps and dies from Heartfelt Creations. The card base measures 7.5 x 5.5 on black cardstock. I cut one piece from the Classic Sunflower Paper Collection to 5.25 x 6.75. I then took a 6×6 and a 5×5 card panel from the collection and did the same distress and inking on the edge to all three papers.

I inked the edges with Vintage Photo distress ink from Ranger. and attach this to the card base as shown below.

Adhere the 6×6 and 5×5 panels on top of this as shown below, i offset these to the left of the card base just to give some added dimension. Adhere each layer with foam adhesive.  Wrap some ribbon around the 5×5 panel and tie in a bow. Attach some gold thread and tie that in a bow and then I tucked in some Maya Road Trinket pins for extra embellishments. Cut out the Botanic Window Die on black cardstock and cut out the center piece using paper from the Classic Sunflower Collection.

Stamp out three sets of the classic rose vine using Archival Coffee Ink from Ranger on white cardstock. Using the coordinating die, cut these out using your die cutting machine. Once cut out, color with peeled paint distress ink also from Ranger. I use finger daubers to color most of my die cut stems and flowers.

Using a clear block stamp out 2 sets of the classic sunflower on white cardstock, using coffee archival ink from Ranger. Using a finger dauber color the flowers starting with Vintage photo in the center, a light outside color of rusty hinge and outside edge of the flowers with Fossillized Amber all from Ranger. I find using these three colors for the sunflower makes it look much more realistic when its all put together.

Now turn all the die cut sunflowers over and lightly mist the back of them with a mini mister. The reason we do this, is the water releases the starch in the paper, making it easier for us to manipulate the paper and mold it to our liking. Once the paper dries, the starch will dry and make our flowers stiffen. This also allows them to maintain their shape. I always begin shaping from the back of the flower.

I then flip the flower over and shape a bit from the front. I am using Heartfelt Creations Deluxe Flower Shaping Kit to do this With the sunflower, you an also take the flower in your hands and lightly pinch the tips of them to add more texture to them. I adhere two flowers together and on top I add Art Institute dries clear in the middle and use Root Beer Seed Beads in the center and I shake off the excess into my bead tray.

The adhesive in above photo was not yet dry when this photo was taken, but this is what it will look like when its still wet, don’t fret, the dries clear, will, dry clear. Attach the Botanic Window to the right on the 5×5 card panel, cut apart the Classic Rose vines so you have three pieces from one die cut and tuck these in randomly around the Window Die. Attach your sunflowers as shown and tuck in some added classic rose vines underneath the sunflowers. To add detail to my flowers and leaves, I used Glue Gloss from Clearsnap which I find is perfect for Crystal Clear Powder. Just don’t mistake this little bottle of adhesive for lip gloss. (wink*) This just adds texture and detail to your finished project and my finished card. Most people ask me, how can you put this in an envelope, well, you cant. You would need to create one using the 123 Punch board from We R Memory Keepers, or I always have clear boxes on hand to hand deliver or attach to a special Gift. Hope you have enjoyed my card with you today.
Please feel free to drop on by my blog : My Heart on Paper

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