Whimsy Stamps ~ Purple Sunflower

Hi crafty friends, I'm back today with a card I really enjoyed making using a beautiful sunflower image from DoveArt Studios. Whimsy stocks quite a few of the wonderful images from DoveArt Studios, it's a great range, with a mix of central images and background stamps. I've loved this stamp for a long time and had it on my wishlist for what seems like forever and finally got it recently. I've stamped it three times in three different colours of Archival Ink, so I'll have a play colouring them all up, but here is my version number one, stamped with Plum Archival Ink, giving the green leaves, so interesting veins.

I had bought three new colours of Zig markers recently, so to try them out I used the Dark Peony on the flower head and Moss Green on the leaves and stems. I added a little Moss Green to the centre of the Sunflower too, but the Peony had taken hold there, so it just deepened rather than altered the hue too much. After I'd done the watercolouring, I let it dry, then came back an spritzed it lightly with a touch of Perfect Pearls dissolved in water. I'm not used to watercolour and didn't think it through, because of course it reactivated the watercolour and started to run a little, but it was a light spray happily, so didn't cause too much colour bleed. It does shimmer so nicely in the light! 

I did a short reel on my Instagram page to better show the shimmer, as stills never do shimmer justice. It needs movement. So if you'd like to, you can check that out here. I really am not confident with watercolour and I know I could have gone back and done another layer of colour perhaps, but I was so pleased with how it looked with a quick laying down of colour and the contrasting Plum coloured veins, that I stayed with just one layer of colour. I did add more colour to the centre of the sunflower, but not the leaves or petals. So it was a pretty quick make that considered.

I used a lovely Slimline embossing folder from Whimsy Stamps called Diagonal Dots to add a little texture and interest to the background panel. I hand-tore the watercolour panel I'd stamped the image on to get a bit of texture and interest to the edges and to show some of the lovely embossed details beneath. I decided to keep this quite simple and rustic, with just a few wraps of thin twine a simple bow and a sweet wee heart charm which reads 'made with love' on it.  I added the watercoloured panel to a top folding white notecard and paired it with a lovely metallic finish envelope I had in my stash in just the right shade to compliment the sunflower. I really love how this one came out, so may end up doing the others I've stamped in a similar way. I need to find my other Zig markers first for some colour options! Still a few things tucked away since our house move (yes it was 2 years ago, but you don't notice things are missing until you want to use them, hehe).

I hope you enjoyed seeing this sweet but simple creation. I'd love to know your 'rooky mistake' stories with watercolouring! Happily not a total disaster for this make. I will be back with another crafty adventure soon. Easter (and my birthday) is fast approaching! My birthday falls in the middle of the Easter weekend this year, a very early Easter it seems. 

If you missed our St Patrick's Day Hop, there's still time to come visit. If you don't have Instagram, we're including two of the St Patrick's Day Videos in the hop, which are over on YouTube on the Whimsy Stamps Channel. Tami and Bea are sharing their wonderful St Patrick's Day tutorials with us there. Hugs from me, see you again soon, Wends xoxo

(If you like any of the elements I've created with, I've added thumbnails to make your shopping easier. I do use affiliate links where possible, which gives me a tiny commission but costs you no extra whatsoever, though more importantly it helps the companies I design for to improve their marketing practice and track my contributions. I am deeply grateful if you use them for these reasons. I only design for companies whose products I absolutely love and buy for myself. My opinions are always my own.)

Challenge Entries:

The Little Red Wagon: #748 ~ Florals

Creative Inspirations Challenge: March ~ Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Easter or Spring. Here in New Zealand, our Easter falls in Autumn, so I've coloured up a Sunflower as Easter draws near, as they're everywhere here at the moment. I hope this will still be okay for the challenge theme.