Touchable Sunflower

 

Flourishes is having a Textures of Nature challenge this week, and to play along you need to create something with an outdoorsy texture in mind--or use an element from nature as part of your design. I used the 3-D Paper Piecing tutorial on SplitcoastStampers, to learn a new technique, and to give a bit of texture to a stamp from the Flourishes Sunflowers stamp set.

For some "nature texture," I embossed a woodgrain design on cs that had an image of wooden planks on it, then sanded the embossed areas (although I ended up covering most of it up!). Then, I stamped the largest Sunflower image 3 times, coloring the sections I needed for each layer, and cut all the petals apart. I don't have the glue that is recommended in the tutorial, but I substituted a transparent Pearl Pen since they don't flatten out like other adhesives, and it seemed to work pretty good. I also cut out the tiny part of the leaf that is curled up, as well as the ladybug, to make them 3-D, too.

I wanted to use that pretty patterned grosgrain ribbon, so it became my color palette. I layered a couple of patterned papers, distressing and sewing the teal one, and punching the edges of the yellow one. The sentiment, from the Inside & Out You stamp set, is heat embossed.

You can see the cute little ladybug, as well as the layers, better here. For the center of the sunflower, I used Sparkly Fluff, with a little bit of Distress Stickles in the center-most point. The sparkle doesn't show up well in the pic, but those little light colored specks in the dark brown Sparkly Fluff are actually pieces of fine glitter. They are so pretty IRL. And, I can't pick this card up without touching all those different textures on the flower! Very cool! 

Try as I might, I just couldn't get a good picture of the leaf, but I promise, it looks 3-D. When my daughter first saw this card, she thought the leaf was the "coolest" part because she thought I had found a way to get the leaf curled over on the paper. :) It took her a sec to see that it was paper pieced. 

I stamped another sunflower image from the same stamp set in a yellow pigment ink and added a bit of ribbon to the top of the panel on the inside.

If you haven't seen the Textures of Nature Challenge at Flourishes yet, you should head over there right now and check it out! The entire June stamp release is up for grabs, and the challenge is open until June 14, so there's still time to participate. Go. Now! :)

And, Have a Spectacular Day!

I'm entering this card in the following challenge:
Flourishes Textures of Nature Challenge (FLLCJUN13)

~Hugs,

 

Stamps: Sunflowers, Inside & Out You (Flourishes)
Paper: Reflections (Prima); Miss Caroline (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Copics; Memento; Distress; Versamark; Stampabilities
Dies: Exquisite Circles (Spellbinders)
Accessories: Scallop Diamond Edge Punch (EK Success); Woodgrain embossing folder (Sizzix); black embossing powder (Ranger); ribbon; lace; faceted pearls; Glossy Accents; Distress Stickles; Pearl Pen; Sparkly Fluff; Foam Dots; Sewing thread
Size: A2 (4.25: x 5.5")

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