Bold daisy

I have a bad crafty habit of getting excited about new stamping products, buying said products ... and then not using them. Sometimes it's because orders arrive when I'm busy with other projects or commitments and just can't put new stamp sets or dies to use right away. Other times it's because I get "crafter's block" and can't quite figure out what to make. But regardless of the reason, I want to get better at using all the supplies I have. To that end, I decided to set myself a goal to use five "new" products -- stamp set, die, stencil, etc. -- every month. The Mondo Gerbera Daisy stamp set was one of those products.

Supplies:
Stamps: Mondo Gerbera Daisy (Essentials by Ellen)
Paper: Thick Whisper White, Whisper White card stock; Golden Honey Specialty Designer Series Paper (DSP) (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); colored pencils - PC922, PC1003, PC1034, PC908, PC909, PC935, blender pencil (Prismacolor)
Accessories: Mondo Gerbera Daisy dies (Essentials by Ellen), Iridescent Sequins Assortment (Stampin' Up!), Citrus assortment sequins (Craft Medley), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute), foam tape (3M)

This bright orange daisy against the bold black and white stripes just makes me happy! And since I'm also trying to work on my coloring skills (not intensely, but here and there), I pulled out some colored pencils and got to work.

I used two shades of orange and a bit of yellow to color the flower petals, and then I used black to add some shadows to the "nooks and crannies." This is a tip that Kathy Racoosin talks about during her coloring classes and challenges. I had never tried it before, but it really does make a difference. (I'm not sure if I added enough black; I didn't want to overdo it on my first attempt.) I used the same technique for the flower center and stem and then cut it out using the coordinating die.

For the rest of the card, I used a heavy white card base and added a layer of black-and-white striped DSP. I adhered a panel of white card stock in the middle of the card and used foam tape to add the die-cut flower. I stamped the first part of the sentiment at the top of the white panel and the rest on a small banner that I placed at the bottom of the card. A few sequins were the perfect finishing touch.

Thanks for stopping by!