Heartfelt Creations Alumni Design Team Blog Hop

Today is our last Heartfelt Creations Alumni Design Team Blog Hop for 2013.  There are 14 designers participating this month to give you a lot of inspiration using your Heartfelt Creations stamps, dies and design paper.

Would you like to win a $25 gift certificate from Heartfelt Creations?  If you leave a comment on each designers blog hop post, before Friday, January 3 at midnight, you have a chance to win. A random drawing will be held from one of the blogs to determine a winner, which will be announced January 4th. Here are the links to the 14 blogs:

Glenda Brooks
Alissa Wells
Candy Slabaugh 
Vicki Dutcher 
Cibele Glazer 
Selma Stevenson (You are here)
Giovana Smith
Deneen Treble 
Caroline Duncan 
Lee Ann Barrett
Emilia van den Heuvel 
Linda Loew 
Mary Faus
Lisa Allen 

This has been a great year for so many beautiful Heartfelt Creations Collections.  The last release this year was the "Floral Key Collection".  This is a perfect set for lovely vintage cards/projects.   

I love how we can design so many beautiful cards by using a combination of stamps and design papers from different collections. Your design possibilities are endless!   I have used a variety of collections to design the above card. This is a 6x6" card. It was created layering two of the card panels from the "Floral Key" paper collection, for the background.  I used one of the stamps from the "Journey of Love Keys PreCut Set", colored it with Copic markers, and mounted it in the die cut heart from the  "Timeless Amour Die" set.  The sentiment and small key are part of  the "Burnished Key PreCut Set"  which were die cut with the "Burnished Key" die.  The flower was created using stamps from the "Sun Kissed Fleur" and "Open Vintage" PreCut sets.  They were die cut using the matching flower dies.  The leaves are from the "Delicate Asters PreCut Set".   The Butterfly is from the "Delicate Asters and Butterflies PreCut Set".  A piece of lace and some rhinestones were added to complete the card.

The next stop in the blog hop is to Giovana's blog.  Be sure to leave a comment  below and all the blogs for a chance to win the $25 gift certificate from Heartfelt Creations.

Below are direct links to the Heartfelt Creations products used:

Floral Key Paper Collection, HCDP1 238
Burnished Key PreCut Set, HCPC3569 
Burnished Key Dies, HCD741
Sun Kissed Fleur PreCut Set, HCPC3533
Sun Kissed Fleur die, HCD734
Open Vintage Floret PreCut Set, HCPC 3500
Vintage Floret Die, HCD727
Journey of Love Keys PreCut Set, HCPC3574
Delicate Asters PreCut Set, HCPC3494
Delicate Asters and Butterflies PreCut Set, HCPC3499
Timeless Amour Die, HCD728

Heartfelt Creations Floral Key Collection

 Hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas.   This year we are excited to spend  a week with all our kids and grandkids.  This hasn't happened for a long time.  Our oldest son had a three day delay in getting in because of bad weather but did arrive safely.  We are all going to be in ski country, in Canada, to celebrate my birthday in a few days.  I'm really looking forward to that.  I am also looking forward to the new year and hoping it will be a very healthy year for my family.  I have spent a lot of time in hospital waiting rooms this year; first with my husband, then my daughter had surgery three times with a very long recovery time for each one, my friend Pat had foot surgery last month, then Christmas Eve my granddaughter had to have her appendix out.  What a bad time to be in the hospital! I have tried to keep up with all my design work but it has been a very busy year.  I am looking forward to spending a lot more time being in my craft studio this next year.

I love working with the Heartfelt Creations Floral Key Collection stamps and dies. I thought I would show you one of the stamps that has a matching die that you can do so many things with.   The Burnished Key PreCut Set" can be used as a background stamp, as I used on the above card, but you can also stamp it and use the "Burnished Key Die" to cut out all the keys and locks.  How fun is that!  I used gold embossing powder on the above card for the background.  It was layered on a shiny gold card stock and placed on a red card.  The key with the flowers is one of the stamps in the "Journey of Love Keys PreCut Set".  It was colored with Copic Markers and attached with dimensional tape.

 This is a picture of the Burnished Key stamp set and the matching die.

Look at all these keys and locks you get with this stamp and die. To die cut the individual keys and locks, you stamp the  background stamp first.  Then use the die to create a template so you can place it over the stamped images in order to die cut all the pieces.  Emma Lou has videos on the Heartfelt Creations Blog showing how to do this if you are not familiar with this technique.   All these pieces coordinate with the stamps and images in the design paper collection.

Be sure to go over to the Heartfelt Creations Blog to see many beautiful cards created with the Floral Key Collection.

You can see the entire Floral Key Collection at this link.

Blog Candy Winner

I  want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and thank all of you who have followed my work and left so many wonderful comments.  I love hearing from you.  I appreciate all the comments you left regarding the Speckled Poinsettia Tutorial I did for Ellen Hutson's "the CLASSroom".  You are all so kind.  We have a winner for the Blog Candy.

Congratulations to JAN CASTLE.  Jan, Ellen will contact you for your address so she can send you the blog candy.

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:20Powered by RANDOM.ORG

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 Jan Castle said...

Perfect Selma....your poinsettias are sooooo real! But then, all the flowers you create are life like -every detail! Thanks for sharing!

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MERRY CHRISTMAS

Guest Designer for the CLASSroom plus Blog Candy

Ellen Hutson asked if I would like to be a guest designer for the CLASSroom posting a tutorial on how to use the product "GooseBumps" to create beautiful "speckled" poinsettias.  I am thrilled to do this.  Above is a picture of three different colors of  "speckled" poinsettias I created using the Susan's Garden Poinsettia dies and GooseBumps Clear Texture Spray.   

You will find a detailed tutorial on how I created these poinsettias, in Ellen Hutson's  the CLASSroom.  Please go over to see detailed instructions on how I used the GooseBumps and how I assemble the poinsettias.  I know you will have fun creating these beautiful poinsettias.

 Would you like to win the blog candy pictured below?  Be sure to leave a comment here on my blog for a chance to win the Susan's Garden Poinsettia dies, a bottle of GooseBumps, and the Susan's Garden Flower Tool Kit. Please be sure your comment has a way to contact you (email address) so we can contact you if you are the winner. Comments for this blog candy will be available for the drawing through Thursday, December 19th.  The winner will be announced on Friday, December 20th.   Ellen Hutson will mail these products out to the winner.

 

All the products I used to create these beautiful poinsettias can be purchased from Ellen Hutson, LLC.  Just click on the links below:

GooseBumps Texture Spray
 Color Catcher 
Susan's Garden Poinsettia dies
Susan's Garden Pan Pastels
PanPastel Sofft Tools
Sizzix, Susan's Garden Flower Tool Kit
The Ultimate Glue
Vintage Photo, Distress Stickles
Tea Dye, Distress Ink
Alcohol Ink Applicator Tool 

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Red Poinsettia

I have been so busy getting ready for Christmas. The tree and all the decorations are up, but I still have lots of baking I want to get done.   My whole family will be coming for a family reunion this year and I am trying to get lots of things ready before they start arriving next week.  I have also been working on other projects that will be posted later.  I will have a special post next Sunday I don't think you will want to miss. 

This card was inspired by a "leftover" from another project I am working on.  The colored frame behind the poinsettia is the die cut left after die cutting the Susan's Garden 1 7/8" Grid Works squares that will be used on another project.  I think the frame left from around the squares makes a perfect window that I could not waste.  Behind the Grid Works Frame, I added the Poppy Stamps, "Diamond Background" die cut.

The beautiful poinsettia was die cut using the Susan's Garden Poinsettia dies.  The flower was die cut using red card stock.  The petals were shaped using the Susan's Garden Flower Tool Kit.  On the tips of the stamens, I used both the green and yellow, Susan's Garden Viva Decor Paper Pens.    Behind the poinsettia I placed some Poppy Stamps Delicate Fern, Poppy Stamps Meadow Leaf, and Impression Obsession Pine Branches, for filler.  I love to add birds to my creations. Isn't that fat little bird, behind the poinsettia, cute!  It is an Impression Obsession Bird.  It was stamped on white card stock and colored with Distress Ink. It is an easy stamped image to cut out and mount with a Pop Up Glue Dot.  The poinsettia was also attached with a Pop Up Glue Dot.

You can purchase all the products I used from Ellen Hutson, LLC, by clicking on the links below:

Sizzix, Susan Tierney Cockburn, Grid Works, 1 7/8 inch squares, die

Susan's Garden Poinsettia dies

Susan's Garden Flower Tool Kit

Susan's Garden, Viva Decor Paper Pens

Memory Box, Delicate Fern

Poppy Stamps, Meadow Leaf

Poppy Stamps, Diamond Background

Impression Obsession, Bird stamp

Impression Obsession, Pine Branch die

Pop Up Glue Dots

More White Poinsettias

When I use my Susan's Garden flower dies, I always die cut a lot at one time.  I use a 80# card stock and usually can layer three pieces of card stock on top of the dies so it doesn't take long to die cut a lot of pieces.  Another thing I like to do is use white card stock then color the flowers with Susan's Garden Pan Pastels.  When I have already die cut a lot of flower pieces in white, it makes it easy to color them any color I want.   I like to use the Pan Pastel Sofft Tools for a nice even Pan Pastel color coverage.   

I had a couple more white flowers, left from yesterdays post, that I created with the Susan's Garden Poinsettia dies, so I decided to design a card with them today.  I added a lot of Distress glitter to the flowers, leaves and stamen, to give them a Christmas sparkle.  The added glitter really dresses up the poinsettias.  When you create poinsettias with the Susan's Garden Poinsettia dies, they are always the  focal point and you don't really need to add much more to create a gorgeous card.  This is a 6x6" inch card and was very quick and easy to assemble. 

I posted this card November 22 using the Memory Box "Grand Merry Christmas" die.  I love this die for a Christmas card sentiment.  When you use this die, you don't use the die cut letters that spell "Christmas" . I didn't want the letters go to waste, so I used them on the card I designed today.  I laid the letters out on the top of the card for spacing, then added a little glue to the back of each one.   I really like the unused letters added as a sentiment on my new card.

The products I used can be purchased from Ellen Hutson, LLC:

Susan's Garden Poinsettia dies

Sizzix, Flower Tool Kit for Susan's Garden

Susan's Garden Pan Pastels 

Pan Pastel Sofft Tools

The Ultimate Glue

Memory Box "Grand Merry Christmas" die

Distress Glitter, Clear Rock Candy

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Christmas Window

 Today I have a Christmas card designed with another new die from the Susan's Garden Collection called "Conservatory Window".  It is a perfect background for the beautiful poinsettias you can create with the Susan's Garden "Poinsettia" dies.

The Window was die cut and backed with a piece of glittery pale yellow card stock.  In front of the window I added the pretty Memory Box "Glowing Candles" die.  The poinsettia was created using the three smallest petals in the Susan's Garden "Poinsettia" die set.  I love that you can create a variety of sizes of poinsettias with this set.   Behind the flower I placed four of the Poppy Stamps "Berry Sprig" die cuts.  This is a die cut that looks great on your Christmas cards but will also be used a lot with your spring and summer flower die cuts.  On the berries I added "Chipped Sapphire" Distress Stickles, to match the design in the paper.  Also behind the poinsettia are a few Impression Obsession "Pine Branches".   "Clear Rock Candy" Distress Stickles was added to the candles, poinsettia and greenery.  

 

Here is a closeup so you can see the glitter.

You can purchase the products I used below from Ellen Hutson, LLC.

Susan's Garden Conservatory Window

Susan's Garden, Poinsettia dies

Sizzix, Susan's Garden Tool Kit

Memory Box, Glowing Candle die

Poppy Stamps, Berry Sprig

Impression Obsession, Pine Branch

Distress Stickles Dry Glitter, Clear Rock Candy

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Heartfelt Creations Floral Key Collection

 Card #1

I have three cards for you today.  Do you need quick and easy cards for all occasions?  You are going to love the new Heartfelt Creations "Floral Key Collection" that is released today. This collection contains a neutral color palette with card panels, papers, stamps and dies that will enable you to create quick cards while achieving the "wow" factor. The Floral Key Collection is a set of key and lock stamps and dies with a paper pack that contains a variety of card fronts, 6" x 6" pieces and 12" x 12" layouts with borders and frames. It's a creative, fun exploration of the vintage spirit. The Floral Key Collection will unlock your imagination to creating incredibly beautiful, "fine art" cards.  You will want to go over to the Heartfelt Creations Blog to see a lot of gorgeous samples plus read about all the other activities going on for this Black Friday release.  Here is the LINK.

"

  Card #2

All three cards today were created with a card front cut from the Floral Key Design Paper Collection,  and embellishments were added to for dimension.  On card #1,  I used one of the 6x6 card fronts from the design paper.  For dimension, I stamped the lock and floral design using one of the stamps from the "Keys and Roses PreCut Set'.  The "lock" was cut out of the stamped design, colored, and attached over the  same image in the design paper.  It was attached with dimensional tape.  The dimensional flowers were created with the "Botanical Floral" stamps and dies. I was able to duplicate the same color for the die cut flowers as is in the design paper.

The second card was also created with a 6x6" square from the Design Paper Collection and two different Heartfelt Creations lacy die cuts added.  The design on the lower right side of the card was cut out from the design paper and dimensional flowers added.  It was attached over the "Decorative Butterfly Corner" die cut.  The top corner was pulled down to reveal a portion of the "Decorative Lattice Swirl" die cut. 

 Card #3

The third card was designed using a 5x7" panel from the design paper.  Plum Glitter was added to the flowers.  The glitter is not showing up very well in the photo.  The sentiment is a square from the Floral Key Collection that was layered on plum, and black card stock.   Glitter was added around the edges of the plum card stock. Each layer was attached with dimensional tape.   A bow was added to complete the card. 

You are going to love all the gorgeous cards you can create with this new collection.  Be sure to go over to Heartfelt Creations and see all the other cards posted for a lot of inspiration.

Heartfelt Creations Products used: 

  

Heartfelt Creations, Floral Key Design Paper

Heartfelt Creations, Keys and Roses PreCut Set, HCPC 3571

Heartfelt Creations Decorative Lattice Swirl Die, HCD 733

Heartfelt Creations, Decorative Butterfly Corner Die, HCD 730

Heartfelt Creations, Botanical Floral 1 PreCut Set, HCPC 3406

Heartfelt Creations, Botanical floral 2 PreCut Set, HCPC 3402

Rose Creations Shapeabilities

 

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Heartfelt Creations Alumni Design Team Blog Hop

 Heartfelt Creations Shadow Box

The Heartfelt Creations Alumni Design Team has a great Blog Hop for you this month.  There are 16 designers participating, which will give you a lot of inspiration using your Heartfelt Creations stamps, dies and design papers.  Would you like to have a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate to Heartfelt Creations?  All you have to do is visit each designers Blog Hop post and leave a comment.  You have until Friday, November 29th at midnight to leave your comments, then a random drawing will be held from one of the 16 blogs.  The winner will be announced at noon, Saturday, November 30th. 

Here are the 16 designers participating in this blog hop:

Caroline Duncan
Amarilys Doria 
Deneen Treble 
Vicki Dutcher 
Cibele Glazer 
Emilia van den Heuvel 
Giovana Smith 
Selma Stevenson  (you are here)
Alissa Wells
Linda M. Loew 
Lee Ann Barrett
Mary Faus 
Candy Slabaugh 
Glenda Brooks 
Linda Payne 
Lisa Allen 

I love working with the Heartfelt Creations design paper collections to create beautiful cards.  This month I decided to create a Christmas Shadow Box.  I used one of the beautiful pages from the "Frosty Blanket Collection" to create this box.  The  Heartfelt Creations design paper collections always come with 2 sheets, each of 24-double sided, 12x12 papers.  For this box I needed two identical sheets of design paper,.

 My finished shadow box is 6" square.  For the box, cut two pieces of white card stock 6 1/2" x 6".  Score down the 6 1/2" side, 1/4" from each end. Next, cut the design paper creating a 6x6" panel -- cut two identical pieces.  One will be used inside the box and the other on the top.     Next cut 1/4" strips for the sides of the Shadow Box.  Adhere the design paper to the "top of the box. 

 For the inside of the box, attach the other piece of design in the center.

 Next you need to cut an opening on the top piece, for a window into the shadow box.  I used my paper cutter to cut a 1/2" border along the top and bottom, and a 1" border along the sides. 

 This is what the top will look like when you cut out the center of the design.  Save that piece cut from the center - we'll use it later.

This picture shows the top of the box with the side panels glued on.

 Before I attached the two pieces together to create a shadow box, I used the piece of design paper that was cut out from the top to create dimensional elements.  I cut out the snow above the door, the wreath, the door knob, sled and the bunny and holly.  They were attached over the design inside the box with dimensional tape.  In the bottom of the box I attached the sled and bunny with dimensional tape on the top portion of the cut out and added glue at the bottom (so the bottom would blend in with the scene.  Glitter was applied to all the snow areas.

I used a piece of clear card stock over the "window".  It was attached inside the card with Scor-tape. 

Scor-Tape was added down the side panels and the box assembled.  On top I added  a poinsettia created with the Heartfelt Creations Petite Poinsettia PreCut Set and cut out with the Layered Poinsettia Die.  The sentiment is from the Heartfelt Creations "Christmas Sentiment Circles PreCut Set".   

It was really hard to get a good picture of this card because of the glare the clear card stock created.  I love how this card turned out.  

Your next stop on this blog hop is to Alissa Wells. 

Be sure to leave your comment below for a chance to win the $25 Gift Certificate from Heartfelt Creations.

Here are the links at Heartfelt Creations for the products used:

Heartfelt Creations, Frosty Blanket Design Paper

Heartfelt Creations, Christmas Sentiment Circles PreCut Set

Heartfelt Creations, Petite Poinsettia PreCut Set

Layed Poinsettia Shapeabilities dies

Clear Card Stock

Merry Christmas Pink Poinsettia and Pine Branch Tutorial

This pink poinsettia made such a pretty Christmas card.  I used Susan's Garden Poinsettia dies for the flower. I took this picture at an angle so you can see the great dimension of the poinsettia.  All the pieces for the flower were die cut using white card stock.  The petals were shaped using the Susan's Garden Tool Kit.  To get the beautiful shade of pink, I used the light pink in the Susan's Garden Pan Pastels to cover the petals using the Pan Pastel Soft Tools. Using these tools helps you get a quick, very even color coat to your project.   The bright pink Pan Pastel was used down the center of the large petals and over the majority of the smaller petals, in the center, to give it good shading. I used a Pan Pastel Sofft Mini Applicator to apply the bright pink along the vein. The stamens were colored pink then the Moss Green Via Decor Paper Pen, from the Susan's Garden 3-Pack was added to the tips of each stamen.  Soft Lemon Flower Soft was sprinkled on the wet Paper Pen.

 This is a 6"x6" card.  I used the Memory Box "Grand Merry Christmas" for the sentiment.  I love how this die cuts out the card stock around the "merry" and die cuts out the "Christmas" letters; it is such a cool effect!  You can save the "Christmas" letters to use at another time.  The piece of white card stock is 5" x 6" (to leave a border.  After die cutting the  "Merry Christmas", I placed the Sizzix, Brenda Walton Textured Trellis embossing folder on the portion under the die cut and ran it through my Big Shot.  I attached a piece of 6"x6" pink glitter paper to the 6"x6" card base, and then attached the sentiment piece over it.  To cover up the edge of the embossing, right under the die cut sentiment, I added a piece of the glitter paper.  Because the white piece was smaller than the card, it left a pretty glitter border along the bottom.

I love to work with the Impression Obsession, die cut Pine Branch because it is so realistic.  Below I have instructions on how I made it look even more realistic.

 Pine Branch Tutorial

 In this picture you can see the pine branch when just die cut.  I decided to use Tim Holtz, Distress "Pine Needle, embossing powder to give it texture.  The branch on the right has been embossed.

Hopefully you can see the difference in the plain branch on top and the embossed branch on the bottom.  The Pine Needles embossing powder is pretty dark and looks great with red or dark colored poinsettias.  I wanted to tone it down a little to be softer with the pink poinsettias.

In this picture, the first branch was just die cut.  On the second branch I used "Peeled Paint" Distress embossing powder. The bottle of embossing powder matching the embossed branch is above the branch so you can see the difference in color.  You need to cover the branch well with VersaMark Ink then cover with the embossing powder.  This Peel Paint branch is not exactly the color is wanted, so I decided to see what a combination of the two embossing powders would look like. On the third, from the left,  is a branch embossed with the "Pine Needles" embossing powder. On the branch on the far right, I pressed the branch down in the VersaMark Ink pad making sure ink was covering all the "needles" then sprinkled on a little of the "Pine Needles" embossing powder, shaking off the excess and putting it back in the bottle.  Next I poured over a good coat of the "Peeled Paint" embossing powder, pressing it in, then heat set it with the heat gun.  The shade of green came out in between the other two colors.  It looks perfect with the pink poinsettia.   I love the texture the embossing powder gave the pine branches  -- because of the texture, the branch looks almost real!  I hope you will give this a try because I am sure you will love how it helps to make the pine branch more realistic.

How are you coming along with your Christmas cards?  I still have a few more to get done and will be posting some other beautiful poinsettia cards. I have been playing with different colors and love them all!

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great weekend.

Below are links to all the products from Ellen Hutson, LLC:

Susan's Garden Poinsettia Flower Dies
Susan's Garden Tool Kit
Susan's Garden Pan Pastels
 Pan Pastels Soft Tools
Pan Pastel Sofft Mini Applicators
Viva Decor paper Pen, Susan's Garden 3-Pk
Soft Lemon, Flower Soft
Memory Box, Grand Merry Christmas die
Sizzix, Brenda Walton, Textured Impression, Trellis, embossing folder
American Crafts, Pow! Pink Glitter Paper
Impression Obsession, Pine Branch die
Distress Embossing Powder, Pine Needles
Distress Embossing Powder, Peeled Paint
Heat It Craft Tool
The Ultimate Glue
Sizzix, Big Shot Machine

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Susan's Garden Gazania Flower Dies

I always have so much fun working with my Susan's Garden Flower dies.  I have been busy working on some new tutorials for you. If you are like me, you like to be creative and be able to use your flower dies for more than just one flower.  Today I thought I would show you how to create two totally different looking flowers using the Susan's Garden Gazania Flower Dies.   Would you believe these flowers were created with the same flower die set!  

 I love the way Susan has designed all the necessary pieces, in each Susan's Garden Flower die set, so you have everything needed to complete your flower.  Her dies are so easy to work with and we can not only create the flowers pictured on the package but many other different flower varieties -- sometimes within the same flower die set, or by using pieces from her other flower die sets.  I love to experiment and share my ideas with you.

 The yellow flower on the left was created using the instructions on the Susan's Garden "Gazania"  package.  If you go to this link, you can see the steps, Online, that Susan's uses to create the Gazania.  I created the burgundy flower on the right with the same dies (except the leaves) and came up with a totally different flower.  Below is the tutorial on how I created it.

TUTORIAL FOR A DIFFERENT FLOWER USING SUSAN'S GARDEN GAZANIA DIES

This is a close-up of the finished flower.

 I started out by die cutting eight of the flower petals.  For shaping, I used the largest loop tool in the Susan's Garden Flower Tool Kit.  This tool kit was designed by Susan, and is like no other tool kit.  Everything you need to shape the flower petals, stamens and leaves are in this kit.  It is a kit I could never be without when I want to create realistic flowers!   When you want the petals on your flower to curl up, place the edge of the loop tool right on the outside edge of the petal and draw in down to the center.  The further down to the center you go, the tighter the curl will be on the petal. 

 Here are the eight petals all shaped and ready to assemble for my flower.  On the upper left corner I shaped the petals on that layer by shaping them on the back side - I wanted those petals to bend down (under) on the bottom layer.  You can see as you go across, and on the second row, how each set of petals are gradually curled tighter - all these petals were shaped on the top of the petal so they would curl in to create a tight flower.

 Starting from the bottom, glue each layer together, alternating the petals so there will be no gaps between them.  I use Crafter's Pick Ultimate Glue. 

 As you glue each layer together, press down with the medium stylus to help adhere it - hold for just a few seconds to let it set.

 Once all the layers were glued together, the flower will look like this. This could be left like this for a pretty mum type flower, but I went a step further to create a flower with stamens.

 To create the stamens, I die cut the stamen pieces in the Gazania die set.  There are two sizes to work with.  I wanted the center (stamen) to be brown, so I used two shades of brown card stock -- two dark brown and two lighter brown of each size.  To get the "frilly" look, I cut each "leg" of the stamen down toward the center 3 times.  That makes them very fine but you could cut down just once or twice.  I like the look by cutting each one three times to make them very thin.

Once they are all "fringed", press down in the center with the smallest stylus in the Flower Tool Kit to "cup" them.

Alternate the colors and start gluing the larger pieces together.  I tried to alternate the "legs" so there were be no gaps.  Next you want to glue in the smaller pieces.  Press down in the center with the small stylus, on the shaping mat, to get them cupped up.

 Pull open the flower and glue in the stamen.  Once the stamen has dried, use the stylus to arrange the stamen to give it a full appearance.  You might ask why I curled all the petals up so tight in the beginning, it is because you can pull them out and shape them better than if you have to try and get the petals to curl up after you put in the stamen.  I'm not sure what kind of flower this is, but it will be beautiful on a place card at Thanksgiving or on a card. 

What do you think - do you like it?  I hope you  will give this a try.  It is so much fun to see plain card stock turn into a beautiful flower.  There is never a right or wrong when you create flowers because they are all slightly different.  I hope some of my tips, along with Susan's instructions, help you create many beautiful flowers.  I love to read your comments.

I will be back tomorrow with some new poinsettias I created and show you how I made a die cut pine branch look more realistic.  Hope you'll be back.

Here are the links at Ellen Hutson, LLC for the products I used:

Susan's Garden, Gazania Flower Dies

Susan's Garden Flower Tool Kit

Crafter's Pick Ultimate Glue

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