Lupine, Pom Pom Dahlia, Lilac

Today I wanted to create a Lupine, which I haven't work with for a while.  

This is a 6x6 inch card.  I used design paper from the Stamperia Lilac Flower pad for the background.

Using Susan's Garden Notes Lupine/Bluebonnet die set, one pink Lupine was created.  

The Garden Notes Pom Pom Dahlia die set used to create the yellow dahlia.

In the design paper, there was a lilac.  I used Susan's smallest Garden Notes Lilac die set and die cut flowers, shaped them, and glued them over the lilac in the design paper.

One of Susan's Ladybugs was die cut, colored and shaped.  It is on the leaf of the Pom Pom Dahlia.  

I love to create my own backgrounds for the flowers I create, but sometimes it is fun to see what you can do with flowered design paper.

Coreopsis

Today I was going through all my Susan's Garden Note die sets and found her Coreopsis (#1008) die set.  This was one of her first sets when she was with ECD.  The flower has individual petals.  Also used for this arrangement are the Garden Notes Ladder Fern, Berry Branch and Ivy.  They were all placed in the Garden Notes Galvanized Bucket.

I did a search on Pinterest and found this picture of a coreopsis.  It is different from any other variety I have created with Susan's die sets so challenged myself to create it.

The petals and calyx were die cut out of yellow card stock.  The middle petals of the flower are orange down at the base, so I sponged orange ink at the base of a small group of petals.   The petals have a ruffle look to them.  In order to achieve this, I lightly misted the petals with water the crinkled the ends of the petals between my fingers - accordion style.  Since this flower has individual petals, it has a calyx die cut piece to glue to petals to in order to create the flower.  When die cutting the calyx, die cut two for each flower.  I will explain down in this tutorial.

To form the flower, begin by gluing petals to every other point in the calyx.  Use the yellow petals for the lower portion of the flower.  The orange ones are to be used in the center.

Glue petals in the other points of the calyx between the first petals glued on.  Keep adding petals, alternating between petals, until you have a pretty full flower - about four rows.

In this picture you can see two calyx.  The one on the right has been cut from the outside edge toward the center between each of the points and down the center of each point, to make it frilly.  The one on the left has not been cut.  I hope you can see the difference.  

Glue the frilly calyx in the center of the flower.  Add a puddle of glue in the center of the calyx.

Add yellow pollen down on the glue in the center of the flower.

Use yellow Prills to glue to the top edge of the calyx in the center of the flower.  Pick up a Prill, drip it in glue, and place on the edge, going around adding Prills all around the edge of the calyx.  Push the flower petals up toward the center to create a full flower.  Since there are single petals, if you need to add more petals in the body of the flower, for fullness, you can add glue to the base and push them in.  

This is a close up of the finished Coreopsis.

I know a lot of you have some or even all of Susan's die sets, from years past.  I hope, if you have this die set, that it inspires you create flowers with it.

Blue Poppies

In Susan's Facebook Live Video, this week, she created blue poppies and mentioned that there are several varieties of these flowers.  I have never seen a blue poppy so I did a search to see some of the other varieties.  The one I created for this card is different from the one Susan created in her video.

Here is a picture of the blue poppy I wanted to create.  The center is similar to a magnolia.  I looked through my Garden Notes die sets to find the dies needed to create this particular variety.

Here is a close up picture of the blue poppies I created. 

The small square in the upper right corner of this card was die cut using the Spellbinders, Amazing Grace,  Adoria Square Shadow Box Frame die set.   The panel under the die cut window was created using Distress Inks.

To create the poppies, the Garden Notes Poppy die set was used.  Petals were die cut from 90# white card stock.  Blue ink was sponged at the base of the petals, and around the very edge of each petal.  They were shaped and the two layers glued together.  

Two of the 'wagon wheel' die cuts were used for each flower.  They were die cut using a very light green card stock.  Each protrusion was cut in half to make it frilly.  Yellow Pollen was added to tips.  The two pieces were glued together, alternating the points to create a full stamen.   This piece was glued into the center of the poppy.  Use a medium ball stylus to push down in the center on your molding mat to help 'cup' it.

Using the Garden Notes Magnolia die set, the large center piece was die cut using light green card stock.  The very top edge was cut down to make it frilly.  These fringes were fluffed out.  The ball stylus was used to create a bowl (which will be one half of the center).  Glue was added around the ball portion of this die cut and two pieces glued together.  Allow to dry then.  Add glue to the fringed tips and dip in yellow pollen.  Once this piece is dry, cut off about 1/3 from the bottom.  The original die cut piece is a little too tall for the poppy.  Add glue to the bottom of this piece and place in the center of the poppy.  

Susan always shows us very detailed instructions on her Videos on how to create her flowers.  I have learned all those techniques from her, but I also like the challenge of looking at a picture and recreating it when there are different varieties of the same flower.