Hello Pink Flower

Here’s a very simple card that I had a lot of fun making. Colouring is so relaxing! It is a response to just two challenges. The primary source of inspiration is the current Muse challenge (Edit – this card was featured!) I was inspired by the positioning of the elements, the bold sentiment, and the pink flower with black outline. I also decided to enter this to Double D Challenges polka dot challenge.

Originally I was planning on having the polka dot part of the challenge be a decoration of sorts on the flower’s petals. Then I realised that I really don’t have any abstract flowers, and I wasn’t certain how it would look on the flower I decided to use. (Incidentally, it’s from Altenew’s Wild Hibiscus set.) I was mulling over the issue whilst I looked for some white card stock for my main panel. I found a snippet that was just too narrow for the cardbase, and that basically solved my problem for me. I decided that rather than finding a larger piece of card, I would just add a strip of patterned paper down the side to fill the gap. Add I just so happened to have a piece of polka dot paper that would work!

With that solved I went on to do my stamping and colouring. I used my MISTI to work out the positioning of the flower and the sentiment, the latter being from Altenew’s Super Script. I inked them up with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and stamped. I reinked and restamped the sentiment a couple of times to get a nice crisp impression.

Then I just had to colour the flower. I picked three colours for the petals – a pale pink, pinkish red, and a dark red. At the end I also added an even paler peachy pink. I went in first with the pale pink putting a very light layer of colour across all the petals. I then went along all the areas that I expected to be darkest with a light layer of the dark red before going in with my middle colour to help blend it out. I kept adding in layers to build up the colour, leaving the highlights almost white. It’s the highlight areas, of course, that I eventually went over with the peachy pink.

Initially I was planning on leaving the stem naked, as the Muse is, but I decided it didn’t quite look right with this style of flower. I went in and coloured it green with some very simple shading. A lighter green on the right hand side of the stem, darker green along the left hand side and up the top where it meets the flower, and a mid shade of green to blend the two colours together.

Finally I just had to assemble the card. I used Tombow Multi Mono Liquid Glue to attach my patterned paper strip, using my MISTI to help with the positioning. For the stamped panel I used my tape runner.

I’m very happy with how this turned out. I think the flower is really pretty and the colouring makes it pop. Definitely pleased!

Love,

Lady Joyful