Pick a Petal

This set, I am pleased to say, is not on the SU retiring list! It is a set that I was slow to discover, but am now loving the versatility of. For stamp club this month we will be making a birthday card with this set - with not a flower to be seen. I would even go so far as to say, depending on colour choices, it could be perfect for a masculine card - the hardest ones to make!

This layout was my first play with the set. The truth is, when I did the layout, I didn't even know what I would use it for, otherwise the colours may have matched Bridie's grubby pink outfit a little better (and yes, still working on the photos!) I did know that I wanted to try out some different flowers, and of course, make a 'bug'. The rest kind of evolved (are you sensing a theme with my creativity?)

Recipe for this layout:

• Pick a Petal Stamp set
• Bloomin' with Beauty Stamp set (spring mini - soon to be returning perhaps?!)
• Cardstock - old olive, really rust, very vanilla, more mustard, ruby red
• Ink - old olive, really rust, creamy caramel, ruby red, whisper white
• Old Olive Prints Designer Series Paper (currently on the retiring list)
• Vellum
• Pretties Kit (half pearls)
• Buttons (Earth Elements, Earth Elements and Neutrals - both retiring)
• Scallop Circle punch
• Spring Flower Bouquet punch (retiring)

To make the bug I used whisper white craft ink and stamped on vellum for the wings. You could also emboss this, but I was feeling lazy. A heat gun will help to dry the ink more quickly, and prevent smudging when you cut them out. (I got the heat gun out to dry the ink, but didn't emboss...!) The body and head of the bug are made with half pearl beads from the pretties kit. The antennae were first pierced, then I went over them with an olive marker to help them show up a little better. Looking at it as soon as it was done, the antennae should have been longer, but this was my first pick a petal bug, so that is how it ended up. Learn from my mistake! And please note, I cannot take total credit for this wee creature - there were several versions flying around on the internet last year, and that was the inspiration for this one.

The flowers, of course, were the easy bit. Choose a petal, choose a middle, add a button here, and a punched flower there - arranging them always seems to be the tricky bit. The old olive patterned paper was a great way to add a little interest (and perhaps a hint of stems?) behind the flowers, without taking attention away. I have really enjoyed the subtle patterns of these single coloured papers. I think we will be getting them again in the new in colours, but not sure about those old favourites such as olive and celery.

(Stamp club ladies - this was the layout that inspired last months card - can you see it?)