PaperArsty Blog Challenge ... Circles entry #2!

Hi Everyone,

I didn't think I would manage a second entry to the PaperArtsy Blog Challenge before the deadline on Sunday as my OH and I are off for a long weekend in Chester with family and friends but as I need quite a few birthday cards this month I've made one for a very special friend who has a birthday coming up and I've combined it with the 'circles' theme.

Whilst browsing Pinterest I found a card which had some flowers on created from folded circles (HERE - it doesn't give a how to but they are simple enough) and I had already decided I wanted to make some for the card I had in mind but instead of plain paper I wanted to make mine from a designer paper I had created myself.

The inspiration from the PaperArtsy DT over the past one and a half weeks has been gorgeous and has included wonderful backgrounds with lots of layers of Fresco Finish paints and PA stamps such as this one from Emma Godfrey.  Alison Hall also did a gorgeous one last night using her small Gelli plate; yet more inspiration although I'd already done mine by then.

I just built up the layers with my small brayer, for once being totally slap dash, lol!  It was still very patchy when I decided it was ok, then I started to cover it with layers of stamping mixing the colours to get varying shades.  All the stamps I used were different circle stamps from several PaperArtsy sets (I've listed them at the end of the post).  For the final 3 stamping layers I used different Archival Inks.  It wasn't quite what I wanted at this point so I used a wet wipe to blend a wash of Chalk  FF to tone it down a bit.  I finished it off with a slightly watered down layer of Satin Glaze.

I also painted the back of my designer paper with a mix of Hint of Mint and Evergreen with some Satin Glaze added as it was obviously going to show once folded.  I really like the subtle effect the glaze gives plus it makes the cheap copy paper much stronger and very malleable.  I diecut two sizes of Nestie circles plus some smaller deckle edged circles, edged them all with Archival Ink and proceeded to fold and construct my flowers.

I then got so carried away I totally forgot to take any more progress pics so the rest are a selection of angled shots to show the fabulous dimension of the stylised flowers.

 

I took a 14 cm square of card, stamped a leafy stem and the dotty borders in each corner, both JOFY stamps and painted them using some of the same colours as before.   I gave this layer a fine edge of Archival Ink for definition and adhered it to a slightly larger basecard before attaching my flowers.

I added some stamens to the centre of the largest flower.....

 ....and stamped the JOFY words onto separate card, cut them out and stuck them in position.

I was really pleased with how my take on these flowers came out and the card overall.  Thoroughly enjoyed the 'messy' process for the paper too!  The only problem is I now have to find a box to post it off in so the flowers don't get squished, lol!

Off to link up to the fabulous PaperArtsy Blog where once again we have been wowed by some amazing creations from the DT......it's always well worth a visit for the inspiration!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.  I'm sure I will!  See you when I get back.

Hugs

Lesley  Xx

Stamp sets used
EEG07, HP1010, ESN13, HPXT02, JOFY 11/24 & 36.
Fresco Finish Paint colours : Chalk, Hint of Mint, Evergreen, Moonlight, Wisteria, Squid Ink