Just Saying Hello

I have had this sunflower stamp literally for years. We originally got it to stamp on flower pots, I think for a school project of my mom's. (She's an elementary school teacher.) So I have no clue where it came from or who made it. But I thought it would go perfectly with the current challenge theme at a2z Scrapbooking's blog, "Autumn & Christmas." I don't know about other parts of the country, but this is a perfect time of year for sunflowers here in East Texas!

I didn't use a sketch for this card. Since the sunflower image is so large, I figured I'd let it stand pretty much on its own. I stamped it onto watercolor paper, using Colorbox Archival Dye ink in Putty. I colored it with Inktense pencils, using a paintbrush & water to blend the colors.

I stamped the greeting from this set in Hero Arts' Cup o' Joe Mid-Tone Shadow ink. I trimmed the watercolor panel down to 4.25x6.25", and cut two 3/4" wide strips of plaid patterned paper from my scrap stash. I glued them behind the panel on either end, letting 1/2" peek out. I cut 2 narrow strips of brown patterned paper, also from my scraps, and glued them over the seams. Finally, I matted that whole piece to a piece of golden-orange cardstock. I probably could have just cut strips of the cardstock and glued it down the sides, since most of it is covered up, but I didn't think of that until afterwards. Finally, I adhered it to my card base.

I had started this card with the intent of sending it to Send a Smile 4 Kids. But it ended up not being very child-like (at least in my opinion), so I will be holding on to this one, until a good opportunity comes up for me to send/give it to someone.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Monday "Stencils & Stamps"
Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday "Anything Goes"