Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Miraculous Art Zonnegroet (Sunflower)

Hello Everyone !  I hope your week is going well.

Two years ago while on vacation in the Netherlands I was introduced to Posthumas, a wonderful stamp store downtown Amsterdam.    I was so inspired by the many beautiful card samples they had on display.      Last fall I learned that the talented lady who creates their cards is Miranda.   You can find her creations at her blog,  Miracle art Inspirations.  

Miranda is also an artist and designs stamps for Inkerbell Stamps and Crealies in the Netherlands.   As soon as I saw her Miraculous Art Zonnegroet (Sunflower) set, it came to the top of my 'wish list'.     My kind young sister who lives in the Netherlands purchased the stamp sheet from Inkerbell Stamps and mailed them out to me.    It's a beautiful set and I'm posting two creations featuring them today.   I enjoy cutting so had fun with these flowers !   A third creation is in the mail to my sister to say 'Thanks' for all that she does for me :)  



The background strip was created by blending Banana Custard & Lettuce Smooch Inks and then I stamped  the poem twice with Bamboo Leaves Memento Dye Ink.  I stamped one of the leaves from the Zonnegroet set with Brilliance Gold on the dark green cardstock (hard to see in the photo).

The flower was stamped and embossed twice with Copper EP.  I blended Banana Custard Smooch Ink on the petals and then added Pumpkin Smooch Ink with a little water on my craft mat using a small brush.   I used Lettuce Smooch in the centre which seems to be Zentangle, love it.    The Smooch ink didn't blend like water colours, it dries too quick, but I wanted to add a little contrast.   It was a little experiment, a different effect.   I cut out extra petals from the 2nd flower to pop up on the main flower.   I added liquid pearls to the centre.    You cannot read the poem on this card,  it's there for a background effect.   I like the script.

Marianne Design Creatables LR0150 Branch & Crealies Shapes CL CS 11 were used for the foliage.  I also used Crafts-Too flower embossing folder for the small strip.  


This next card was done with water colours and was arranged so that you can read the poem.  If you don't read Dutch as I mentioned above, I think the script is attractive and makes a nice background.

Unfortunately I cannot read Dutch, but I should as the Netherlands is my heritage and I have close family living there.    I always love my visits as I feel 'at home'. 


I started with a piece of background created with Tom Bows, water & salt.   I stamped the Dutch Sunflower poem twice over top with Bamboo Leaves Memento Dye Ink.      The flower & leaves are arranged so that you can read the first verse at the top and the second on the bottom.

The flower & leaves were stamped and embossed with copper EP and colored with Tombows and water.  Again the flower was stamped twice and I cut out extra petals from the 2nd flower to pop up on the main flower.   I stamped the very small Sunflower from the set on brown card stock with Brilliance Gold ink (again hard to see in the photo).    I added Diamond Stickles to the centre of the flower.    


That's all the flowers for today.   Thanks for stopping by and have a great day !
Shirley

13 comments:

ALIX said...

Hi Shirley! Thanks for your kind reaction on my blog! I'm very proud that you've visited it from Canada!
I've looked on your blog, of course, and 'want you to know that I find your creations really stunning and really wonderful!! I like very much the colours you use!
I will visit you often, sure!!
Many greetings, ALix

Sue's Crafty Corner said...

OH WOW Shirley, I fell in love with this stamp when I saw it on Miranda's blog, and the 2 cards that you've made with the stamp are stunning. I'm sure the one you've sent to your Sister is just as good if not better. As always you've made some beautiful backgrounds to go with them.

Hope you're having a great day.
Sue x

maria's knutselplezier said...

Waw Cherley you made a beautifull card with Miranda's flower, I really like it, and your background is very nice to ,I love it!!!

Greetings

Maria

Marja's Stamp Addiction en Marja's Creativity said...

YThis is really awesome Shirley, sooo beautiful. Nice col,ors and great composition. Lovely stamp isn't it??? I have to buy him yet.
Maybe on the Event in april.
Lovely greet
Marja

Miranda said...

Hi Shirley,

It's so lovely to see your creations with my stamp! Like the first card with the use of the dies with it, looks great!You did a j wonderful job decoupaging (and I know what work it is...)and I am happy that you like the stamps!
warm greetings, Miranda

Shannon White said...

Wow Shirley! These are just Gorgeous!! 8-) I LOVE sunflowers, and you have done this Gorgeous image proud for sure! Your coloring and inking is just Fabulous and I love the layouts and Wonderful embossing too! What a lucky lady you are to have such a Sweet sister to send you this Beautiful set! 8-)

Hugs
Shannon

Anonymous said...

Heel Mooi ZonneBloem !!! (Very Beautiful SunFlower) Shirley :)
Love the Dutch Touch

Ellen Taylor said...

What a spectacular flower Shirley!!love the center of it! The fussy cutting and dimension make for a perfect card! They both say fabulous in any language! Hope you are resting up after your big trip!

Marn said...

Hi Shirley!
These are both such beautiful cards!! I really really love them, and the stamp set by Miranda is beautiful! Very nice "zonnegroet" for sure! Shirley you made such fabulous cards out of them, you brought out the very best! What beautiful colours you have used, as always! Terrific job on the backgrounds! Very very well done! So sunny and cheerful!
I also love the story on this entry :) This just makes me smile every time I look! :)
Warm greetings from Marn :)

Julia said...

Wow this is so nice !
Nice to see our dutch heritage on here.
Beautiful !

Shirley said...

Wow, Shirley, two works of art. Of course I am a sucker for the way you cut and mounted your gorgeous flower too!!!

inkerbell stamps said...

Dear Shirley, you made wonderful cards with our stamps!
thank you for sharing. If you like, we can add them in our customer section sample cards,
kind regards,
Heidi
www.inkerbellstamps.nl

Donna Ellis said...

I've been missing out! For some reason, Blogger - Google Reader was not notifying me of updates on your blog. I only saw them if manually visiting. So I unsubbed, and resubbed, Shirley. Hopefully this will take care of the problem, because I'm always totally inspired by visiting your blog. You certainly have a way with colors and the water coloring techniques. This is a gorgeous card!