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