A 3D Peony

So today it was time to play with the Peony Dies and figure out how to make a 3D flower.  It turned out to be easier than I thought.

To make the peony one has to understand the concept of layering. The elements of the flower are layered as are the leaves.

Here’s my card:

There are 4 Dies for the 3D Peony flower - 3 for the main flower and one for the Center stamen. Once I was able to identify these Dies and once I realized that these die cuts tucked into one another, making the flower was a piece of cake. I will do a pictorial tutorial in the next couple of days to show you how this is done.

The edges of the die cuts were sponged with Petal Pink ink and curled outward using a bone folder. After putting the flower together I added a yellow stamen in the center. Some dimensionals added between the layers created a fuller look to the flower.

Each flower has 3 leaves - 2 large and 1small. Each leaf has an odd shaped layer which is die cut in a lighter colour The two layers are adhered together giving the leaves shading and dimension.
The main leaf was die cut in Old Olive cardstock; the top odd shaped with Granny Apple Green.
The finished leaves were attached to the underside of the flowe. Before adhering the two layers together I sponged the main leaf  with Old Olive ink.

The Petal Pink card stock card base is layered with Peony Garden DSP.  In the Center is a strip of Whisper White card stock the long edge of which has been die cut with the edgelet die included with the Peony Dies. Next to it is a strip of Gray Granite cardstock which is slightly longer than the Whisper White, and is notched at the bottom end. This edges of this piece were sponged with Gray Granite ink.

The sentiment is embossed with white embossing powder just above the notch on the Gray Granite strip.

On top of these strips I adhered a square vellum doilie. It’s a bit tricky adhering this piece but glue dots work well as does adding snail where the flower will be added so the tape won’t be noticeable.

The completed flower was added to the card front with dimensionals.

Supplies Used:
Stamp:  Prized Peony
Inks:  Petal Pink, Old Olive, Gray Granite, Versa Mark
Papers:  Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Granny Apple Green, Gray Granite, Peony Garden DSP
Accessories:  Peony dies, White embossing powder, dimensionals, Square vellum doilie

Prized Peony - my thoughts are with you

Peonies are one of the favourite flowers in my garden.  Not that I don't love the others, it just that they are special.  Their large colourful majestic blooms are short lived, blooming just as school is let out for the summer.  Mine are blooming now - pictures below.
They are a bit difficult to grow.  Plant too deep and they won't bloom.  Transplant and they won't bloom for 3 years.
When I saw the Peony bundle in the new annual catalogue I knew immediately that set would be one of the first ones I would get.
I started with the stamping first, because all those dies intimidated me a bit.

Here's my first card:

The peony was coloured with a combination of Roccoco Rose and both shades of Flirty Flamingo, the leaves with Old Olive.  It was die cut with  a Peony die and set aside while I made the rest of the card.

The Basic Gray card base has the front embossed with the Ornate floral 3D Embossing Folder.  The top and bottom of the Whisper White art piece is die cut with the Peony Die edgelet die.  The sentiment is stamped on a smaller strip of Whisper White which is added to this art piece. A Square Vellum Doilie was then added to the art piece and the Peony was added on top of that using dimensionals.

To finish the card I added three Elegant Faceted Dots on the card front, and a bow made with the new 1/4" Gray Granite ribbon to the flower stem below the flower. A generous amount of Clear Wink of Stella was applied to the flower.

Supplies Used:
Stamp:  Prized Peony
Inks:  Black Memento, Stampin' Blends (Flirty Flamingo, Rococco Rose, Old Olive)
Papers:  Basic Gray, Whisper White
Accessories:  Ornate floral embossing folder, Peony Die, 1/4" Shimmer Granite Gray ribbon, Dimensionals, Clear Wink of Stella, Elegant Faceted Dots

I promised you a picture of the peonies in my garden- Which burst into bloom this morning.