Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Blue Dahlia

Hello friends!  I'm playing along in a new challenge today -- Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #1.  Their very first!  It's anything goes with florals as the main theme, but they've provided a very inspiring mood board as a spark.  My card, which went to a special local friend for her birthday, features the same blue as the Beautiful Blossoms mood board.  You can see the board at the challenge link or at the end of my post.




This card has a lot going on.  I started with a designer paper base.  Over that I glued four Tutti Butterfly Corner(s) with their corners meeting in the center.  Then a square frame wrapped with designer paper.  Then all that onto the card base.  That's an oversimplification for sure.

A close up below...  The flower is an older Heartfelt Creations die that cuts many sizes all at once.  Each layer of petals was sponged with ink, then given two coats of ultra-thick embossing enamel.  The leaves are from a different die set.  The heart in the flower center is from the butterfly die.  Pearls for accent.  The Butterfly Corner(s) were layered for dimension and colored with a very light blue Copic marker.



I'm calling this a blue Dahlia, but it looks a lot like a lotus flower, too.

Supplies are listed below my signature.

Here's that challenge.  

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #1 -- Anything goes with florals as the main theme.  Inspiration board provided.



Let's do this again soon.  I love when we get together.  Take care!


Paper:  SU Blue Bayou card base, Neenah 110 lb white, SU retired designer paper  Ink:  SU Blue Bayou, Mellow Moss, Versamark, Copic BG0000 marker  Dies:  Heartfelt Creations Sun Kissed Fleur, Dee's Distinctively Small Pair of Leaves, Tutti Butterfly Corner, Spellbinders Squares  Other:  SU Subtle embossing folder, Kaiser self-adhesive half pearls, Ranger Ultra-Thick Embossing Enamel

27 comments:

crafty-stamper said...

Absolutely gorgeous card love the die-cut butterfly corners and embossed flower
Carol x

Glenda said...

Beautiful my friend and you took that flower to the next level!

Donna Walls said...

Oh Wow Leslie, this is gorgeous and I love how you've created an enamel look to the flower. It could be a Jewelry Pin..just put a pin back on it and wear with a scarf. Thanks so much for playing along at The Beautiful Blossoms Challenge and we hope to see more of your lovely designs soon.
Donna xx

Donna Ellis said...

OH SO PRETTY, Leslie! You say Lotus, I say succulent LOL - the petals and shine remind me of succulent "roses" I used to grow 30 years ago! It's beautiful, especially with the background using FOUR layers of your "butterfly lattice". Wow, and you adhered them in such marvelous perfection! Even the little butterflies have flowers in their wings! It's always a pleasure seeing how crafters are inspired by the Mood Board at our challenge. Thank you for sharing your love of all things flowers at the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge https://beautifulblossomschallenge.blogspot.com. I hope to see more of your designs soon.
Crafting Smiles,
Donna
{Creative Smiles - my little crafting world}

Joan B said...

this is next level. that flower is amazing

Diane said...

Wow, a stunningly beautiful card! The shimmer on the flower is gorgeous and how creative to put those Tutti butterfly corners together to create the background, I'll have to store that idea away for further use! Very beautifully creative!!

Yogi said...

Beautiful. I love the way you center cornered the butterfly die cut. Thick embossing adds a lot of dimension. lots of wonderful layers. Have a great day

Margaret said...

This is gorgeous. Love how you enameled up the petals of the flower. The colors are beautiful.

Marcia Hill said...

WOW!! This is a beauty for sure Leslie!! Your Dahlia with all its coats of enamel just couldn't be prettier, and you've surrounded it with such a lovely background too! I'm sure this card brought a smile to the birthday girl's face!! Hugs. :0)

HilaryJane said...

Leslie, you have outdone yourself with this one, It is simply amazing. All that detail and yet it hangs together perfectly. Love the central flower with its brilliant embossed finish. It looks like a succulent to me and it is the perfect colour too. I bet it took you a while, but it was well worth it. Thank you, I could sit and look at it for hours xx

I Card Everyone said...

I hope you bought an entire package of that gorgeous designer paper, Leslie - what a gorgeous background and frame for your lovely Dahlia! You have such a wonderful way of taking lots of things and putting them together as if they were meant to be! Well of course they were - Gorgeous!
=]

Pauline said...

Absolutely stunning! This could be wall art which I thought it was at first. I love it all, the enameled flower, the butterfly corner die, and your wrapped designer paper frame. Love all the layers and dimension. Your friend will treasure this for sure! Thank you so much for sharing this lovely piece of artwork Leslie. I love when you create! Have a wonderful day!

Evelyn S. said...

Wow, Leslie! When the page opened, I thought the flower center was a piece of jewelry! It's wonderful. Again, the detail you put into your card creations is amazing.

Loll said...

STUNNING card Leslie! I love all the layers and elements you've used to create a gorgeous and very special card. The UTEE is something I don't use often, but it really does makes your flower so very special. xx

Lynette said...

What a fabulous card, Leslie! Putting the four die-cut pieces together was such a great idea. And the flower is amazing! I love that you used the ultra-thick embossing powder on the pieces - very cool!

Conniecrafter said...

Stunning!! I just love the colors you have on the flower and the embossing enamel on them makes it pop so pretty and brings out the colors. I love your clever use of the corner dies , that makes for a gorgeous back drop and the framing wrapped with the paper gives it such a great thick framed look... perfection! Your friend will love this!

Cat Craig said...

I am loving your frame wraps, and that dahlia is so cool with the shine and heft the embossing gives it. Such a gorgeous card.

Bonnie said...

WOW! I think you have another winner here, Leslie! The background and frame are beautiful, but that flower goes even beyond beautiful to AWESOME! It looks like a succulent! The color and depth of embossing make this extra special!

Cindy Beach said...

Ohhh, Leslie, I could never have imagined this beautiful vision! Each detail is over the top! Turning your corners into a mandala is brilliant, and the dahlia - looks a bit like a succulent to me too - is fabulous with all the texture of the embossing. I love this, my friend!

aussie aNNie said...

Lovely card and very effective with the colours here, fabulously designed.. x

stampinwithanita said...

What a beautiful, beautiful card! All the layers and subtle colors are just stunning! Thank you so much for joining us for our first challenge at the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge.

Christine Alexander said...

That flower took my breath away. The ultra thick embossing enamel is so beautiful- the texture is gorgeous ♥

Barbara said...

Embossing enamel! that is what I see that makes this flower fabtabulous! I thought that it was ceramic, but this is better. I love that background die and the wonderful designer paper that you used. So fancy and quite unique!

pam said...

Stunning card Leslie, gorgeous colours and design
Hugs Pam x

Nanny's Pansy Patch said...

What a beautiful card. I love your flower especially the colors you chose and that you used some ultra-thick enamel on it. Heartfelt does a beautiful job on their flowers. The butterfly corners die set the flower off perfectly! Have a great weekend!

Pam Sparks said...

So pretty Leslie! Gorgeous designing! Lovely card!

Aimeslee Winans said...

Hi, Leslie. Thanks for playing in the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge. The UTEE is the perfect touch! Your creation is gorgeous and we hope to see you again! XOX, Aimeslee DT