Sunflower Sending You Sunshine Card - Inkspirational Challenge #9

It's time for the February sketch challenge at Inkspirational this week and I'm here with an End of Week Encouragement post.  If you haven't joined in already I do hope you'll take part, it's a fabulous sketch!

I made this card on one of the greyest, coldest and wettest Sundays I can remember, it was a truly awful day.  But then it was also the perfect day for me to stay indoors, get crafty and to make my own sunshine! I reached for the sunflower from the Clearly Besotted 'Blooming Marvellous' set and made a cream 5 3/4" square card base.  I inked the sunflower in Memento Dandelion ink and then added some Tangelo just around the edges with a sponge dauber before stamping onto a piece of Very Vanilla CS.  I inked the leaves with Memento Bamboo Leaves ink, stamping off once first and then adding more ink to the edges with a sponge dauber.  I fussy cut the flower and leaves and inked the edges again with the inks to add a bit more definition.  I stamped the flower centre with Rich Cocoa ink, cut it out with a 1" circle punch and popped it up.  I used square Nestie dies to cut my mat layers of Very Vanilla, Early Espresso and Wild Wasabi CS and I layered the houndstooth patterned paper onto a strip of Early Espresso CS.  I used the Memory Box Charlotte Border die to cut a Wild Wasabi CS fancy edge and tucked that under the patterned paper strip so only part of the design was visible.  I glued the squares to the card, added the 'Sending You Sunshine' sentiment and popped up the sunflower and leaves.  The finishing touch for the card front was 3 dark brown pearls.

Here's the inside and the envelope.  I used the same patterned paper and border die and added another sunflower inside the card.  I felt a lot cheerier after making this card!

I hope you'll take part in our sketch challenge this week - I think this is a great layout, very versatile!  I look forward to seeing your cards when I pop by your blogs to visit!

Supplies:
Stamps: Clearly Besotted 'Blooming Marvellous' clear set
CS: Craftwork Cards Softies 'Silk' CS, SU! Wild Wasabi, Early Espresso & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper:  SU! Festival of Prints DSP stack
Ink: Memento Dandelion, Tangelo & Rich Cocoa, Adirondack Espresso
Tools: Square Nestabilities dies, Memory Box 'Charlotte Border' die, SU! 1" circle punch, sponge daubers
Embellishments & accessories: dark brown pearls, SU! Dimensionals