It’s my first post for Creative Expressions since I joined their Design Team earlier in October. I’ll be posting a new project each week on a Wednesday. This month the projects will be featuring the Creative Expressions Winter Garden unmounted stamp set, with this card featuring the wonderful cyclamen stamp.

To download a step-by-step worksheet, click here: Cyclamen Card Worksheet [PDF]

You will need:
Creative Expressions Winter Flowers unmounted stamp set
Clear embossing ink (e.g. Ranger Clear Perfect Medium)
Cosmic Shimmer Embossing Powder: Arctic Pearl Lustre
Cosmic Shimmer Misting Ink Spray: Purple Violet (from Breeze Blush set)
Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Drawing Ink: Meadow Lime/Soft Moss (from Garden Twist set)
Foundations Card: Milk ( cut to 4”x4”) and Dark Roast Coffee (cut to 4¼”x4¼”)
Cosmic Shimmer Specialist Acrylic Glue

Watercolour paper
6”x6” card
Heat tool
Brushes
Sea salt
Scissors
Foam pads
Double sided tape

How to make the card:

Using the clear embossing ink, ink up your stamp and print it onto a good quality watercolour paper (smoothest side if you have a choice).

Cover the printed image with the embossing powder, and then pour off the excess onto a clean sheet of paper, tapping gently.

Pour the excess embossing powder back into the pot and replace the cap.

Heat set the embossing powder using a heat tool – the powder will melt and form shiny raised lines. Make three images.

Take the Purple Violet Misting Ink Spray and squirt a couple of times into a suitable container.

Using a fine paintbrush, use the ink from the misting spray to fill in the flower petals. The embossing will resist the waterbased inks, so you can go over the lines.

Next, using a waterbrush or a clean brush, flood the leaves with water until there are puddles held by the embossed lines.

Working ‘wet-on-wet’ add Meadow Lime Drawing Ink to each leaf, allowing it to spread and feather into the puddle. Add more to get a deeper colour.

Add the Soft Moss Drawing Ink in the same way to the tops of the leaves and let it feather into the lighter green ink.

Sprinkle sea salt crystals over the wet inks and allow to dry naturally. The salt absorbs water drawing the pigments with it creating a mottled finish.

When dry, brush off the salt and then fill in the flower stalks using the Soft Moss Drawing Ink.

Add a little more Purple Violet Misting Ink to the base of each petal using a brush. Allow to dry.

Cut out each of the coloured images, using the embossed line as your border.

Emboss the ‘Cyclamen’ text three times on the top and bottom edges of the Milk card square.

Cut out a piece of Dark Roast Coffee card to form a flowerpot shape and curve between finger and thumb.

Stick foam pads to the centre line of the reverse and then mount onto the embossed card square.

Using the dries clear Cosmic Shimmer glue, stick down two of the flower clusters to the card either side of the flowerpot.

Mount the final flower cluster in the centre using foam pads to raise it from the card and create depth.

Finally mount onto the Dark Roast Coffee card square and attach to a 6×6″ card of your choice.