Participating in my first blog hop with Prized Peony

Hi everyone. I am extra excited to share this blog post as its actually for my first entry into a blog hop> Kylie Bertucci's Monthly International blog highlight which is full of amazing projects and talented creators.  

I hope you like this card and even better if you could go and vote for me that would mean so much.  VOTE HERE

The theme for the hop is  THANK YOU

I really wanted to use one of my current favorites being the Peony Garden suite. 

Now, I will warn you that this post is longer than my usual as there are a  few steps to this card. But its for a hop so I had to lift my game.  Sit back, grab a drink and hope you enjoy my z fold peony card. 

Scrolling through Pinterest I did see that Patty Bennett had put together a peony out of vellum cardstock and it looked gorgeous! The vellum just gives a more softer look to the peony. So for my card, I decided to use vellum for every 2nd layer for my peony just to give it a bit more colour but also to ensure that the peony was more sturdy if this card needed to be mailed out. 

So here's what I used:

Stamps/Dies:

- Peaceful Moments stamp set

- Prized Peony stamp and die set

Cardstock

- Grey Granite portrait card base standard size 14.9cm x 10.5cm or 5 1/4" x 4"   

- 2 x Whisper White cardstock cut square (mine was 9cm x 9cm or  3 1/2" x 3 1/2")

- DSP cut 14.4cm x 10cm or 5" x 3 3/4" 

- Same DSP cut out 14.4cm x 4.75cm  or 5" x 1 3/4" 

- Scrap of Petal pink big enough to cut out largest and 3rd layer of the peony dies (refer picture)

- Scrap of vellum big enough to cut our the 2nd and 4th layer of the peony dies (refer picture)

- Scrap of whisper white card stock big enough for 3 of the leaves stamped and die cut out 

- Scrap of basic grey to die cut out the stamen of the peony

Ink

Versamark 

Blushing Bride

Pear Pizzazz

Adhesives

Multipurpose Liquid Glue

Mini glue dot

Other

Silver Embossing powder

Heat tool

Water painter

Acrylic blocks

Wink of Stella glitter pen

Firstly lets piece together our peony by die cutting as follows: 

For the leaves I did stamp the leave images with Pear Pizzazz and then let dry. Once dried, I coloured the leaves also with Pear Pizzazz using a water painter because I didn't have any Pear Pizzazz cardstock on hand. However, if you do have pear pizzazz cardstock then you could just stamp and die cut out and skip the water painter step. 

I used blushing bride to colour my vellum pieces with a sponge dauber. Whilst petal pink is the matching colour for this suite, it just wasn't dark enough hence I used blushing bride.  

When putting together the peony, I find it easier to start with the smallest piece and slide that into place and then a little bit over so you can add the glue to the edges before pushing it back into place so the bottom aligns. 

Once the peony is constructed, I put aside to let dry. I then took one of the square whisper white cardstock and stamped "Thank you" sentiment from the Peaceful Moments stamp set (I love the font and the sentiments in this stamp set!) in Versamark ink and heat set my silver embossing powder. 

I did stamp this towards the bottom left-hand corner of the square to allow room for the peony later on. I then used the liquid glue to adhere the peony and the leaves like so, and finished off with a bow using the shimmer ribbon in grey granite that came with the Peony garden suite.  

Hard to tell in the picture but I also used my Wink of Stellar Glitter brush to add bling to the leaves and the stamen. 

Next I grabbed my Grey granite card base.

For A4 (metric) card stock, your card base is 21cm x 14.9 cm scored in the middle at 10.5cm. You will then also score at 5.25cm for the z fold flap.

For the imperial measurements, your standard card base is 8" x 5 1/4" scored in the middle at 4". You will then also score at 2" for the z fold flap.

I then adhered the DSP onto the front panel and then the inside panel. 

Hopefully the below picture helps: 

The hardest part is probably gluing both the front square piece and the square insert so they align. This will ensure that when the card is flat, it has a nice clean look.

To do this I first glue the square with the peony to the front of my card. I then align my insert piece with the front piece and placed glue at the back. Holding the edges of both pieces together, I slowly folded both piece down and the glue we put on the back will adhere to the card. 

And thats it. I've just realised how long this post was, so if you did read to the end. THANK YOU! 

The next challenge I have set for myself is to set up a youtube channel as I think a video showing all the steps would be a lot easier for everyone. So this is the card and I love it.  Again the link to vote for me is here. Until next time, stay safe everyone xx