{"id":2260,"date":"2026-09-12T15:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T15:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardtreasuresbydiane.com\/?p=2260"},"modified":"2026-09-13T12:22:15","modified_gmt":"2026-09-13T12:22:15","slug":"golden-smiles-sunflowers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardtreasuresbydiane.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/12\/golden-smiles-sunflowers\/","title":{"rendered":"Golden Smiles-Sunflowers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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I created this card using Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Inks (DI) and Altenew dies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was the first time I used Altenew dies with the Key Hole system. It actually looks like a key hole that lines up with other key holes on different layers of diecuts. The Bright Bloom Layering Die Set has this feature, so it was a quick way to assemble the two layers of petals. I liked the ease of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To begin the card, I ran the dies and watercolor paper through my Big Shot. As the pottery die passed through the machine, it moved and also cut out the three petal-like areas towards the bottom of the vase. (The machine was cutting the sunflower petals at the same time.) So, I thought \u2018Ok, that\u2019s how it\u2019s supposed to be.\u2019 As Bob Ross said, on his PBS show, \u201cWe don\u2019t make mistakes, we just have happy accidents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the back of the Bright Bloom package, Altenew has listed the suggested ink colors to use. I haven\u2019t purchased their inks, so I matched their colors to the distress inks that I have and thought would be a close match. I used Mustard Seed in place of Lemonade Stand; Vintage Photo for Red Jasper. (Next time I use the Earthenware vase dies, I\u2019d like to try Aged Mahogany DI to see if it\u2019s a closer match to Red Jasper.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I placed the diecuts on 2-3 thicknesses of paper towel (Bounty) to anchor them and to protect my craft desk from the inks. I don\u2019t normally use paper towels for this purpose, but my gel plate wasn\u2019t handy. I put the Mini Ink Blending Tool directly on the distress ink pad and tapped the ink directly onto the diecut until I got the level of color I wanted. A separate Mini Blending Tool was used for each color so that cross contamination of colors wouldn\u2019t occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I inked the inside flower pieces with Vintage Photo, with the exception of Ground Espresso DI, which I used on the ring around the center flower pieces. I think Vintage Photo worked well to give the pottery an earthenware appearance. I applied Mowed Lawn DI on the foliage; Mustard Seed DI on the sunflower petals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had die-cut two pottery pieces after the \u201chappy accident.\u201d I inked the entire surface of the first piece with Vintage Photo. On the second piece, I applied Mustard Seed DI to half of it; the other half, Vintage Photo. I lined up the three petal-like areas over the Mustard Seed DI and bonded the two pottery pieces together using Scor-Tape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I assembled the rest of the die cut pieces and adhered them to the cardstock base with Scor-Tape and Ranger Multi Medium Matte. To finish the card, I stamped happy birthday from the Birthday Builder Stamps set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Materials Used:<\/p>\n\n\n\n