A birthday card for a friend, inspired by a photo she shared of some of her gorgeous container garden of flowers. I chose colors in some groups of analagous colors (close to each other on the color wheel) so I could include a lot of variation in the blooms

• I scored the card base so the center panel pops forward and the two sides are both z-folds to the back. This has the dual effect of both creating a frame effect between the sides and center, and also allows it to stand nicely for display (while still easily folding flat to fit in an envelope).

• Balance is created by spreading out color left to right (look at the lighter Lilac flowers, the bright Dragonfruit pink or chartreuse Lemongrass leaves) and also by balancing the values (lights and darks) with the deeper color at the base of the card as well as the deeper greens and flowers higher up in the flowers. Those two waves of deeper, darker color also allow the lighter and brighter flowers toward the center to pop and appear more forward.

• Even though the edge is mostly hidden by the flowers spilling over it, the wavy border at the top of the deeper teal (Peacock) at the bottom of the card base adds a good foundation of flow and movement to the card.

• I added some depth and variation to the flower and leaf die cuts with ink left over on my blending brushes from other projects, but you can also use the same color or ink from the same color family for that same subtle variation.

Choosing colors
I chose three groups of colors for this card:

1. Purple color family for the flowers (I include the Dragonfruit here because it definitely leans to the purple side of the pinks),

2. Green colors for the leaves,

3. Blue-Greens for the base/background

Keeping the colors in those three groups allowed me to use a lot of variation (in color and scale) without it looking too busy or jumbled.

Colors Used

• cardstock colors for the flowers and details: Concord & 9th Dragoonfruit, Lemongrass, Juniper, Rainforest, Lilac, Fig, Grape Soda, Eggplant

• cardstock colors for the base: Concord & 9th Aqua Sky, Tidepool, and Peacock

• splatter colors: white and gold, with shimmer spray on some flowers

• ink background colors: Rainforest (used through a stencil on the Peacock cardstock for some pattern that evokes the textures on patio pots)

Thank you for visiting! I hope you get some time to create something soon.

Links are below if you’re interested in any of the products I used.

Supply list*:

(Listed by company, with links to Simon Says Stamp and others. Simon Says Stamp links are affiliate links*.)

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