I love hydrangeas and have been waiting to do my take on a hydrangea plant. I was intimidated by the cluster of small perfect flowers and how to color and shade them for variation. So here is my result.

This project was also inspired by the current Ellen Hutson Pin-Sights Challenge.

I took my inspiration from the flowers and the color palette. I chose the light purples (lavenders), soft yellow, soft green and a light touch of pale lilac to color the hydrangeas. All coloring was done using Copic markers.  To make the flowers pop, I adhered them to a rich navy-colored piece of cardstock. I think the navy brought out the blues and made the pale color of the flowers pop.

How I made this project:

• Stamped the hydrangea flowers and the cluster onto white cardstock using a Copic-friendly ink (Memento Tuxedo Black).
• Colored the flowers using the selected Copic marker colors (listed below in the supplies). Blending was very important since I wanted a soft look for the flowers. I started with the lightest BV0000, coloring each petal with this color to wet the flower and then added the other darker shades of the BV family for shading. I also added a little V12 (Pale Lilac) for a pinker, yet subtle, more vibrant look. I used BV01 and BV0000 for blending the colors together as well.
• Die-cut the colored flowers.
• Arranged the die-cut flowers onto the A2 navy cardstock. Let flowers overhang the A2 navy card front and trim them later, once the flower placement is the way you want it. Make sure to leave adequate room for the placement of a sentiment.
• Heat embossed the sentiment using gold embossing powder BEFORE you adhere the flowers to the card front.
• Placedfoam squares on the back of the flowers and place them on the navy card front in the placement that you’ve determined.
• Adhered the completed card front to a card base.

Supplies used in making this project:

• Stamps: (all stamps by Ellen Hutson’s Essentials by Ellen stamp line): Mondo Hydrangea (flower images), Totally Random Sayings Vol. 2 (sentiment: ‘you really are’), Mondo Sakura (sentiment: ‘extraordinary’).
• Dies: Essentials by Ellen coordinating die set to Mondo Hydrangea stamp set.
• Inks: Versamark; Memento Tuxedo Black ink.
• Copic Markers: BV0000 (Pale Thistle), BV01 (Viola); BV13 (Hydrangea Blue), V12 (Pale Lilac) for flower petals; Y02 (Canary Yellow) for flower centers; YG11 (Mignonette) for flower stems.
• Cardstock: Neenah Solar White 80# (for stamping flower images); Papertrey Ink: Dark Indigo cardstock for card front mat; Neenah Solar White 110# for card base.
• Other: Brutus Monroe Metallic Embossing Powder in Gilded.

Hope you like this project. Have a great day!