Serenity Garden Floral Birthday Card with Astrantia, Primrose & Tassel Flowers

Hello crafty friends! I’m Bonnie Crane, and I’m thrilled to be joining you as a guest designer for Spellbinders. Spring always has a way of turning my thoughts toward flowers and time spent in the garden. It feels like the perfect season to draw inspiration from the Spellbinders Serenity Garden Collection by Susan Tierney-Cockburn. For this card, I’ve showcased the beautifully detailed Astrantia bloom, complemented by two additional florals from the collection - Primrose and Tassel Flower - creating a soft, layered bouquet.

ASTRANTIA

1. Die Cutting

• Cut small florets from Blush cardstock.
• Cut large petals twice from Chiffon cardstock.
• Cut floret stems (both sizes) and flower centre from Rainforest cardstock (2 cuts per stem size).
• Cut three leaves from Rainforest cardstock.

2. Shape the Florets & Stems

• Dot florets in the centre with Copic R35; cup each using a small ball tool.
• On the back of each floret stems, press the two rounded ends with a small ball tool.
• Use a medium ball tool to depress the centre of each floret stem layer.

3. Assemble Floret Cluster

• Adhere the two larger stem layers and two medium layers together; offsetting the stems.
• Use tweezers to adhere two florets to the two small raised cups on the end of each stem.

4. Shape the Two Large Petal Layers & Assemble Flower

• On the back, add a central vein to each petal using a leaf tool.
• Flip over; pinch along the vein with tweezers and twist petal tips.
• Cup the centres with a medium ball tool, then adhere the layers together, offsetting the petals.
• Adhere the medium and small floret clusters to the centre of the petals.

6. Create the Flower Centre

• Use the small ball tool to cup the end of the tiny stems and grasp the “handle” with tweezers.
• Apply adhesive along the base, wrap around the nose of the tweezers, and slip it off.
• Fluff the stems and adhere to the centre; finish off the small stems with remaining florets.

7. Shape the Leaves

• Add a central vein on the back using a leaf tool.
• Pinch along the vein and twist tips with tweezers for a natural look

PRIMROSE

1. Die Cut the Pieces

• Cut three flowers from Tuscan cardstock, using two petal layers and one centre for each bloom.
• Cut two sets of leaves from Fern cardstock.

2. Shape the Petals

• Place the petal layers face up on a molding mat.
• Using the loop tool, pull from the petal edges toward the centre several times to create a nice cupped shape.

3. Layer the Petals

• Use the small ball tool in the centre of each petal layer to cup them.
• Adhere one petal layer onto another, offsetting the petals.

4. Create the Flower Centres

• Hold the “handle” of the die cut with tweezers and apply adhesive along the band.
• Twist the band around the tip of the tweezers and slip it off.
• Adhere the centre to the petals.

5. Add the Prills

• Apply adhesive around the flower centre.
• Add yellow prills.

6. Add Detail to the Petals

• Apply Splatter White (opaque paint) to the outer edges of each petal using your fingertip.

7. Shape the Leaves

• Use the leaf tool and trace the etched lines to increase definition.
• Use tweezers along the main vein to crease the leaves upward.
• Curl the edges downward for added dimension.

TASSEL FLOWERS & LADYBUGS

1. Die Cut the Pieces

• Cut the petal layers and flower centres from Violet cardstock: four large, three medium, and two small for each bloom.
• Cut two flower stems and two sets of leaves from Fern cardstock.

 

2. Shape the Stems and Calyxes

• Two stems are required. Use a medium ball tool to cup the three calyxes on each stem.
• Shape one stem from the front and the second from the back.
• Adhere the stems together so each calyx forms a cup to hold the flower.

3. Prepare the Petals

• Each petal has a V-shaped cutout at the tip.
• Cut each petal lengthwise in half, including the small petals on the flower centre die cut.

4. Shape and Assemble the Petals

• Cup all petal layers using a medium ball tool.
• Adhere the layers together, starting with the largest and working to the smallest.
• Offset the petals as each layer is added.
• Use the ball tool after each layer to deepen the cupping as you build the flower.

5. Create the Flower Centre

• Hold the “handle” of the flower centre die cut with tweezers and apply adhesive along the band.
• Roll the band around the tip of the tweezers and slip it off.
• Adhere the centre into the middle of the layered petals.

6. Adhere the Flowers

• Squeeze the petal layers together.
• Apply adhesive inside both calyx cups and insert the flower.

7. Finish the Flowers

• Once dry, fluff out the petals to add fullness and dimension.

PULLING THE CARD TOGETHER

1. Create the Card Base

• Use the largest die from the Playful Stitched Panels die set to cut a shaped card base from white card stock.
• Place the die slightly over the folded edge to create a hinge at the top.
• Cut an additional panel from Chiffon cardstock and adhere it to the front.

2. Add the Embossed Panel

• Cut a smaller panel from Indigo cardstock and black foam using the same die set.
• Emboss the Indigo panel with the Ode to a Poet 3-D embossing folder.
• Adhere the embossed panel to the foam layer, then centre it on the card base.

3. Create the Floating Sentiment

• Use the Layered Happy Birthday die set to cut the script from Indigo cardstock and black foam.
• Cut the shadow layer from vellum paper.
• Apply adhesive to the back of the Indigo script and the front of the foam script using Tombow adhesive and allow it to dry until it is in its tacky state.
• Adhere the vellum shadow on top of the foam script.
• Align and adhere the Indigo script on top of the vellum shadow.
• Adhere the completed sentiment to the lower right-hand corner of the card.

4. Arrange the Flowers

• Begin by adhering the tassel flower to the Indigo panel.
• Add the Astrantia, tucking leaves around the bloom.
• Create a spray of leaves in the bottom left-hand corner and adhere the three primrose flowers to complete the arrangement.

5. Add the Finishing Touches

• Embellish with Aura Opalescent Sequins.
• Add Nuvo Crystal Drops in Morning Dew to the sequins.

If you are a lover of flowers like me, the Serenity Garden Collection will capture your heart. Happy Spring, and thank you so much for your visit!

Other Supplies

Foam Molding Mat, Leaf Mat, Small & Medium Ball Tool, Loop Tool, Leaf Tool, Tweezers, Nuvo Crystal Drops Morning Dew, Copic Marker R35