Sunflower Series – Holding on to Light 🌻

 

Some days call for drama and depth…
and some days quietly ask for warmth, softness, and a little hope.

Today was the latter.

After the intensity of my recent dark romance pieces, I felt drawn to something lighter—something that still tells a story, but with sunlight instead of shadow. And so this little sunflower trio was born.

🌿 The Process

As always, I started with 300gsm white cardstock, cut down to ATC size—my favourite little canvas.

The images were stamped onto white card using VersaFine Clair in Nocturne, giving me those crisp, rich outlines I love working with using using stamps from the Papercraft Society Box 22 by Ruth Mackie-McCartan.  From there, I coloured everything using my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers:

• BG2 & BG7
• AG4 & LG4
• CT2 & CT4
• IB1

I kept the colouring fairly natural and soft, letting the yellows stay bright but not overpowering, and adding gentle depth into the greens so the leaves didn’t get lost.

🌾 Backgrounds

For the backgrounds, I stayed deliberately muted and warm:

• Antique Linen
• Tea Dye
• Old Paper

Blended softly to create that slightly vintage, sun-washed feel.

I wanted the backgrounds to feel like late afternoon light—textured, warm, but never competing with the focal images. A few stamped details were added to give interest, but always with a light hand so the sunflowers could remain the stars.

🐝 The Story in Three Cards

Each ATC carries its own little message:

• “Keep a little sunshine”
  A soft, almost nostalgic piece with bees captured inside a jar—like holding onto small moments of light.
• “In a world of roses, be a sunflower”
  The bold centrepiece. A reminder to stand out, turn towards the light, and be unapologetically yourself.
• “Still reaching for the sun”
  A quieter ending. Gentle strength. Growth, even when it’s not loud or perfect.

Together, they form a simple story:

hold onto the light, choose your own path, and keep growing.

🌻 Final Thoughts

What I loved most about this set was the balance.

Not too busy.
Not too bold.
Just enough detail to support the feeling without overwhelming it.

After working with darker tones and heavier emotion, this felt like a breath of fresh air—proof that crafting doesn’t always have to shout to be meaningful.

Sometimes… it just needs to glow quietly.

More to come soon…
Bon 🖤