Handmade Flowers- A Tutorial

 Hi there everyone! Hope all is well and you are able to enjoy some creative time in your day. Thanks so much for all your comments last week in my first post as Guest Designer at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge blog. You guys are THE best!



 This is week two for me and that also means:

 The theme this week is "handmade flowers" and I have made two canvases showing off my tissue paper flowers (all SS products linked at the end):

Let's make some flowers!

  Cut squares from colored tissue paper slightly larger than your chosen size of scallop circle die.  Layer 8 or more squares and die cut. For my flowers I used anywhere from 10 -15 layers each.      Once  the cut layers are stacked use a tiny hole punch or an awl to pierce the center going all the way through the layers.  Attach a brad to hold the layers together.
Beginning with one layer at a time from the top, loosely pinch edges in toward center:

Continue until you get through all of the paper layers:

 Optional step: I wanted my flowers to be a bit more sturdy so I sprayed them with several  LIGHT coats of fabric stiffener allowing each coat to dry thoroughly in between. VERY IMPORTANT: spray from a distance changing the angle you spray from so as not to saturate these thin, delicate papers! It would be a good idea to practice first. I know :)

 For both canvases: Coat with white gesso. Repeatedly stamp Tim Holtz Letters over the canvas using Versafine Onyx Black ink. Dry brush white gesso over  top to soften the stamping. Splatter a bit using inks or watered down acrylic paints to coordinate with your tissue paper flowers:

 Finishing the Square canvas: Sponge some light green ink onto bottom left corner. Sponge black dye ink around edges of canvas.  Use gel medium to glue  leaves (die cut from felt) and flowers in place. Add Small Talk Stickers. Glue on a craft store butterfly to finish the canvas.

Flowers close up:

  Finishing the poppy canvas (well, at least I think they look like poppies:): I printed out my quote and fussy cut then positioned the words where I wanted them before gluing down. They were outlined and smudged with a charcoal pencil. The edges of the canvas were sponged with black dye ink. Lastly, the die cut leaves (cut from felt) and then the flowers were glued in place with gel medium.

 Poppies close up:

 Ooh I just LOVE these flowers!! I hope you enjoyed my project today and will give them a try.

 Simon Says Stamp is giving away a $50 voucher for the Simon Says Stamp Shop to one lucky winner!




 You have a whole week to enter with  your handmade flower project so come along, join in the fun, and do see what the fabulous Design Team has done to inspire us all!

Product Links:

Tim Holtz Artful Artifacts stamp set
Tim Holtz Occasions Small Talk  stickers
Spellbinders Scalloped Circle Lg. Dies
Spellbinders Foliage Dies
Colored Tissue Paper
Simon Says Wool Felt Sheets - Get Lucky
Versafine Onyx Black dye ink
White Gesso- Dina Wakley Ranger
Gel Medium - Dina Wakley Ranger

 I am also linking to Paint Party Friday later this week-where there is always a huge art party happening! Speaking of parties- how about a T party?

 Every Tuesday Elizabeth at Altered Book Lover hosts T Stands For Tuesday. The subjects of the posts that people link are so varied and always interesting! Just post something beverage related-share a mug, or a journal page, or a photo with a beverage in it, etc. and join us won't you? You may even find an art tutorial, you tube link, recipe, movie recommendation and just about anything else so it's always a treat!

 My share this week :

  Since I was alone this particular evening I decided to have a very small casual girls nite with my two young friends Kyra (who also happens to be my son's GF) and Lynn. I put out a nice assortment and we had a super fun nite listening to Irish music while catching up  and laughing! We even tried a special Irish liquor called Dream Catcher and it was so good! (photo at end of post).

 For Tag Tuesday (theme is "hats and headgear") and the Simon Wednesday Challenge (theme is "for a special lady/girl"):

 And here I was recently enjoying the unusually warm weather when suddenly this:

 We got 4.5 inches and since then it has been bitterly cold!! We may even be getting another snow storm mid week! NO! The poor budding forsythia and lilac bushes may be a gonner :(  Oh well, fickle March...

Have a super week! Stay tuned for another new post and challenge next Monday along with my project as guest designer at the Simon Monday Challenge Blog. And a happy St. Patty's Day too - sláinte!

            "Where flowers bloom so does hope."  Lady Bird Johnson