Flower Frenzy!

  I’ve been on a paper flower kick lately!  There are so many variations and possibilities that it makes my head spin! 

If I were to spend much time on Pinterest looking at paper flowers I would never actually get to MAKING any!

Good thing this was one of the very first sites I found!  Made from coffee filters colored with water and inks I found the coloring process to be just as fun and fulfilling as the flower making process.  Ü

Sasilla has a complete photo tutorial on her blog.   http://kuchnia-pelna-cudow.blogspot.com/2011/02/zapraszam-na-kawe.html

This is my flower garden so far:

On my next batch I plan to include some fun rubber stamped images onto the filters and see how that changes the way they look.  I’ve just started adding mixed micro beads to the tips of the petals and am delighted with how much texture it adds! 

I just used a glue that I could apply fairly thin and that I knew would dry clear.  I touched the petals lightly with glue and then poured the micro beads over it.  Best to do this over a tray so that the extra beads can be tapped out of the flower.

Below  is my first completed and beaded flower.  I wasn’t sure how it would turn out so I picked the “ugliest” filter that I had colored so I wouldn’t be sad if it flopped.  I don’t think it’s ugly at all any more!  Ü

So if you don’t hear from me for awhile,…… I’m probably in the craft room with my color wash sprays, colorful bottles of re-inkers and micro beads! 

Hugs, Suzanne

Too Cute Room Cards

In the early days of PWA we had weekly live online classes where group members shared specific projects and “students” shared their creations from that lesson.  With up to 30 beadie buddies from all over the world participating at once it was wildly fun!

Room cards were one of the classes taught by Melissa Baldwin of  The Stamping Studio in 2005.  I thought they were so much fun that I used mine for a PWA shoebox party shortly afterwards.

Close up details show PWA micro beads used to accent the television screen and make the lampshade shimmer.

The retro clock hanging on the wall has bubble beads affixed to the points.

A closer look from the top shows the fabric rug, kitty cat, overstuffed chair and pillows that actually look fluffy from being bent around foam tape.

I used stamps from The Stamping Studio for my decor.  The paper is from Chatterbox. 

All folded up the card is held closed by a decorative ribbon band. Stamps on the cover are CTMH and SU.

Here are some of  the other cards shared in class that night with the card instructions to make your own posted at the end.

Anna Justice created a darling room with a window and decorated the outside of her card to look like the outside wall of the room!

     

Room Cards
Created by Melissa Baldwin of The Stamping Studio
Melissa@thestampingstudio.com
www.TheStampingStudio.com

1. Cut your Cardstock in a perfect square. Mine is 8.5 x 8.5

2. Fold your cardstock in half. A bone folder, or the edge of
an inkpad, is a great way to get a nice crisp fold.

3. Unfold, then fold in half the other direction.  When unfolded,
your creases should look like a cross, or plus sign.

4. Now go half way up one of the fold lines, and using a craft knife
and a ruler, make a straight cut. 

5. Move your ruler over slightly (I think a "smidge is the technical term"!) And make another straight cut along side it.

6. You should now have a thin piece of cardstock, which your can go ahead and remove by cutting off the end near the fold.

7. Fold the paper half way up.

8. Then you will fold the bottom right flap over the left flap, and
it should stand up!

9. Well.... it will stand up with a little coaxing! You will need
to bend it a little so it will stand up straight. Let's call the
technical term for this "Paper Manipulation"! LOL!

10. Wala! You now have the framework done for your room card. It is the perfect size to decorate!

11.  Now feel free to decorate the inside of your room anyway you would like!… How about stamped wallpaper, molding, pictures in frames, and don’t forget the furniture! 

12. Let me tell you how to attach the furniture so it will hold
down when you close the card; You  need cut strips of paper of varying widths for each piece of furniture you want to place in the room.  They should be the same color as the floor, and about 1 1/2 inches by 1/2 inch. You can cut them down in length as needed.

13. Fold each one in half to make a tab and place glue on one side and stick it to the backside of the furniture.

14. Then glue the other side of the tab and put  your furniture into place.

15. To close the card up for mailing, fold down the furniture, then fold up as shown.

These rooms are all just too cute!!

Hugs, Suzanne

Flower Power

These flowers are Hot-Hot-Hot!  Chances are you have seen something like them in stores and clipped on purses and in many hairstyles.  This is one variation created by PWA designer, Karen Slusher.  Karen attended our annual retreat last month and shared her “power flowers” with us there.  

Here’s a photo of Karen’s project station.  Note, an open candle flame is used!

Supplies:  Assorted fabrics, scissors, tweezers, candle, lighter, 3-D Zots, Pennywise Bubble Beads, Glue, Pin back or Hairclip, Needle and thread, small piece of felt for backing.

Directions:

1. Cut assorted fabric pieces into general flower shapes.  They don’t need to be perfect – just rough petals.  The largest piece should be about 4” across.  Karen used 6 pieces of fabric in 3 different sizes. 

2. Once the cutting is done, light a candle and hold the petals above the flame. Lower the fabric toward the flame turning as the edges start to melt and curl.  Use tweezers to hold fabric if needed.

** Do not let the fabric get any closer to the flame once melting starts.

** Keep turning the fabric so it doesn’t linger in the flame and start to burn.

3. Once all pieces are melted, stack them together as desired and place on top of felt square.

4. Using the needle and thread, stitch through the felt and up through the flower, then back through the felt. Do this a couple times to hold the flower together. Knot and cut under the felt.

5. To make the beaded center choose a bead type to use as your flower center (Bubble beads or a mixture of colored micro beads are fantastic options).  Tear off a 3D glue dot (ZOT), leaving the backing paper to hold it.  Dip the ZOT into your chosen beads and press to cover.  Carefully peel off the backing from the beaded ZOT and place in the center of your flower.

6. Affix a pin back or hair clip to the back of your flower

7. Wear as a pin on clothing, purse, scarf, etc.

Quick and easy these pretty flowers make for instant beadie gratification!  Karen made this royal blue one special for moi.  :)

Try mixing and matching colors and fabric textures.  I’ve seen some really pretty ones done with sage and taupe together – super elegant! 

Hugs, Suzanne