Fabric Flowers: fast easy and cheap! (My Unique Technique of the Week)

Hello Friends,

Happy Weekend! How are you? Is anyone out there?

Today I thought I'd show you how to make your own pretty fabric (or lace or ribbon) flowers, any size or color you want/need, for SO much less money than Prima and they'll be every bit as gorgeous. It's easy and fast. You can customize: add leaves (as I did with this particular one) or not. Add ribbon stems, or not. Add bead or pearl centers, or not.

NO SEWING.

Aside from using them on scrap pages and altered craft projects, you can add a pin backing to add them to your sweaters/clothing/jackets. Or add a hair pin backing and put them in your hair, or attach them to a head band, or bracelet.

(I don't know WHAT happened to this picture...some digi-glitch. Also, I took these pictures at night, so the lighting is awful; the flash creates shadows and overexposes everything. I apologize. Hopefully you can get the gist.)

You need only 3 things to make these flowers: Fabric Tac, felt (for backing), and fabric of choice.

I usually buy the fabrics from the remnant pile. (A lace is lovely too. I'll take some pictures of them tomorrow when I have better lighting.) I generally like a sheer, silky or satiny fabric, but sometimes I like a muslin or even a printed fabric. You can even use denim, velvet or linen... whatever you want. I have been known to cut up old clothes I no longer wear.

For the flower I made here, I used a sheer pink fabric that happens to have tiny sparkles on it (that don't really show up in my lousy photos).

First, Cut a Circle of Felt, the approximate size you wish your flower to be. (I usually use a white or cream color felt, especially when using light sheer fabric.) It doesn't have to be a perfect circle, it isn't going to show, and you can trim away any excess when you finish.

Then you are going to cut a couple of approx. 1" (ish) wide strips of your fabric.

Your strips don't have to be perfect or neat. (see photo below)

(After you play and make a couple you will find what you prefer. In general, the smaller flowers will use skinnier strips (1/2"-ish) and bigger flowers you may like a wider strip. Also, I usually use a thinner strip as my first piece (since it will be your center) and then the subsequent strips I usually cut a bit wider. But you don't have to. Really, the twist and wrap determines how big/tight your "petals" are. But more on that in a minute.)

Next you just tie a knot at one end of your first strip.

Then use your fabric tac and squirt a drop of glue to the center of your felt circle and press the knot of your fabric strip down on it.

(Your fingers are going to get a bit sticky, but it peels right off.)

Then simply squirt a bit more glue onto the felt, twist your fabric strip attach, twist, and attach going around your knot. You just keep twisting your fabric and glueing it down as you go around.

A smaller flower usually takes two-three strips (assuming about a foot and a half length strips), a big flower maybe 3-4 strips...again, depending on the length of strips you are using and the size of your flower.

When you are at the end of a strip in mid flower, just tuck it under and glue, and then tuck in a new strip and keep going. (no knot needed, just glue in a tucked end and start twisting and glueing.)

It goes very fast, and the glue dries very fast. I have made 4-5 big flowers in under 10 minutes. And they are ready to use when you're done...the glue dries fast.

*I usually like to twist tighter in the middle, and then make my twists looser as I get to the outer edges.

If there is any felt sticking out when you are done, just trim it away.

In this case, I used the same fabric tac glue and attached two CTMH felt leaves to the back.

That's all there is to it.

I hope you like it, and try it.

Cheryl

Copic Fun/ My Unique Technique of the Week

Hello Friends!
And...Happy Friday!!

How would you like an endless array of colored rhinestones; every color of the rainbow at your disposal?

Did you know that you can use your Copic Markers (or any ALCOHOL-based markers/ink...but most of us have Copic brand, though I know a few of you have the Prisma or Ranger alcohol markers) to color your clear rhinstones?
Yep. In less than a second you can turn any clear rhinestone into any color you wish.

Go from this....

...to This!

Isnt that awesome?! I know!

The brighter colors show up the best. ( sorry my pix are dark...again, it is raining, so I have no sunlight to help a girl out. I need a light box. Too bad Copics cant make me one of them!) Anyway, I use the brush tip end and just swipe it around the stone once and viola!

I only buy clear, and I can make them match any artwork I wish. So fun.

More artwork coming tomorrow.

**Please scroll down and do the Getting To Know You Questions...it's fun to get to know each other!

Inky Hugs,

Cheryl

Romantic Paper Kissing Ball for Valentines Day (or Holiday Ornaments) aka Cheryl's Unique Technique of the Week!

Hello Friends!

Are you staying warm and cozy? I hope so.

Please grab a toasty cup of coffee, or tea/hot cocoa and spend some time with me today.

So, I got to thinking (always dangerous)...and this thinking started not because I'm frugal ( nah, I'm totally a spender fo sho), but rather more that I'm so in love, so smitten with pretty , pretty paper, such a hoarder of the prettiest of them (*my precious*, she says in a scary voice with arms wrapped tightly around her precious papers *I likes my precious*)...yeah, so pretty paper and also pretty ribbon (velvet ribbon and lace ribbon makes me swoon and lovely harped music goes off in my head, the angels call to me to BUY)...and I will hang on to the very last tiny scrap of *my precious* good paper.

... (back to the thinking part) I sat in my messy studio today thinking of ways to use all my little scraps and bits of paper that I refuse to throw away. (I throw away scraps of paper I can replace, just so ya know I'm not weird or anything. Well, not that weird anyway. I hope.)

So, using some scraps of papers I like, but can replace, I decided to experiment. (not willig to experiment with the fancy stuff)

I created several unique projects of which I am pleased with the outcome. Today I will share my Kissing Ball/Ornament with you and how to make one for yourself. I hope you like it.

I made this trial one fairly small, and this picture with the Conn. Club Pearls will give some of you an idea to the scale/sixe of my little ornament ball. It is 3" in diameter ( ish).

*( remember to click on the photos to see the up close details)

Ready to Make One? Let's do it!

Supply List:

paper (I know, duh)

circle punch

stylus (to score the circles)

pencil

ruler

white/clear Tacky Glue

cord/string/ribbon (to hang it)

optional: pearls/rhinstones etc.

(you could even put little triangular photos on it)

I used a 1 1/2" circle punch (you can use any size, in fact, I think a 2" would be perfect) and you will need to punch twenty (20) paper circles to make the ball.

I used four or five different papers ( all ctmh), because those were the scraps I had laying around that I was willing to "ruin" if this didnt work as I planned (I have more and can order more), and I liked these scrap colors together. You could use all one color or just two colors (i.e. red and green for Christmas ornaments), or whatever floats your boat. But 20 is the magic number of circles you will need to punch out.

Then I fiddled (technical term) around a bit and made a fairly decent triangle out of one of the circles (this took a few tries...I am SO not an engineer...I will not lose my little triangle. I hope.), which I then used to trace as a template on to the back side of each circle. Then using my ruler and dry emboss stylus, I scored over the pencil marks. ( you wont have to erase the pencil marks, they wont show)

Then fold your circles on the score lines. ( see photo above)

Then I used an old cheapo (from a kids set) watercolor paintbrush and "painted' the glue on and put it together. I start at the "top" and build around & down. Before you seal the last of the bottom pieces, stick your ribbon/holder thru the top little hole.

It is an easy project.

When it was all put together I dabbed more glue on each "intersection" and added pearls. ( the sticky they come with isnt strong enough to hold onto the thin edges of the paper.)

Oh, the ribbon could have been looped, but I chose to leave it one long piece. (I used a little dab of the glue in its hole to reinforce it)

On a side note, here is a quick (blah) card I made. I dont really like it, and this picture makes me like it even less. But it was fast. The hearts are felt. That's all I have to say about that. (I shouldnt even post it...I will be ripping it apart and using the buttons on something better) But, I figure it's good to let people know that we all make things we dont end up liking. Art is all about experimenting.

Creative Blessings to you,

Cheryl