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Check out this give away - http://wwscrapdivas.blogspot.com/

Curled Flower

I am guilty of falling in love with a store bought flower, yet I try to do everything as thrifty as possible, so I knew my love could NOT last due to the shortage in my wallet. I have been working on a way to create a similar flower. While my version is nowhere as beautiful as the store-bought-beauty-that-stole my heart, I am very pleased with how they have turned out and would like to share them with you.



Supplies:
Two- hand-cut or die cut flowers (I used the “Wedding” cartridge on my Cricut) I found that three flowers works nice too with the bottom flower remaining straight
Ink - I used a blue marker
A bbq skewer
Spray starch (you can use a spray bottle of water or a wet cloth)
Adhesive (I find a glue gun does the job strong and quick)
A rolled rose (see my previous blog if you’ve never made one of these: http://ohschwietscrap.blogspot.com/2009/11/paper-rose-schwiet-way.html or anything creative for the center like a botton, brad, circle hole punch, or even a quilled circle



I start by ink staining the edges of the flower and marking a little into the center of the flower.
Using those marks, I cut up into the center of the flower a little. This will emphasize the curl more.



I glue the two flowers together. Feel free to play with sizes. I also find that double sided is the most impressive since the underside will be exposed when the flower is curled; however, I cheat and glue two coordinating papers together.



Spray the now double flower with starch. Before I roll the petals I dab a little off. If you don't have spray starch, you can wet the petals for the similiar less stiff result. I wet by placing the flower on a damp cloth, but a spray bottle of water would work. I've also been told Glimmer Mist works too.



I pull back one edge of a petal on the top layer while curling it around the skewer.



When the petal seems to be in the position I like I scrape a bit of the paper with my thumb nail making a crease.

Repeat the rolling to all that petal on the top layer and continue with the bottom layer. Play around and experiment with how much curl you want as well as the direction of the curl. Here’s a little tip: even with the starch the flower will uncurl just slightly so you will want to exaggerate the curl some. I have found that I prefer rolling the top layer and the bottom layer in the same direction with the top layer having a tighter curl. I now love rolling the petals forward towards the center!!

When it dries it will remain relatively stiff.



At this point I hot glue a rose bud to the middle. Some flowers I crunch slightly around the bud.

After playing some more I discovered a few tricks by mistake....I really like the look of only one flower rolled...also lining the two flowers up and rolling just the front layer looks pretty cool too.

Handmade Embellishments

I feel like I'm so weird. I'd rather spend a few hours making a handmade embellishment in place of just buying embellishments at the store. Today while making more roses, I added the roses and buds to wire and made a rose vine. It looked like something I bought. Here's a few of my favorites. They could be your favorites, too; just ask me how.

Paper Rose the Schwiet Way

You have probally made paper roses and this is just another one of those tutorials about making them, but I found a way to make them easier by using a BBQ skewer to complete the rolling step.

Here’s a layout of my DStep-D’s posing at Sea World using these paper roses. The layout itself is a lift of the very talented “2-Dogs”.



Supplies: paper, circle template (wine glass), wooden skewer (a toothpick would probably work), scissors, and glue gun.

First, I traced a circle using the wine glass as a template. My circle was just under 3 inches. The size you use will determine the rose size and number of layers.

Next, I cut out the circle and then cut the circle into a spiral shape.

Using the skewer, I rolled the paper around the skewer by starting with the outside edge of the spiral. I find this much easier than the free-handed version I have been using. I pinch the bottom of the rose making it a little tighter as I go along.

Finally, I pullout the skewer and allow the little bundle to spread open more to my liking. Using the glue gun, I dab a little glue on the flowers bottom and I fold the end (the inside of the spiral) snuggly around the rose. For my rose in the page above, I added a little touch of silver glitter glue.

Southern Comfort Close Ups

Here's my son with his family on an airboat ride.




Tag made using the tips I gave in an earlier post. I used styrofoam plates covered in aluminum tape and layered with paint. The duck was left over from a picture I cropped earlier.

The gator is made from clay.

I cut the flower using my cricut. I sprayed the flower with starch and twisted the petal. The rose is hand made and I'll post a how-to next.

"Memories" Details and Close-ups

The girls and their cousin posing at Sea World.

B-I-N-G-O

Need motivation to get layouts completed? Come play Build It and Bring It Bingo with me Scrapbook.com

http://www.scrapbook.com/forums/showtopic.php?fid/18/tid/1519287/pid/11684935/post/11684935/#11684935

I will call random squares every Monday and Friday.

This is a betting/swapping challenge. So all players must be willing to fork over a scrap item if they lose. I will simply PM the winner's address to those that owe the winner, but please do not hold me responsible for the collection of prizes. Also please respect the winner and mail whatever you promise to the winner... no flaking!!!

THE RULES:
*Your lo has to be new as of Nov. 15 of this year it can be used for other challenges. In fact I tried to make squares related to common challenges.
**Upload your lo at sb.com only AFTER the square has been called or whenever you get the square completed.
***Squares cannot be combined but two page layouts can count towards 2 different squares
****The squares will be called on Monday and Friday. I will update the front page, the title, and post within the thread at sb.com when a new square is called.
****When the challenge has been closed, I will PM the address of one of the winners to you so that you can mail the prize.
****** I will also PM the address of the blackout winner to those that want to play the bonus round.
*******You can win only ONE round, but even the winners can play for the blackout round

Be sure to share your layouts as you complete them and if you can find a few extra minutes leave love. I know you’ll want to rush and get these layouts done and won’t have much time for love, but please share it and spread it.

You will select NINE scrap items/techniques from the list and place them on a piece of paper divided into nine squares. Feel free to place the techniques any where on your square. After you have made the card, snap a picture, post it here as a reply and be sure to public embed it so I can move it to the front page.

Here's my example and card:




Here's the items:
1. Stickles or glitter
2. paper piecing
3. handmade flower
4. handmade embellishment
5. metal object
6. family picture
7. friend picture
8. Non scrap item
9. 4 plus layers list the layers
10. masking
11. stitching
12. Ribbon
13. tag
14. Distress
15. Something new

G's First Trick or Treat
I added the googley eyes thanks for the suggestion. It looks so cool.



Iris pumpkin, brown bag vine, stitching



homemade distressed metal ribbon tag



Those are her footprints for the ghosts, puffy paint flourish, ghost spinner

The newest additions BIL's wedding: