By Els van de Burgt
Hello, everybody! It’s Els here today with a project that I hope you’ll enjoy: Durable Flowers. It all started with the leftover die cut flowers I brought home from my CHA Make N’ Take cards. I thought it would be fun to decorate my lanyard for a show we’re attending in Frankfurt (the badge holder that I’ll be wearing), but I knew that paper flowers probably wouldn’t hold up all that well so I did some brainstorming. Before I knew it, I had a table filled with amazing flowers and so many ideas that I couldn’t go to sleep.
Here is what I came up with:
- Use Distress Inks in a variety of colors to alter flowers and flower centers (circles) that have been die cut from my new Through the Lens patterned cardstock in a mix from the Wood, Stone, and Metal Series packs. (I used my Victorian Flower Set 1 dies, but feel free to pick other favorites for your projects.)
- Shape the petals just a bit from the back using a large ball stylus, the end of a paintbrush or your thumbnail. Some flowers have two layers, some have only one, but all have a circle in the middle. Adhere the center circles with Power Adhesive Tabs, but do not layer the flowers until after steps 3 and 4.
- Spray flowers with Goosebumps Shimmer, a mist that adds a wonderful bumpy texture and a tad of iridescent shine. After the surface dries, if you want more sparkle or you did not thoroughly coat the flowers, spray again one or two more times, allowing the flowers to dry between each application. (It’s better to spray a little at a time than to totally saturate the flowers.)
- Add stencil paste to the back of the flowers to fill the petals just a bit and help them hold their shape!
- For 2-layer flowers, adhere a smaller flower on top of a larger one using Clear Double Sided Adhesive Tape or Power Adhesive Tabs between the layers.
- Use the flowers on photo mats or frames, on treasure boxes and in shadow boxes, for post-backed earrings (use Bunch of Flowers dies in smaller sizes), for cards that will be mailed in a box or hand-delivered, for mixed media projects, and more.
Thank you for visiting the blog today. Be sure to join the Elizabeth Craft Designs Facebook Family so you can show us the flowers that you create!
Happy crafting –
Els
Supplies:
Elizabeth Craft Designs –
Patterned paper Through the Lens Wood, Metal and Stone Series
Other –
Tombow Power Adhesive Tabs
Distress Inks in a variety of colors
Goosebumps Shimmer Texture Spray
such awesome flowers and projects
Rosemary – You can put the stencil paste into the cup-shape at the back of each petal with a tiny plastic spoon (like what you get to taste ice cream at some stores) or a pointed palette knife or even a narrow craft stick or Popsicle stick. Just be careful to keep it on the back and not on the front. Stop the stencil paste just short of the edges of the petal.
really pretty! But I am unsure of how the back of the flower gets filled in with the stencil paste. Do I just brush it on like paint?
Beautiful & fun flowers! Love how you decorated your lanyard & you look so good wearing it too!
I love this idea. Very creative.
Oh my gosh, I just love these and I just want to bite the cheeks of that grandbaby…what a doll!
I never heard of Goosebumps. The flowers turned out fantastic.
Those are so cool! The inked cardstock looks great!
beautiful flowers Els x
Thanks ladies! This all started with just playing and not doing the things I needed to do. And then I got so excited and couldn’t stop so you can imagine I still have a lot to do:-)!
These are gorgeous, Els!!!
Cool project and lovely picture of you, Els!
I love them and they do not look like paper…..more like metal….great idea.
Thank you for share that great idea. I will try it for sure.
Your Through the Lens papers really make those flowers special, and Goosebumps for texture – Bingo!
What a great idea – they are gorgeous. Love all the beautiful colors.
Wonderful flowers Els, great to have around for a fast and beautiful project.
very cool flowers……..great color combos
Wow! These are so awesome, Els! Great idea and such beautiful vibrant colors.