Els van de Burgt Studio

Durable Flowers

January 19, 2016

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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:

  1. 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.)

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  1. 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.
  1. 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.)

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  1. Add stencil paste to the back of the flowers to fill the petals just a bit and help them hold their shape!
  1. 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.

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  1. 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.

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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 –

964 Victorian Flower Set 1

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

 

 

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  • Frances January 21, 2016 at 12:26 am

    such awesome flowers and projects

  • Judi Kauffman January 20, 2016 at 5:37 am

    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.

  • Rosemary Paul January 19, 2016 at 9:33 pm

    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?

  • Raquel Mason January 19, 2016 at 7:23 pm

    Beautiful & fun flowers! Love how you decorated your lanyard & you look so good wearing it too!

  • Jody Briles January 19, 2016 at 1:35 pm

    I love this idea. Very creative.

  • Kathleen Adams January 19, 2016 at 12:57 pm

    Oh my gosh, I just love these and I just want to bite the cheeks of that grandbaby…what a doll!

  • afmmac January 19, 2016 at 12:08 pm

    I never heard of Goosebumps. The flowers turned out fantastic.

  • Mary Prasad January 19, 2016 at 9:34 am

    Those are so cool! The inked cardstock looks great!

  • Caz January 19, 2016 at 9:33 am

    beautiful flowers Els x

  • Els van de Burgt January 19, 2016 at 9:11 am

    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:-)!

  • wandahentges January 19, 2016 at 9:05 am

    These are gorgeous, Els!!!

  • Karen Aicken January 19, 2016 at 8:52 am

    Cool project and lovely picture of you, Els!

  • momcct January 19, 2016 at 8:51 am

    I love them and they do not look like paper…..more like metal….great idea.

  • Chantal Desjardins January 19, 2016 at 8:45 am

    Thank you for share that great idea. I will try it for sure.

  • Judi Kauffman January 19, 2016 at 8:34 am

    Your Through the Lens papers really make those flowers special, and Goosebumps for texture – Bingo!

  • Selma Stevenson January 19, 2016 at 8:28 am

    What a great idea – they are gorgeous. Love all the beautiful colors.

  • S@ndy Diller January 19, 2016 at 8:18 am

    Wonderful flowers Els, great to have around for a fast and beautiful project.

  • Kathy S.... January 19, 2016 at 8:17 am

    very cool flowers……..great color combos

  • Karen Burniston January 19, 2016 at 8:12 am

    Wow! These are so awesome, Els! Great idea and such beautiful vibrant colors.

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