Paper Flowers Tutorial

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I am so excited about a project I've been working on.   It's not finished yet, but I just had to show you part of it. 

I'm making paper flowers to use on this project.  It's going to take a lot of them, but I've got about half done.

I thought I'd show you how I went about making these particular paper flowers. 

I started with script paper from Hobby Lobby.

I also used Stampin Up inks (cranberry and close to cocoa), but you could use any water based ink pads.

I cut my flowers out with my Silhouette, but you could use a large flower punch or cut them by hand.

This is a very forgiving project.  If your flowers aren't perfect it won't matter!

Other supplies I used were a small brass paper fastener for each flower, small hole paper punch, makeup sponge, small bowl of water and scrap paper to work on.

So do you want to know how to make them?  Yeah...thought so.  First I want to apologized for the poor quality of the following photos.  I did this project at night and the lighting was terrible.

Start by cutting or punching 5 flowers for each finished flower.  Punch a small hole in the middle of each piece for the paper fastener.

Dip the makeup sponge in water, then wring most of it out.  You just want it a little damp, not runny. Next dab it onto the ink pad a few times.  Using scrap paper, pounce most of the ink back off, then pounce it onto the back of each flower petal.  I started with the cranberry ink first, which created a soft pink using this technique.  Then I went back over with the cocoa ink, blending the two colors together.
                                                                       

Then I flipped the flower over, and just inked the tips of the petals.  In the first picture below, you can see the difference between just the cranberry ink, and after adding the cocoa.

After the flower petals are dry, you can start assembling them.  Layer  petals, staggering them so they don't all line up.  Use a small paper fastener to hold them all together.

Now start crumpling them 1 layer at a time.  Crumple each layer up around the previous one.

Almost finished!  Now just use your thumb to press open the flower, flattening our the tips of the petals a little to open up the flower.  You may need to gently pry the outer edges out a little, but don't pull too hard.  You don't want to seperate the petals from each other too much.

Now you have some beautiful flowers to decorate something with.  I have to finish making more flowers before I can show you what I am doing with mine.  I have dozens of ideas buzzing around this poor brain of mine for other uses too.  Too many ideas and never enough time!  If only I could just play all day...

Until next time, keep craftin' and smilin' :)

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