A FEAR OF FLOWERS?

I have an emotional fear of flowers.  Could be my allergies to all things that some say smell pretty but I think smell stinky.  I took an oil painting class and the only canvas that didn't pass my artist's eye was, of course, the flowers!

Holley B,'s Halloween Card with flowers

 

So imagine my dismay when I see crafters everywhere making their own flowers!  I love to use them on my cards and projects, but they are SO expensive!  I've watched numerous YouTube videos and read many tutorials on how to make your own flowers, but none of them clicked with my flower-phobia---until today!

Liana's Creations

Liana's Creations

Liana's Creations

So I went to WalMart and bought a bottle of spray starch, took out my double-sided patterned papers and my flower punch and set to work.  First I cut a set of six punched flowers. I sprayed both sides of each with the starch, then tried to carefully punch a brad through the middle.  I immediately lost the bottom flower because I wasn't careful enough and it ripped--down to five punches.

Okay, these circles are soaking wet with liquid starch but gathered together in the middle with a brad.  I start to peel up the first punched flower and squish it together toward the center, really tight.  Next I take each layer and squeeze and squish them up against the first layer.  Now I have in my hands a mooshed, squooshed ball of paper!  Flower, no, but I'm not done.

I gently pull the edges of the upturned layers away from the center, and lo and behold, it blooms into a full, gorgeous flower.  While it's wet, I sprinkle some Diamond Dust Glitter from Stampin Up to give it some sparkle, and...
wait for it...
I have a great handmade flower!

Shannon's Creations

The next ten minutes I would rather skip over.  Talk about obsessive behavior.   I punched my way through the whole darn 12x12 piece of paper, soaked my craft mat with spray starch, carefully punched brads through the layers of paper, and squeezed, then separated them all, and I now have a gorgeous garden of handmade flowers, and not a sneeze or runny nose in sight!

So to all who think they are chained to the craft stores for their flower fetish, rejoice!  It is SO easy to make these little embellishment that pack a powerful punch on cards and layout pages.  So what are you waiting for?  Let the starching and squooshing begin!

 Of course, I have to give credit where credit is due.  My crafty friend Shannon started me on my merry marigold way, making a myriad of flowers for the holidays. 

Check out some of her creations, and stop by her blog for more inspiration at: http://www.networkedblogs.com/blog/my_scrappy_creations

 

How about you?  Show me some of your flowers!  Take the link below and register your name and a photo and I'll pick a random winner in 2 weeks!

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