Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Shabby Crinkle Flower Tutorial

Here is a smaller, easier flower than my elegant ruffled flowers... for those who like the tattered look (and don't have the patience to do the other ones, LOL). They are more "forgiving" that the ruffled ones, a lot easier to manipulate and so much faster results. My flowers are 2 inches in diameter, using 1 and 2 inch flower punches (but use any die cuts you have). It's a great way to use your scraps since you don't need a lot of paper!


Here is what you need... 3 medium flowers, 3 small flowers and something for leaves (a green pointed petal flower works well), tweezers, water mister and glue. I lightly pre-inked the edges.

Step 1: Lightly mist the 3 medium flowers and crinkle them into a ball.

Step 2: Immediately unravel and use tweezers to gently twist each petal and push towards the center. Before removing tweezers gently pinch in place. Also mist the 3 small flowers and do the same twisting (they are too small to crinkle and there is no need). Let them all dry now.

Step 3: Gently unravel the medium flowers and 2 small ones. For the last small one, squish the petals together and pinch the bottom - this will be your center.

Step 4: Assemble your flower by off setting the petals as you glue. NOTE: you can omit the the pinched center and add a brad or gem instead if desired.

Step 5: Once it is glued, squish the entire flower towards the center to give the crinkle effect and then glue on the "leaves" if you wish.

That's it! Here is a side by side comparison beside my larger layered ruffle flowers.

NOTE: you can also use this type of flower center in my ruffled flowers as pictured below in the larger white one. Experiment and have fun! Add chalk ink, Glimmer mist, Stickles etc. for more sheen and dimension too! All I ask is that you please give credit where due (to ANY artist) because tutorials take a lot of time to produce. Thanks!
NOTE: the smaller white one pictured above is the result if you don't do step 5 and squish the flower towards the center once glued. It looks more like a Prima Camelot flower that way.

Well, although I have a lot more flower tutorials up my sleeve... I need to take a break because my August SCRAP THAT! DT kit just arrived (it's gorgeous!). I have lots of work to do before the project reveals on July 26th.



Monday, July 5, 2010

Elegant ruffled flower tutorial

OK, so I have been researching techniques to manipulate paper to create ruffled flowers for a while now. I actually combined three paper techniques that I found on You Tube and came up with my own ruffled flowers. These take a bit of patience but turn out wonderfully.


I am going to show you how I did the lilac one using heavy cardstock because heavier two-sided cardstock is the easiest to manipulate. The other two I used lightweight cardstock - I like them better but the paper tears easily when dampened. My flowers are 3 inches in diameter but you can make them any size!


Step 1: You need to gather 3 large punched/cut flowers, 1 medium and 5 small. It really doesn't matter what punch or die cut you use as long as there is a bit of separation between the petals. You also need a pen or pencil, tweezers, plain water mister and I forgot to put adhesive in the image - but that's a given right?

Step 2: VERY lightly mist the large and medium flowers, then using your tweezers gently twist and push the petals towards the center. Be careful not to overly wet them or they will rip. Right before you take the tweezers out give it a gently pinch to keep in place.

Step 3: Set aside to dry.

Step 4: Lightly mist the 5 small flowers. Then using your pen end, cup them around and roll then against the pen to get a good cup shape formed. On one of them pinch it to create your flower center.

Step 5: Glue the 4 flower cups into each other and press with pen end. Remember to off-set your petals. Then glue your center in. Set aside to dry. NOTE: This makes a pretty little rose on its own... just add leaves or a green star-like punched flower underneath to simulate a baby Prima rose.

Step 6: Lightly unravel your 3 large and the medium flower and glue them into each other, the medium one on top. Remember to off-set the petals again.

Step 7: Lightly push back the petals of the mini rose and glue it into the middle of the larger flowers. You can add leaves, or attach to a paper vine/flourish. You can also create "leaves" by putting a green pointed petal flower underneath. I just inked white cardstock.

Then you're done! I love the elegance of these flowers. You can also Glimmer Mist, add Stickles or simply ink the edges as I have done. I over inked the centre to show you the definition but I like them better more lightly inked in the center to look more natural.

I really enjoyed creating these. NOTE: I actually used the pointed flower base to create the pink one below. Like I said use whatever punch or die cut you have because once twisted they all look nice. Have fun and don't forget to show me your results! All I ask is that when possible you please give credit where due (to ANY artist) because tutorials do take a lot of effort to produce. Thank you.