A Petite Posy

**This tutorial is intended for personal use only.**

I often wonder why I have such an immense desire to create flowers. I just can't seem to get enough. Here is yet another flower project, a sweet petite posy.


I have chosen to use my 6-petal paper punch as a pattern. You can use any 6-petal paper punch for this project or draw one free hand.

Begin by punching out a pattern from lightweight chipboard.


Trace the pattern onto the non-glue side of a piece of Heat 'n Bond Ultra. Allow 3 flowers per posy.


With an iron, fuse the Heat 'n Bond to the wrong side of a piece of fabric. This is the perfect time to dig out those fabric scraps.


Cut out each of the flowers along the traced line.


Cut a slit into the center between 2 petals.


Remove the paper backing from 5 petals, keeping the paper attached to the 6th petal that sits alongside the slit.


With an iron, fuse the flower to a small piece of felt.


Trim the felt from around the 5 fused petals leaving a narrow border of felt showing.


Cut the felt away from under the 6th petal.


Remove the paper backing from the 6th petal. Overlap the petals next to the slit, keeping the petal with the felt on the bottom. With an iron, fuse into place.


Fold a 9-inch piece of cloth covered floral wire in half. Feed the open ends of the wire through the front of a button. Tint the wire with a fabric marker that matches the color of the button before pulling the wire completely through.


Make 2 small holes in the bottom of the flower with a large needle. Feed the wires through the holes.


Give the wires a single twist at the base of the flower to keep it from shifting.


Here is my little spool garden. They are happily awaiting their floral tape. I kind of like this simple arrangement just as is.


Place 3 flowers together at varying heights and wrap securely with floral tape.


I have chosen to use purchased paper leaves for this project. Place 3 leaves together at varying heights and wrap securely with floral tape.


Combine a cluster of leaves and a cluster of flowers and wrap securely with floral tape. You may choose to cut the stem to approximately 1-1/2-inches in length and leave it straight or curl the full length of the stem around a skewer to form a spiral. Add a bow if desired and don't forget to include a pretty corsage pin too.


I got carried away and made way too many.


The leftover posies make an adorable wreath.


How about a red, white, and blue wreath for the 4th, a red, pink, and white one for Valentines Day, and a red and green one for Christmas?

Oh, the possibilities!

Happy weekend!

Aloha,

Paper Flower Topiary

**This tutorial is intended for personal use only.**

Paper is a fantastic medium for creating quick and easy projects. I've chosen to use pastel colored card stock to make this cheerful Spring topiary.


For this project, I am using a 1-1/4" 6-petal flower punch and a 5/8" circle punch. This is the perfect opportunity to use up those scrap pieces of card stock that you have laying around. Punch out as many as you think you will need for this project.


Glue the circles to the center of each flower. Cut a slit into the center between two petals. Overlap the petals, one over the other, and glue into place.


You will also need straight pins and pearls for this project.


Place a pearl onto a straight pin and pass the pin through the center of each flower.


Aren't they pretty? It looks like sweet sherbety goodness to me!


Cover the styrofoam base by wrapping it with strips of fabric 1" in width. Secure the fabric into place with straight pins.


Arrange the flowers onto the base by pressing the pins into the styrofoam.


This is a very satisfying project that looks very labor intensive, but it's not. If you don't tell, I won't!

Happy creating!

Aloha!

Scrapbook Mini

I am not quite sure why this happens to me...but it does, all the time. I don't care for something one minute, and the next, I'm totally gaga over it. Hop on over to YouTube and search for mini albums scrapbooking and you will be blown away. It seems the general theme, aside from creating something of beauty, is to get as many items onto each page with pockets, add ons, and such. I'm hooked and just beginning my journey into scrapbook minis.

I am very happy with the cover so far but feel that it is still way too plain. I mean, it is lacking ribbons and fibers and general bling bling.


I've just completed binding the pages, each of which has a pocket complete with inserts.


I already expect that this scrapbook is going to be a fatty, one that does not lay flat nor close well. That's okay. It will be loaded with all kinds goodies, and hopefully, baby's one year old party memories.

Have a fun weekend, everyone!

Aloha!

Sweet Springtime Gift Pocket

**This tutorial is intended for personal use only.**

This is a quick and easy gift pocket that can be made in under 30 minutes. It is perfect for Springtime gift giving and makes a wonderful vessel for gift cards and small treats.

The pocket also looks just darling hanging from a bedroom door knob. What a wonderful place to leave little notes and treats for the little ones in your life. Think of the anticipation and the smiles that it will bring to their faces when they come home from school to find a note or a treat waiting for them.

I recommend using wool or wool blend felt for this project. It is a firm, flat felt in comparison to it's acrylic counterpart. Felt seams require no extra finishing. This makes it the ideal crafting medium when you need to finish something in a hurry.


This pattern is made from very basic shapes. The actual body of the pocket is one-half of a 12-inch circle. Look around your home for items to trace like large bowls, platters, or plate chargers.

Begin by tracing a 12-inch circle onto paper. Fold it in half and cut at the fold. The pattern is 1/2 of the 12-inch circle. Cut one from felt.

Cut a 1" x 11" piece of felt for the handle.

For the flower, cut three circles in the following sizes: 2-3/4", 2-1/4", 1-1/2".


To make the flower, cut 8 slits approximately 1-inch in length into each circle. Round off the corners of each of the 8 segments.



Stack the flowers on top of each other, ending with the smallest flower on top. Choose a coordinating stack of buttons that match your project. Set this aside while you prepare the pocket.


Using your sewing machine and a contrasting color of thread, top stitch a generous 1/4" from the curved edge of the pocket.

Top stitch a generous 1/4" on both sides of the handle. For extra durability, sew an additional line of stitching down the center of the handle. Since the handle will be enduring the brunt of the weight, stitching will help to keep it from stretching.

This project can also be hand stitched, but machine stitching will certainly speed up the process.


Using either pinking or scallop shears, trim both sides of the handle approximately 1/8" away from the top stitching. Do the same with the curved side of the pocket.


Bring both sides of the pocket evenly to the center, overlapping until the finished piece measures 4-1/2-inches. Pin in place.


Top stitch a generous 1/4-inch from the straight edge to close the bottom of the pocket.


Again, trim with decorative shears close to the stitching line.


Hand stitch the flower to the pocket through the button center. Be sure to sew through both layers of the overlapped area as this will keep the upper portion of the pocket from opening up.

To keep the flower from falling forward, add a small drop of fabric glue to the backside of the upper three petals in the last row and and glue it down onto the pocket.


Attach the handle to the pocket by machine or with a few hand stitches. Sew on a decorative button to cover the stitches and to provide a little extra color and whimsy.


Sweet Springtime Gift Pockets. It's always the little things that bring me such joy!


Happy Easter, everyone!

Aloha!

Branch: The Story

While busily working on party fare, one sister turns to the other and says, "We need to create height on the candy shoppe table. I think I need a tree branch, an old dead, dried one. Do you happen know where we could get our hands on one?"

"What??? What are you going to do with that?" Older sister excitedly explains her plans to middle sister. With a bewildered and hesitant look on her face, middle sister agrees to send her son on a little hiking trip to the mountains in search of the perfect branch.

Several similar conversations later and still, no branch.

While sitting in her car at a stop light on a busy highway, middle sister gazes outside to find what looks like part of a branch sticking unobtrusively from the hedges alongside the road. She quickly finds a parking spot and runs to the location.

In a very busy intersection with many curious onlookers, the good middle sister removes the branch that is wedged into the bushes. Embarrassed and bleeding after being poked by it's many thorns, middle sister quickly telephones her older sister with the good news. "I found a branch! I found a branch! I think this is exactly what you are looking for. It's dead and dried and it leans to one side just like you described. I think it's just perfect!"


And it was.


Tiny clusters of red paper flowers...


with faceted beaded centers.


Chartreuse green leaves on delicate branches...


surrounded by sweet ladybugs.


It turned out exactly the way I had envisioned it would.

Aloha!

Congratulations, Grandma Chicken!

Many thanks to all that have taken the time to drop by and enter the Good Eggs Giveaway. Your comments were heartwarming and delightful.

I am happy to report that a winner has been chosen by random number generator. Without further ado, the winner is entry number 9, imagrandma2five, a.k.a., Grandma Chicken of Grandma Chicken's House. Don't you just love her name?

Congratulations!


Have a wonderful day!

Aloha!