Creative Turn: July 2013

Similar cards and layout, but much different looks. I have been very fascinated with flowers recently, and this is just the latest in the line. The more nostalgia with the heirloom flowers, the better. This is another one of the flowers that my family seems to gravitate toward. We all have it in our gardens, but it isn't the sacred pass me down that the Bleeding Heart is. Most of my flowers are things that I have gotten from friends and family, and I'm thinking of doing the Silhouette Cuts for all of my favorites; especially if I can't find a pattern online.

The flowers are shaped by cupping, you can see the instructions below. I place a round dimensional adhesive dot on the back of them. The stem had tiny dimensional adhesive dots right at the junction of the flower stem, and in some places I actually glued the rest of the stem down to the leaf. I left the end of the flower stem loose until I had placed the flowers at the end of those stem, and then used my trusty Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive to the very end. I let it drop down on the flower and let it dry in place.

I used the smaller stylus to make some veins in the leaf. I did this in a pattern that gives the leaf some life. On a hard surface I start at the bottom of the leaf, just above the stem, and drag the stylus to the top of the leaf. I then do similar motions but terminate the action further down the side of the leaf using just a bit of pressure. I did this about 5 or 6 times per side. I then used my hands to gently coax the leaf into a cupped shape. On the top card I only glued the center of the leaf, from the bottom to about one inch from the top, which curves up off the paper. On the bottom card I used more glue, but I don't like that as well.

The backgrounds are from my scrap paper pieces, and I have forgotten who they are. The grid is done with DMVW Cardstock. I used Prima beaded medallion, and an unknown clear stamp I've had forever, probably from Paper Wishes. I used two white card bases from Paper Wishes, and Tim Holtz tea dye and black soot Distress Inks.

Cupping-Shaping the Flowers

The trick to this card is the shaping of the flowers, and I have a tutorial on this that I used for a class that I taught a while back. The first step in the process is called Cupping the flower. To do that I use the McGill tools that I have, but any mouse pad and larger stylus will work. Press firmly, but not so hard that you punch through the paper/cardstock. Go in a circular motion to form a bit of a cup with the petals. You will be surprised how easily they just curl up. See the example below. I don't suggest using a really small ball stylus.

If you don't have a large ball stylus, you can use your finger nail edge by pulling it across the paper, and forming the petals to your desired shape. I used fairly light weight cardstock for this project.

The Grid

I designed this grid using the Silhouette Designer Edition Software. This started out as a circle, and I point edited to form an interesting shape. I then made four copies, and fitted the shapes together in a square. It is important to get the spacing as even as possible. I grouped four together in a diamond shape, and duplicated the grouped shapes until I had filled the page. I had to adjust sizes, and ungroup to delete some single images, but finally got it onto the page in a good configuration. I cut these out of a double sided heavier card stock. I plan to use the grid for another project that I will share. I will also cut this out of acetate, and use it for a stencil.

As you notice, I used some of the shapes as embellishments on the above cards.