Tuesday, March 12, 2013

A Flower A Day Keeps the Wilting Away, Part Five: Purple Branches


SO, It's Day Five! That means just two more tutorials left! Now these are a little weird. Weird in a cool way. I don't know exactly what to call these flowers, but I've totally seen something similar that exist in nature. It sort've reminds me of a hyacinth meets lavender and purple is one of my favorite colors so this thing adds a neat little flair to your bouquet. 



Set Up:

  • Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
  • Scissors
  • Felt Sheets (2 Shades of Purple, 1 Pink)
  • Sticks with branches
  • Time: The birthing part of A Baby Story

Step One: Cut some squares!


These squares are going to be your best friend. Cut slightly smaller than 1"x1" squares of each color. Mostly light purple, then dark purple, and just a few pink.

Step Two: Create the shape!


Take the squares and cut them into diamond like shapes. Add a criss cross into the center. Yeah, seriously, for the fifth time you're doing this again. But just in case you forgot, fold the shape in half cut a small slit, then fold in half again and cut another slit so you have an X slit in the center. It will have a hole like this:

The amazing Criss-Cross slit!!

Step Three: Add your petal pieces!


Slide your pieces onto the branches. Then put two small dots of glue onto the felt, pinch the felt in a diamond shape to the stick. Remember the paper fortuneteller game you used to make as a kid? That's the type of pinch you want.


Repeat this step so many times that you've burnt al the tips of your hands. Tip: I challenge you to never burn your hands using a hot glue gun. Seriously. You can't, it's impossible. 



Step Four: You're Done!


You're finished! Now you have a beautiful purple branch! Repeat all these steps and make another one and another one and another one!! They are kinda neat and cool on their own and you can always change up the color scheme. Spray them with something that smells good so you can stop and take a whiff! 

Enjoyed the tutorial but don't feel like spending the time? Well pop on over to the ETSY shop and buy one for yourself! Each of these roses comes out unique since they are handmade, just like each rose is unique!

Monday, March 11, 2013

A Flower A Day Keeps the Wilting Away, Part Four: Lilies

Lilies. There's about a billion different kind, they look like a billion different kind of flowers. Personally my favorites are peruvian lilies. Don't worry, my boyfriend knows that.  Happy Monday everyone! Hopefully you've got a good little bunch of flowers going, so let's keep it up! I made this flower so quickly that my roommate was actually astounded, more astounded than she is at how much felt ends up on our floor (you're the best Alex). Many steps for each tutorial are similar, so if you find you're having trouble refer back to our part one post!


Set Up:

  • Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
  • Scissors
  • Felt Sheets (3 Shades of Blue, 1 Green)
  • Yellow Construction Paper
  • Small Glass Beads
  • Sticks
  • Flower Tape
  • Time: Your roommate taking the dog out and coming back

Step One: Cut your flower Shapes!



Cut three squares, one in each color. Fold the squares into triangles and cut a slit in the triangle from the base to just about 1/2 a cm. before the tip. Then cut each section of the square into a petal shape. Repeat this step for the other 2, Tip: You can use the first one you do as a guideline/pattern for the other two! You'll need to add a criss cross slit to this flower as well. You've already seen this in the other three several times over if you've read through but just in case. Fold the flower in half and cut a small slit in the center, then fold in half the other way and cut another slit in the center to create an X slit for the stick to poke through.

Step Two: Create the center!



Take your construction paper and cut a small rectangle about 2.5" then fray into five. Glue the construction paper to the tip of your stick around in a circle. You'll curl them later.


Step Three: Add the petals!


Slip the first petal piece onto the stick and upwards towards your center. Slip the next color up and put glue between the two pieces. Repeat this for the third petal piece.


Put a small line of glue to the inner part of two petals on the top layer. Pinch the layer towards the center. Repeat this on the opposite petals on the second layer in between layer 1 and layer 2.


For the third layer make sure to pinch as best you can closest to the center of the layer.

Step Four: Add the greenery!

Cut a square of green about 1"x1", then repeat Step one on a smaller scale for your bottom greenery. Make sure to add a criss cross slit to the center.


For leaves repeat the steps from the other tutorials Or try this! Cut a long rectangle and fold in half. Cut a leaf shape on the half and make sure the folded portion is still connected. Add a small slit in that center so you can slip in the stick.



Glue the bottom piece to the bottom layer of petals. A small drop of glue in the center and then four strips of glue on each side of the bottom piece to the bottom layer of petals.


Slip your leaves on the sticks and put a small strip of glue on either leaf near the center. Pinch the leaves upward.


Step Five: Wrap it up!
Take your floral tape and cut a strip of about 3 inches. Use a small drip of glue on the base of the top greenery, attach one end of the floral tape to that drip. Start wrapping the floral tape tightly around the base and down towards the stick. Tip: Floral tape is waxy, embrace it and use your fingers to pressure the tape onto the stick. You can always wash your hands after! 


Repeat this step for the base of the leaf.


Step Six: Flair your center!

Take scissors and with one blade and your thumb curl from base to tip the yellow pieces in the center. Repeat for each piece. Then put a dollop of glue on the tip of the strips then place 2-3 beads on the ends.



Step Eight: You're Done!



You're finished! Now you have a beautiful Lily! Repeat all these steps and make another one and another one and another one!! Spray them with something that smells good so you can stop and take a whiff! 

Enjoyed the tutorial but don't feel like spending the time? Well pop on over to the ETSY shop and buy one for yourself! Each of these roses comes out unique since they are handmade, just like each rose is unique!

Sunday, March 10, 2013

A Flower A Day Keeps the Wilting Away, Part Three: Daisies

It's time for Daisiesssss!! How's your bouquet looking? Is it awesome! You can always visit us son Facebook and post a photo! Don't forget to click "like", I like you so you should like me too! These are probably the easiest...didn't I just say that about tulips? Wasn't I totally right?. Many steps for each are similar, so if you find you're having trouble refer back to our part one post!


Set Up:

  • Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
  • Scissors
  • Felt Sheets (1 Orange, 1 green)
  • Yellow Construction Paper
  • Yellow Button
  • Sticks
  • Flower Tape
  • Time: One episode of New Girl

Step One: Cut a rectangle of orange!


Take your felt and cut a rectangle that's approximately 4" x 11". 

Step Two: Fringe those petals!


Take the rectangle and cut frayed slits that are approximately a 3/4 cm. Make sure the slits do not go all the way down to the bottom of the felt, leaving just a centimeter of space.

Step Three: Detail the fringe!


Take the tips of the fringe and give them some detail. I chose to either make them pointy or slanted one direction or the other.

Step Four: Make the interior structure!

Take the construction paper and cut a small strip. Glue the middle of the stip to the end of the stick and the sides of the strip to either side of the stick.


Take the button and glue it to the end of the construction paper.


Step Five: Create your greenery!


Cut one square and one rectangle for your greenery. Cut the square into a circle, adding a criss cross to the center. To do the criss cross fold the circle in half one way and cut a slit into the center, then fold the other way and cut another slit so there's an X slit in the center. For the leaf fold the rectangle in half and cut half a oval shape with a pointed tip for the leaf.

Step Six: Add your felt pieces!


Take the connected felt petals and glue the end of the bottom around your center structure. Roll around the other petals and glue as you go. Make sure that petals are spaced properly and that you're adding dimension and layers as you go around. Tip: If you roll it all in one go around itself it will become too thick and weird looking when you add your greenery.

 

Take the circle and slip it through your stick, Tip: if your stick has weird bumps cut a small slit to the center and glue around it. Glue the bottom of the flower and pinch the circle to the orange. For the leaf put a v-shape of glue at the base and pinch it to the stick.

Step Seven: Wrap it up!
Take your floral tape and cut a strip of about 3 inches. Use a small drip of glue on the base of the top greenery, attach one end of the floral tape to that drip. Start wrapping the floral tape tightly around the base and down towards the stick. Tip: Floral tape is waxy, embrace it and use your fingers to pressure the tape onto the stick. You can always wash your hands after! 



Repeat this step for the base of the leaf.

Step Eight: You're Done!


You're finished! Now you have a beautiful Daisy! Repeat all these steps and make another one and another one and another one!! Spray them with something that smells good so you can stop and take a whiff! 

Enjoyed the tutorial but don't feel like spending the time? Well pop on over to the ETSY shop and buy one for yourself! Each of these roses comes out unique since they are handmade, just like each rose is unique!