Wednesday 20 June 2007

Paper roses... pa-a-per roses...

Well OK, they're not roses but since the paper blooms competition was launched on Just Bex, I can't get that song out of my head!

I took the instruction to make a bouquet 'ready for summer' rather literally and went for the sunniest flower I could think of!


I made a paper mush for the centres by liquidising torn up scrap paper with a load of water and then draining it and squeezing into a sort of clay consistency. I used a pastry cutter to keep the edges of the circle while I pushed the mush into a firm blob. I rounded the edges off with a wet finger and then left them to dry out (here's where having an Aga helps - nice warm spot to dry your paper mush projects!). I inked with brown and black ink and then painted over with the bronzey colour from the cheapo H2O-alikes from The Works.

The petals are cut on the CraftRobo - it's actually a water droplet from a dingbat font called Mostly Waves. I chalked the tips and stuck two layers round each centre.

The leaves are stamped with a big foam stamp onto glossy green cardstock and then cut round them. Flowers are on bamboo skewer stems and a few narrow strips of green paper got shoved in the vase to make frondy foliage bits. The bud is a spun paper ball with the yellow and green papers scrunched round it.

I'd had this square olive oil bottle for ages because I liked the shape but hadn't found a use for it. A few glass nuggets and a bit of raffia tied round to give it a more rustic look made finishing touches.

I decided I quite liked the way these turned out so I didn't tie a gift label on cos I'm keeping them!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

these are so FAB very very clever I love them

Jackie said...

They are absolutely brilliant Joanne. One of my favourite flowers!

Samm said...

These are amazing! they look just sooo good!
(can't I have 'em then??LOL)

Samm
x

mum-on-the-run said...

Don't blame you for wanting to keep them!!

They're stunning!!

Hazel said...

What great flowers, Joanne - they look so real. And it's further convincing me of the uses of the robo.

Jen Harrison said...

beautiful flowers.

Kathy said...

I LOVE these flowers, they are fab. You're such a clever Angel, aren't you?

Esther said...

Woweee these are so sunny and delightful, well done you for some fantastically made flowers!

Unknown said...

WOW! They're great and oh, so sunny (unlike the weather atm)

Leigh said...

WOW! Your flowers are amazing.

Kaz said...

these are stunning!!! absolutely gorgeous, well done!

Wendy - Anntaurus said...

These are gorgeous and one of my favourites!

Anonymous said...

These would make a darling GIFT as a cookie for the center, baked with a wooden skewer in it, then add the petals (adhere with frosting or melted chocolate), then a green ribbon tied on the 'stem' for leaves.
~Shari