Flower Tutorial – from circle shapes

 Flower Tutorial – from circle shapes

This is the flower we are going to make today :))

Materials

Scrap paper

1 x Brad

Ink pad(s)

Paper pricker

Mist bottle of water (optional)

Circles in a minimum of 3 different sizes

-          To make your circles you can use punches, circle cutters, die cuts or trace and cut with scissors.

-          Traced objects cut with fancy scissors give a really nice different finish for the petals.

Optional – Bead(s), glitter, embossing powder.

For this tutorial I have used 4 circle sizes as I want my flower to have a lot of depth and texture and I have used a circle cutter.  I am using a recipe mix that I personally like myself of 2, 3, 3 & 3.

1. Start by cutting your circles – I have 2 smallest, 3 small, 3 medium and 3 larger (2, 3, 3 & 3).

2.Ink the edges.

3. Scrunch them up in your hands really tight.  If the paper is thick to work with add a spray of water from a mist bottle to help work the paper.

4.Once you have them all scrunched up, un-scrunch them but do not press them flat.  Allow them to have the scrunch characteristics you have just scrunch them up for.

5.I like to re-ink them at this point over the edges again and to high-light the some of the ‘scrunch’ textures to help add depth to your petals when your flower is finished.

6.Take your smallest circles and with your paper pricker, prick the middle.  Add your next layer of circles underneath and again prick the middle, building your flower up on the pricker.  Continue till you have added all your layers. 

7.Remove the pricker and replace it with a brad to hold your flower together. - If you like this look you can leave your flower like this at this stage.

 8.With your flower now together again take each layer individually and again scrunch up the layers around the brad.  Do not be afraid to turn the edges of some of the layers down.  This adds character and makes the flower more realistic.

 

9.Once you have your flower layers all scrunch up around the brad again; take the flower in your left hand and with your right thumb gently flick the layers back, turning the flower in your hand at the same time.  If you find the centre petals hard to spread apart, take your paper pricker and gently pull them back.

10.At this stage it is your own discretion as to how open you would like your flower to be.  If you would like it to be about to bloom, leave the centre petals tight and almost closed.  Or if you would like your petal blooming, open them up.

For my finished flower I have opened the centre petals right open as I intend to add a gorgeous bead to the middle and I have given it a spritz with glimmer mist. 

You can add some glitter flecks to your finished flower, some heat embossing to the edges or as I have done, a bead to the center.  Embellishment options are endless!

This is a great flower to ‘play’ with and find the ‘look’ you like.  Personally for me I like to use a recipe of  2, 3, 3 & 3/4.  If I was going to use more circles for a larger flower I would then make my next layer 2 and then the next or possible next 2 layers from 2 circles as well.  Remember you must be able to fit all the layers onto your brad to hold it together.

Here is my finished card with my flower. 

Doesn't it make a nice embellishment!  

And it is CHEAP but yet looks so classy and store brought!

And just works so well with 

Hearts Petal Flower from The Crafty Pad Designs!