Prima Exotic Gardenia

I am sooo sorry for promising a tutorial and taking so long to get it uploaded!  In my defense, I have been trying for the past week to get this video uploaded.  I had 3 unsuccessful attempts on blogger and 2 on youtube (I was starting to feel they had a vendetta against me! LOL).  Finally, today, I was able to upload my video while I was at work!

I have another I need to get pics or video of then upload it.  I hope this video turns out good, I took it with my camera rather than my video camera. I hope my voice doesn't sound too bad either...I hate the sound of it on camera.  You will hear my little boy towards the end...sorry about that...but well...that's what happens when you have a 2 yr old at home.  Any constructive criticism you'd like to offer for my next video, please do so!

So here is the link for the youtube video. Exotic Gardenia

Here are the typed out instructions also.
This flower mimics the Prima Exotic Gardenia.
Flowers are 6 petal, one in each of the following sizes 2 1/2", 2 1/4", 2", 1 3/4", 1 1/2"

1.  Ink all the edges of the flowers.  Snip between the petals towards the center on all the flowers, except the 1 1/2".  On that one, you will cut a circle out of the center.

2. 2 1/2" - Bend the petals up creating a base for the flower and some dimension, then roll the edges back on each petal.  I like to roll one side, then roll the other, grabbing part of the first rolled side to create more character to the flower.  You should be able to see this in the video.

3.  2 1/4" - Bend the petals up, then cut or fold each petal inward.  Then roll the sides back.  This creates a wave within the petal.

4.  2" - Take tweezers, grab hold of the left hand side of the petal and twist it around to create a fold in the petal.  Then, roll the right edge of the petal backwards.

5.  1 3/4" - Roll the petals forward on each petal.  I roll each petal differently, b/c like Prima, its never uniform!  So, roll one petal forward, roll another petal from the right, the next petal from the left, then repeat for the last 3 petals.

6. 1 1/2" - Spritz the first three petals with water very lightly.  Use a small paintbrush or something round and using a mousepad, crinkle those three petals into a cupped shape, then heat and dry allowing them to draw up more.  Then roll it into a bud having the 3 cupped petals in the center and the 3 straight petals around the outside.  Glue the end of the layer to the bud and let dry.  Once dry, you will roll the 3 straight petals on the outside backwards.

7.  Layer and glue with the largest flower on bottom, of course.  Alternate the petals as you go.

8. You can spritz with glimmer mist or just leave as they are.

As always, you can find flowers like this already made and for sale in my Etsy shop!  Thanks for looking!

Poor Baby

I just finished this LO today and wanted to share.   love the finished look of it!  The flowers are my design, copied from Prima of course.  I already have a tutorial for the Trellis Rose (the one in the middle).  I will be putting a tutorial up on my blog for the Tea Rose, hopefully tomorrow. 

This is my niece at 2 1/2 when she had to have her tonsils removed.  It was so hard on us because she was crying as they took her to surgery and we were all crying b/c we couldn't go with her!  She doesn't hold a grudge though...lol! 

The paper is from Basic Grey's Kioshi line...need to buy more of that...love the colors!  The purple bling circle is also Basic Grey.  The journaling block and calendar I received in a prize package from Scrapbook.com, they are Teresa Collins journal-it girl. 

Trellis Rose Tutorial

Good morning peoples and welcome to my very first tutorial for making your own Prima Trellis Roses.  I'll definitely have to improve the way I do this, its not very easy hanging a camera from the ceiling and holding a stick in your mouth to hit the picture taking button while you make flowers with your hands!  OK...I didn't really do that, but still, its not easy holding the camera in your left hand while trying to do a tutorial and take pics!  A friend suggested a mini tripod, found really cheap at Walmart...even cheaper is the one I've got sitting here at my house that I didn't even think to take with me.  I did these tutorials at work, so I'm very sorry for the terrible pictures...but that's flourescent lighting for you! 

OK...enough blabbing...on to the tutorial.  The supplies you will need are: 5 or 6 petal flowers in two 1" flowers, one 1 1/4" flower, one 1 1/2" flower, and two 1 3/4" flowers.  Mini mister of water, old squishy mousepad, small rod or skewer or paintbrush, ink or paint, scissors, and glue.

1.  Ink the back of the 4 smallest petals, if you are not using double sided patterned paper.  Any ink will do, it doesn't have to be a specific brand or kind, but when you spritz with water, you may get ink on you.

2. Take the 2 largest flowers (1 3/4"), spritz with water til they are slightly damp.  Flip them over on your mousepad.  Using your small rod, paintbrush, skewer (I use the end of a small crochet hook), press it down into the edges of the backs of your petals to crinkle them.  You want each petal to form a bowl shape.  This idea was not an original of mine.  I saw a you tube video with a different flower where she used the mousepad and the end of a sharpie to crinkle her flowers. Here is the tutorial, if you need to see it done.  Only crinkle the petals though, don't go into the flower to creat a bowl as shown on the video.

Once you have crinkled all the petals, flip the flower back over and bend the petals up.  I use my thumb nail to create a crease, so that it'll stay up.

3.  On the next flower down (1 1/2"), you'llo want to curl the edges of each side of the petals inward, then bend the petals up.  I use a very small knitting needle for this, so that I don't have a big curl.

4.  On the next flower (1 1/4"), You'll spritz with water, then using the mousepad, crinkle the front side of the petals, forming each petal into a bowl.  Go slightly into the center of the flower to draw the petals up just a tad.  Again, I use the end of a crochet hook for this, but you can use anything that is tiny, but don't use something pointed, or you'll just rip the petals.

5.  On one of the 1" flowers, cut between each petal, kind of close to the center of the flower, but not too much or the petals will tear off.  Then spritz it with water and using your mouse pad, crinkle the petals going into the center of the flower to draw it up closer into a bowl shape.

6.  On the last 1" circle, you will cut out the middle of the flower, but be careful to leave enough paper for the flower to stay together.  Then spritz it with water, and using the mousepad, crinkle each petal inward creating a bowl shape.    Dry it with your heat gun when finished (if you dry all the flower layers, it'll help to draw them up and make them crinkly and shaped better).  Once it is dry, Take a pair of tweezers, grab one end of the flower where it is cut, and start twisting it around itself to create a bud.  Once you have it wrapped around itself, glue the last petal to the bud, then take your tweezers out and hold it together until the glue dries. This is a trick I also learned in a you tube flower tutorial, and if you need to see it done, you can go here.

So...once you are finished working with each layer, this is what they should look like.

Now, assemble your flower, glueing each layer, and alternating the petals as you glue.  Once it is assembled, you can leave it as it is, or spritz it with some pretty glimmer mist to give it a little bit of shimmer.  Here are some of my finished flowers.

The one on the farthest right (the blue one) is the original Prima flower, the other 3 are what the tutorial is for.  I think they look pretty similar!

So...there you have it...my very first tutorial!  Please let me know if I need to make anything more clear or do anything differently.  I have 2 more tutorials I will be adding soon, and hopefully, more to follow.  Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful weekend and 4th of July!