Wednesday, April 03, 2013

::Paper Magnolias::

As inept as I am with green things, I did remember that early spring is when one trims dogwood shrubs. So, I clipped away, and ended up with four beautiful, deep-crimson branches that were begging to be displayed.

They looked bare, so in a burst of craftiness, I whipped up a handful of newspaper magnolia buds to adorn the branches. My daughter would like me to paint them. I'm not convinced. I love the look of the newsprint. But I may test one out with watercolour and see.
DIY: Paper Flowers
1. Cut up newspaper into petals. Magnolias are a long, narrow petal, whereas roses would be wide and more rounded. I cut
three different sizes to create three concentric layers of petals.

2. Create the stamen by balling up a small piece of paper and wrapping it in another one, twisting the bottom to form a teardrop shape.

3. Take four or five small petals and place them around the stamen, crumpling the bottoms to hold them tight at the base. Wrap wire or tape around them tightly. I used wire, which can rip through the paper at times, but it seems to have worked well for me.

4. Repeat this process with the two other layers of paper until your flower looks balanced. 
 More paper flower inspiration:

Monday, April 01, 2013

::Taste of Spring::

These tasted like spring.