Flowers,flowers everywhere!

QuicKutz has the most awesome new set of nesting flowers.
Click here to see them. The smaller dies that appear to be whole are meant to be used within the larger open shapes to create flowers with a dimensional shape to them. Or if you want use the center pieces by themselves and snip the connecting lines to have even more pieces with which to play and create. For a really great source of flower techniques check out Inkstains or Studio 490.

The flowers were created as follows using a whole bunch of different techniques and products. Blue flower: stamp word stamp with embossing ink, coat with clear embossing powder (keep your thumb out of it - I didn't) and then finish with a coupled of light spritzes of Blueberry Memories Mists.
Large dark pink flower: snip out a second center (gridded paper) and a third open center, stack and use Glossy Accents for the center. Two small flowers: cut a second center for the black one and layer. Stamp with embossing ink and check stamp, emboss with Verdigris EP, finish off with a spritz of walnut stain mixed with white Perfect Pearls. Yellow flower with green leaves: stamp grunge flourish stamp with embossing ink, emboss with clear EP, rub yellow Distress Ink over flower, wipe off the embossed area, rub orange Distress Ink over center, wipe off embossed area. Leaves are same technique but sprayed with Margarita Memories Mist and curled while damp. Velvet Flowers: the center flower is au
natural, as I bought it, the left is sprayed with a my own mixture of Walnut stain powder, white perfect pearls and water in a mini mister. This mixture will keep forever and is very economical to use. You can also use your Distress Reinkers to make your own mists. Love those little spray tubes from Ranger. The spray heads are fine and produce the best results!

Pink Flower: Grunge flourish stamp (can you tell it's my new favorite?), white embossing powder, then use Acrylic dabbers in pink and red very lightly on the flower, mist with water! White flower: die cut one large white flower. Use scrap paper under the center portion, protecting the outer white area, lightly ink the center with a golden yellow ink pad. Die cut a small green flower, protect the outer area and ink the center with a red ink pad. Yellow flower: Ink and chalk the center portion of the flower only. Little yellow flower: This is one of my favorites! it did start off all white. Snip the largest center die out of white paper, then die cut the smallest combination. Lightly ink the larger white piece with yellow ink. Repeat the inking of the center portion, just go a bit heavier. Then lighlty ink all edges and the center with red ink. My pads aren't juicy and new anymore so this works great! Use yellow Liquid Pearls to lightly dot the outer and inner petals. Green flower: this flower is in it's original state with only a bit of clear embossing over the flower. Once again the grunge flourish stamp. Grey and silver flower: start off with a green flower, stamp with embossing ink and the grunge flourish stamp. Emboss with clear embossing powder. Spray lightly with Amaretto Memories Mist. Spray with Walnut ink & Perfect Pearls mixture. Die cut a center flower combination in white, cover the center portion and spray with a silver Glimmer Mist.



So now that you've created all the lovely flowers how to use them? I created this layout of our granddaughter (face hidden for privacy) using an entire set of other flowers, some purchased and one die cut, all altered and stamped and inked and sprayed and layered.

What I love about the Walnut ink crystals is that I can mix the combination of crystals and Perfect Pearls up to the strength and color depth that I want to use for any given project. The nice part of the Distress Reinkers or Distress Alchohol Inks is that they don't dilute (get weaker in color) in water.

I use an array of different glue dots to assemble the flowers. From tiny little ones to the thicker dimensional ones, they all have a purpose in layering. If you want a greater dimensional effect use the thick glue dots between layers. If you want a tighter close knit effect, stick with the thinner ones.

So have some fun and Be Creative!