April 19, 2010

Mother's Day Flower Pot

We hope you’re enjoying the newest release from QuicKutz! Did you know our large format dies were created for use in a variety of craft projects, not just on scrapbook layouts? The large-format flower nesting dies, in particular, look great when used in conjunction with craft paper, fabric, felt, or any other unique media.

QuicKutz design team member Leisa Baptiste Rice created this fabulous flower pot design using a variety of large-format nesting shapes. She shows just what these dies can really do!

Supplies:

English Rose Grand Alphabet CC-ENGLROSE-GC
Nesting Flowers (large) CC-SHAPE-0874
Nesting Flowers (small) CC-SHAPE-088
Nesting Circles CC-CIRCLES-01
Nesting Tags CC-SHAPES-6-023
Flourish REV-0024
Leaves REV-0064
White glue (wet)
Scissors
Paper trimmer
Tweezers
1 Clay pot (size of your choice)
Flower foam
Shredded paper (grass)
Ribbon (to tie around the pot)
Beaded chain
1 silver eyelet
3 sheets of coordinating cardstock, colored or printed (flower)
2 sheets of green cardstock (stem, leaves and bottom of the flower)
1 sheet of yellow cardstock (center of flower)
1 sheet of black cardstock (letters to personalize tag)

Cutting Directions:

1. Using the coordinating colored cardstock, cut out the large nesting flowers (CC-SHAPE-0874). Cut three of each shape in the three different colors of paper. Don’t cut the very smallest flower. You will end up with three large, three medium and three small flowers in different colors.

2. Using the one sheet of the green cardstock, cut out four to eight sets of the leaves (REV-0064). Then cut out three of the smallest nesting flowers (CC-SHAPE-088).

3. Using a paper trimmer, cut the remaining green sheet of cardstock into three 3x8 pieces.

4. Fill your sink with water and soak all of your pieces for five minutes. Remove and squeeze the water out of each shape. Lay each shape flat to dry (takes approximately two hours).

5. Using the yellow sheet of cardstock, cut out three of the flourish shapes (REV-0024). Set aside.

6. Using a piece of the colored coordinating cardstock, cut out one of the medium nesting tags (CC-SHAPES-6-023).

Putting it all together:

1. Tightly tie the ribbon around the top of the clay pot.

2. Fill the clay pot 3/4 full with flower foam. Using a pencil, create three holes to hold the flowers. DO NOT make the holes too large, or your flowers will droop!

3. Take all three flower shapes and curl the edges with a pencil. Place a small drop of wet glue in the center of each flower. Pinch the center of each flower from the opposite side of the glue and hold for a few minutes—this will make your flower look a little more dimensional. When completing the smallest flower, add your flourish to the center (with a pair of tweezers) so that it stands out. Once all of the flowers are pinched and dried, glue them to each other so that the pieces are opposites in color. Set aside to dry.

4. Take the three 3 x 8 pieces and roll each around one pencil, gluing with each roll. This technique will form a long tube. Allow to dry.

5. Take the three smallest nesting flowers (CC-SHAPE-088) and cut a hole in the center using any size of the nesting circles (CC-CIRCLES-01). Curl the edges up and down with a pencil. Set aside.

6. Pick up the stalks and cut down into one end (approx 1/2-1 inch) four times. This will fold out like a plus sign. Glue to the back of each constructed flower. Slide the smallest nesting flowers (CC-SHAPE-088) flower down the stalk and glue so that it covers up the edges you glued to the back of the constructed flower.

7. Embellish the stalk by adding leaves.

8. Place each completed flower in the holes in the pot at varying heights.

9. Finish by adding the shredded paper (grass) and a personalized tag.

So cute, right? Have fun and be creative!

QK note: Special thanks to Leisa for her endless creativity!