Saturday Step X Step

Welcome to another Saturday Step X Step here at Frilly and Funkie, hosted today by Buttons (that's me!) I'm sticking with the upcyling theme from our current challenge as today is Earth Day.

For our previous challenge I created some flowers with an interesting component - has anyone guessed yet? All will be revealed... but to start with cover some white card in a mix of Spiced Marmalade and Victorian Velvet Distress Paint and Antiqued Bronze Distress Stain. If you dab all three onto your craft mat and spritz with water you can smoosh your card into the mixture several times until it is covered, drying after each layer. It is also important to colour the reverse side with paint (I chose to stick to Victorian Velvet).

Now cut out your flowers in different sizes - one large outer, one small inner for each. Dab the top side of each flower with Mustard Seed Distress Paint. You don't need to be accurate.

To add further depth and ensure there are no white edges sponge Victorian Velvet Distress Ink onto the outside of each flower - no need to be accurate again here as the ink blends into the paint as it dries.

It is important to stick the flowers together at this stage, and then roll each petal around a thin paint brush, pencil or similar to add some dimension. Having said that they should remain squashy enough to be added to cards and still fit inside an envelope if stuck on a card!

And now for the big reveal... yes, I've used the plastic net which held the mini Easter eggs for the 'egg cups'! You will find this sort of net is used to contain all sorts of things including confectionery, fruit and vegetables, and also comes in lots of different colours. If you don't already have a hole in the middle of your flowers punch one out and then thread your net through from back to front. When you've got enough to create realistic looking stamens (be generous) cut off at the back, leaving enough to be stuck to the reverse of the flower with strong tape. If you want your stamens to look a little 'frazzled' heat them very gently with your heat gun for a couple of seconds - don't overdo it as they may frizzle away completely!

So now you have flowers to add to all sorts of projects. You've already seen my 'April in Paris' card and now here's another little ATC container (which also upcycles old book pages from a charity shop).

To further embellish the flowers I added a touch of gilding wax here. If you want to see some close ups pop over to my blog HERE. Meantime there's a list of 'ingredients' at the end of this post. All that remains is for me to wish you  a fabulous weekend. Hugs, Jenny xxx

Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Victorian Velvet	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Spiced Marmalade	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Mustard Seed	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Picket Fence	Tim Holtz Ranger Metallic Distress Stain - Antiqued Bronze
Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain - Brushed Corduroy	Ranger Distress Crackle Paint - Picket Fence White	Venise Lace Trim - 1/2 inch wide	Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents	Ranger Inkssentials Non-Stick Craft Sheet
Ranger Inkssentials Wonder Tape - 1/8"	Ranger Inkssentials Ink Blending Foam