Scrapbooking Paper & Flowers

This was the challenge for this lovely start to the summer weekend set by Laura McHugh East. 


I decided to do my challenge on the computer, using Photoshop, and "stamps" on the paper backgrounds. I have a lot of Photoshop preset brushes and also know how to quickly make one from almost any image. The best presets are line drawings, just as a hint.


I loaded background papers from my computer files into Photoshop CS5, then added the flowers using the brush presets. I worked with a separate layer for the flowers, and used a regular round brush to knock back the background if it was too much and was interfering with the image.


I decided that each little piece needed some inspirational words about art, so I added those with the Type tool. To embellish some of the type, I duplicated the layer and moved it slightly up and over, then changed the color of that layer to punch up the color.


I hope you enjoy these flowers on scrapbooking paper. Whether you work with the real materials or images, you can get some nice looks by combining the stamps with scrapbooking paper. Doing it electronically gives you some flexibility because you can vary the size of the stamp and you have a zillion ink pad colors to choose from.

Scrap book paper themed Flowers.........

use scrap book papers in and interesting way with Flowers as the theme....this was my challenge.... Laura Mchugh from the EAST..........

I gathered some of my favorite colored scrap book papers and a mat board for the background..........

and my tools, a curving tape runner, paper punch, scissors, fancy cutting scissors,  and some washi tape......

I just started cutting.....I love to make these collages using my hands and a pair of scissors...no pencils, no drawing just let your scissors do the drawing.....

when I have the shapes I like I start the  gluing process..these tape rollers can so around curves so it is very easy and a lot cleaner then glue sticks.....

and here is my finished piece.........using scrap book papers in and interesting way with Flowers as the theme....

Making Flowers out of flour.......

Well this week the challenge was from  my art friend Laura McHugh  from the West....we were to make flowers  out of home made play-doh...I have never made it  before so I was really interested in learning how to... 

I went on a few different web sites and found this a common recipe so I decided to give it a try.....

to make play-doh you only need a few ingredients....

2 cups of flour, 2 cups of warm water.....

1 cup of salt, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

and 1 tablespoon of creme of tartar..........mix all together until smooth......

heat on low flame.....and continue to stir........do not walk away......

had to get my hubby to finish stirring cause it takes some time for it to get to the right texture...

once it does, remove from heat and place on a covered surface...I used plastic wrap...kneed to make sure all the lumps are out....

cut into smaller sections....

now you will dye your sections....I used Wilton's coloring pastes...they have the most awesome colors...

I used a  wooden stick to add the dye to each section.....this will make a mess!!!!

knead each section with the dye......

some colors looked better then others.....

here is my little helper  "Shelby"....

it was the most beautiful day and I was working outside on my deck....

she is always by my side.....wondering what I am up to....

ok already!!!! enough of the cute dog pictures.....

I didn't want the dough to dry out so I used plastic wrap around each color to help keep it moist...

well here is my Flowers out of Flour...

play-doh flowers....

I hope you will give this a try...I am sure you will have hours of fun just like I did...Thanks Laura McHugh West for this challenge...I had fun....

Playdough Flowers

 

This week's challenge, thought up by me (Laura McHugh West) was to make flowers using flour playdough.


I was sure Laura McHugh East came up with this at first, because I have no experience with playdough at all. Why would I pick something so foreign to me? But I think that is the spirit of this challenge, and what was in my head when we decided to do this back in late 2011 - come up with true challenges: things I am not experienced at, art-wise.


So here goes:


First, I was so so lucky that while at yesterday's street faire for our little town of Half Moon Bay, I followed a friend when he took his daughter to the kid's crafting area, because I wanted to keep talking to him. Lo and behold, when we arrived there, they had flour playdough, including a recipe! I could see the consistency and knew this was the right thing for this project.

I followed the recipe to make 1/2 of it. I had only blue and green food coloring on hand, and decided I wanted a marbelized color for the flower petals, so I added a few drops of the coloring to 2/3 of the dough, but didn't overwork it.


I did the same with a bit of green for the parts of the rose that protect it until the bud opens. 


I used a cookie cutter and had in mind the instructions for when you make roses from icing for cakes: start with a small tightly folded interior petal, then just keep folding petals around that interior, overlapping them. 

I added the green in a similar fashion at the top, turning back each piece slightly.

I was surprised and pleased to see the three roses turn out looking like flowers! My daughter agreed. However, the dough was too heavy and not stiff enough to stay on a wire, so we decided to place them in a bowl, which is how I usually enjoy my roses.


 
I desaturated the color in one photo and brought it in to lightroom because I prefer pink roses and wanted to see how it might have looked in that color palette.

 

I really enjoyed this challenge. I am going to leave the flowers in the bowl to see if the dough hardens over the next few days.

Flower themed jewelry

design a piece of Jewelry with a "flower" theme......was from me  Laura Mchugh East!  I thought I would have the time to create something new but because today is Mothers Day and I am taking it easy... I thought I would share some of the jewelry that I have created  with flowers as the theme....

I  love flowers and can't get enough of them....

our yard is filled with flowers and flowering trees.....

I love their color, their shape, their scent......

so I thought I would share some of my jewelry that has been inspired by mother nature....

this is one of my vintage fabric roses necklace....

 flower sewn on my sewing machine then added to beaded vines and silk ribbons...

a vintage fabric cuff adorned with a vintage pin with added vintage laces and trims...

a vintage earring transformed into a ring...

a Russian hand painted floral pendant that I added to my copper crochet beaded necklace...

spring time color combo...

rolled fabric roses beaded necklace....

vintage fabric rose pin.....

vintage fabric flowers added to head bands....

I didn't realize how much I incorporate flowers in my jewelry designs.....

thanks Mother Nature for inspiring me with all your BEAUTY!!!!!