Newspaper Flowers DIY

Not long ago I saw some colorful newspaper flowers made by kids on Pinterest and have not been able to get them out of my head.  There was something about the up-cycling, the wild abandon with color and how joyful they looked that just inspired me.  I immediately pulled out my Gel Press (best way to get tons of colorful paint on paper) and started experimenting on newspaper sheets.  It was addicting!  The paint on the paper made it into an amazing craft material.  Next, I cut some patterns and started stitching them together.  Pretty soon I had an adult version of newspaper flowers that could adorn almost anything!  Grab some newspaper and start crafting....

and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

Gift bag magic!

Try them on a wine bottle!

The more color the better!

Watch how I made mine here!

STUFF I USED

Americana Acrylics

Plastic Gems

Gel Press

Newspaper

Optional:  Sewing Machine

DecoArt Craft Twinkles and Glamour Dust

Flower pattern

Print on standard copy paper

HERE'S HOW

1.  Squirt Americana Acrylics on your Gel Press and spread the colors with a brayer making sure to keep it color blocked by rolling off each color before you spread it

2. Press and pull newspaper sheets laying them flat to dry

3.  Coat the sheets with Craft Twinkles and Glamour Dust to give them a glittery sheen and sparkle

4.  Trace the 5 different sizes of flowers and the leaves on a sheet (or 2 depending on how big your Gel Press is)

5.  Pin the pressed sheets in stacks and cut out several of the different sizes of flowers

6.  Stack the flowers largest to smallest

7.  Optional:  Stitch lines emanating from the center on the smallest flower

8.  Place the small flower back on top of the stack and stitch (or glue) the entire stack together right in the center

9.  Stitch down the center of a stack of 3 leaves

*You could also glue a line down the center of a stack if you don't have a sewing machine

10.  Glue (with hot glue or white glue) a plastic gem in the center of the stack on the smallest flower

11.  When the gem is dry, crunch the flowers, one by one, around the gem

12.  Glue curling ribbon and the flowers on gift bags, wine bottles, wrapped packages or toss them around your dinner party table!

 Gift ready!

Recycle, reuse, repurpose!

Bejeweled Jar Lantern DIY

My better half told me the other day that it was time for my recycled jar collection to leave the cabinet and find another home.  Apparently there wasn't any room for our real dishes anymore.  Whatever!  Because I love the puff painted lantern jars all over Pinterest, I decided it was the perfect time to try my own version with gems.  How could you NOT love a good recycled jar project?  There were some challenges, but for the most part, this project was enjoyable.  Just make sure to tape your gems in place while they dry or they might slide and only do a bit at a time so you don't smudge the fresh paint. BTW, now my jars can take up room on our coffee table instead of in the cabinet!  Take that.  Have fun, be creative and stay in touch, OK!  xoxo, Mark

Taking them for a test drive in my living room

Before I added the extra dots around the design

See how I made them here!

STUFF YOU'LL NEED

Lace

Tape

Tacky glue

Gold spray paint

Jars

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint

Flat back gems

1.  Tape lace around the center of the jar

2.  Spray paint the jar gold and let dry

3.  Glue gems in a pattern around the jar

4.  Add the Allure in Gold Leaf around each gem and create a design

5.  Try leaves, swirls and dots

6.  Add dots around the rim

7.  Add another color of Allure that matches the gems

8.  Dot and swirl until you're done and then fill with tea lights