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Silk Flowers

The sun is shining, the grass is green and the flowers are in full bloom—all over the paper crafting world. Sweet silk flowers of all colors and sizes have quickly become one of the hottest supplies around.

From scrapbook page accents to card focals, silk flowers are a super simple way to make a big impact. These unique embellishments add instant texture and dimension, not to mention a ton of charm. Whether you’re working on vintage or retro projects, you’ll love the look. Even better, with the ability to alter silk flowers by inking or stamping, you’re sure to get a look that fits your project perfectly. Ready to play? Here are a few ideas to get you started on using silk flowers.

Kendra & Keeley
By LeNae Gerig

Click here for larger image.

LeNae used three silk flowers from the Citrus Embellish-abilities™ set to accent this layout. The bottom left corner of the main photo is accented with a medium sized silk flower adorned with five pink mini brads in the center. LeNae also added a bit of flair to her layout with two additional silk flowers folded in half. By folding the flowers in half and securing with brads, she added even more dimension and interest. Accenting the corners of the photos of Kendra and Keeley, the folded flowers even look like accessories to the girls’ outfits!

Supplies:

Instructions:

  1. Use the purple words paper as the background. Mat a vertical 5"x7" photo on lavender glimmer paper, trimming the mat to 3/16". Mat again on black glimmer paper, trimming the mat to 1/16". Add one pink mini brad to each corner of the photo, then glue the photo centered 3/4" from the left edge of the page.
  2. Use five pink mini brads to secure a small purple silk flower just under the bottom left corner of the matted photo. Computer journal the names and date onto white cardstock and crop to a small rectangle with about 1/2" of blank space on the left edge. Mat the journaling on black glimmer paper, trimming the top, bottom and right edges of the mat to 1/16". Trim the left side of the mat to 1/2" and tear the edge, then fold over the left side of the mat on top of the journaling and secure in place with a pink brad. Cut a 4" length of white embroidery floss and tie the loose ends together to form a loop. Loop the floss around the pink brad on the journaling and use a Glue Dot™ to secure the knotted tails just under the purple silk flower. Glue the journaling at an angle under the photo.
  3. Mat two 3 3/8"x3 5/8" photos on black glimmer paper, trimming the mats to 1/16". Glue the photos at varying angles, one above the other, centered between the large photo and the right edge of the page with the top photo overlapping the bottom photo.
  4. Fold one small pink silk flower in half and use a lavender brad to attach it in the top left corner of the top photo. Punch a 3/4" circle from the border on the blue stripe with mosaic border paper, then glue the punched circle to the top of a lavender big brad. Computer journal the year onto white cardstock and trim to a small tag shape. Punch a 1/16" hole in the top of the tag and run a length of white embroidery floss through the hole, tying the loose ends together to form a loop. Fold one large pink silk flower in half, run the big brad prongs through the tag’s embroidery floss loop and use the brad to attach the folded flower in the top right corner of the bottom photo. Glue the tag in place just under the flower. Add one lavender mini brad to each of the visible corners of the smaller photos.

Thanks Card
By Sara Naumann

For a sophisticated vintage-looking card, Sara used a script stamp and StazOn® ink to stamp directly onto this cream silk flower. The cream silk flower gives great contrast against the red papers and the stamping brings out the words from the red floral words paper. Another great addition? Sara altered a big brad by punching a 3/4” circle of paper she’d stamped. She added the circle right on the center of the brad, which holds the flower in place.

Supplies:

Instructions:

  1. Cover the card front with red texture paper. Tap the white inkpad along all four sides, then edge with black ink. Cut a 4 3/4"x 6" piece of red floral paper and ink the edges black. Add two regular black brads and one black mini brad to the bottom right corner.
  2. Cut a 4 1/2"x 3 1/2" piece of red texture paper and ink the edges black. Stamp “thanks” in the bottom right corner with alphabet stamps and glue to the center of the red floral rectangle. Attach black grosgrain ribbon horizontally across the center and wrap the ends around the back of the large red floral rectangle.
  3. Stamp the script onto a large cream silk flower, then onto red texture paper. Punch a circle from the stamped paper and glue to the center of a large black brad. Use the brad to attach the stamped flower to the center of the ribbon. Glue the rectangle of red paper to the card front.
  4. For the card inside: Cut a 4” x 4 1/2” piece of red floral paper, ink the edges black, then tap the white inkpad lightly along all four sides. Cut a 2” square of red textured paper and repeat. Glue the square 1/4” from the right edge of the floral paper and 1” from the top. Use alphabet stamps and black ink to stamp “for all you do” on the center of the square. Cut a 5” length of black grosgrain ribbon and wrap vertically around the red floral paper, slightly overlapping the red textured square. Secure the ends to the back of the floral paper.
  5. Glue the red floral rectangle centered on the inside of the card, 3/4” from the top edge. Punch a circle of red floral paper, distress with white ink and glue to the top of a black big brad. Insert the brad through the grosgrain ribbon, overlapping the bottom of the red textured square. Add two black mini brads and a regular black brad to the bottom left corner of the red floral rectangle as shown.

Love the look these cool silk flowers create? Give it a try! Pick up a Citrus, Retro, Classic or Vintage Embellish-abilities™ kit today!