I am happy to have Amy from Plucking Daisies back today.  She has a knack for turning trash into treasure, and this project is a fantastic example of that.  Be ready to create this gorgeous fall flower bouquet from things you probably have at home already.  This would make a great centerpiece for the Thanksgiving table.  Who is ready for a great fall upcycle?

Hi all! Last time I was here at Saved by Love Creations I showed you how to make Paper flowers using punches. Today, I have an even easier method for making Fall Flowers to share with you. Remember the tissue paper flowers you made as a kid? We are going to use the same technique for making tissue flowers (pipe cleaners and all) to create beautiful fall flowers using items you probably have lying around the house.

Are you wondering what these fall flowers are made of? You may be surprised. To vary the color and texture (much like the color and texture found in nature at this time of year) I combined Dryer Sheets, Shower Curtain, Sheet Music, and Kraft Glassine to create the flowers for this arrangement.

If you haven’t used Kraft Glassine yet I urge you to try it. It’s available at most craft stores in the Tim Holtz section for only a few dollars. The great thing about Kraft Glassine is its durability and resistance to creative abuse. The more you beat it up the better it looks!

Kraft Glassine Flowers
1) Grab a few pieces of Kraft Glassine and ink them up with Alcohol Ink. *If you add some metallic mixative to your blending tool you will get a lovely gilded look. 2) Once the ink is dry crumple it up and then smooth it flat. 3) Cut pieces of Kraft Glassine in half (You will need at least 3 squares to form a flower). 4) Fold squares together accordion style. 5) Secure in center by wrapping the end of a pipe cleaner around. 6) Cut a rounded edge on both sides. (Tonic Scissors cut best). 7) Gently peel each layer up to form flower.
* Repeat Steps 3-7 for each style of flower

Dryer Sheet Flowers
Don’t throw those dryer sheets away! Harvest them to make these fun flowers. I sprayed my Dryer sheets with a fall inspired blend of Dylusions Spray inks to color them. Our Friend Laura from the Shed has another unique way to create Dryer Sheet Flowers here. The best part about these flowers is their laundry fresh scent 🙂
* Repeat Steps 3-7 (Above)

Sheet Music Flowers
The sheet music flowers can be a bit tricky. Especially when working with vintage sheet music since it tends to tear easily. *Repeat the above steps from the previous flowers. When you have your ends cut apply Distress Ink (Vintage photo) to all the edges. To make the paper more pliable mist with Perfect Pearls Heirloom Gold. This will help to wick the Distress ink and age your flowers to perfection!

Shower Curtain Flowers
I had an epiphany when changing out my shower curtain to cut a piece off and save it to “make something”. This resulted in some fun fall leaves and now Shower curtain flowers. You can also get this look by using a clear tablecloth. Check out my Shower Curtain Leaves tutorial for all the details on selecting Alcohol Inks in a fall color palette. *I gave my flowers a spritz of glitter spray for a touch of sparkle.
* Repeat Steps 3-7 (above)

The flowers looked great but they needed a little something…like a center. It was bothering me that you could see the pipe cleaner in the center. To fix this problem I consulted my vintage button collection. (Do you ever really NEED an excuse to play with vintage buttons? ) Selecting buttons for your flower centers is half the fun. Try a few on for size, shape and texture. When you are satisfied grab your glue gun to adhere them.
*If you don’t have a stash of vintage buttons you can find an assortment called “Grandma’s Grab bag” in the sewing section at Michael’s. Just look for a bag with lots of brown to complement the fall colors.

Now you will need a container to arrange all the lovely fall flowers you’ve created. I’m sure you may have one of these generic glass vases left over from a fresh flower arrangement. Not even a run through the dishwasher and a good scrubbing could remove the schmutz from the rim of this vase so it was time to up cycle it into something new!
After a coat of Krylon Glitterblast (Diamond Dust) it looks better than ever! *If you don’t have one of these vases lying around they can usually be found at the thrift store for $1 or $2. You could also use a large jar from the recycling bin.

The freshly painted vase is lovely but it needs something to “Tie it all together.” I saved this gold grosgrain ribbon (probably from a Christmas gift from last year) and thought it was the perfect complement for the Fall Flower arrangement . To add a bit of whimsy and tie in with the sheet music flowers I stamped the ribbon with a sheet music stamp and Ranger Archival ink.

Move over 1-800-flowers! If you have a dryer full of laundry, a shower curtain that needs replacing, and a plain glass vase in your home you can create a beautiful Fall Flower arrangement that will last for seasons to come. All with flower making skills you learned in Kindergarten.
Hope your creativity is blossoming today!
Amy*