Monogram With Recycled Plastic & Paper Die Cut Flowers

Easily make flowers from plastic packaging and old greeting cards!  Now that I have entered the world of Sizzix, no material is safe from getting cut.  This project is all thanks to my friend Amy, of Plucking Daisies.  I inquired about Kraft core paper used in one of her projects.  The next thing I know, I have a box of the stuff, and other goodies from her stash, with tips and tricks she took the time to write out for me.  Sweeeet!!  You will be seeing the supplies she sent me popping up in future posts.

Here, I made flowers from the packaging containing a Tim Holtz embossing folders (Amy’s idea) and a greeting card, both from Amy’s stash.  I used them to embellish a monogram corkboard hanging wall plaque I made for my niece’s graduation gift.

Here is how I did it:

I held the plastic die cuts over a flame to curl them and give dimension.  Walnut Distress Ink was used on the paper flower edges.   Then I layered and sewed on a button for one set, and inserted a brad for the other.

The leaves, I cut from velure, also Amy’s idea.  I sprayed them with “Stiffy” fabric stiffener to give form and prevent fraying.  The rose is leather cut with Sizzix and the 3D rose die.   The piece is a cabinet door I picked up at Habitat from Humanity Restore ($1.25), spray painted,  and adhered cork board to using hot glue.  I drilled holes for the purple ribbon hanging mechanism.  The letter is layered chipboard painted with Adirondack acrylic paint.

I love how it turned out!  Perfect for Ashlyn’s dorm room… not to mention how dang cool it was to get an awesome box of goodies from a fellow craft blogger.  Amy was organizing her studio and threw in a bunch of things for me to use.  What a great idea.  My studio is jam packed with supplies I will never get to, that someone else would love to have.  That is why I am passing on the love, and sending out a box to a reader who asked about clay.  I won’t even know it is gone, and if she is like me, the act will make her day.

Thanks Amy!!!  Here Amy shared a project using plastic packaging and alcohol inks, like I did from her tips for my flowers.  Be sure and visit Plucking Daisies for some rockin’ tutorials and creativity.