Felted Rose's

 Adding this Tutorial to my flower power collection was a must.
Ellen, from Ellen's Creative Passage in Columbia Missouri has a very detailed, helpful tutorial on her blog about making these flowers and a beautiful wreath that she created using the flowers.
The directions belong to Ellen, but the pictures are my efforts at making the flowers. These are definitely keepers, and I will be making more of them!

 Felted Flowers

Supplies needed:  hot glue gun and glue sticks, scissors, circle patterns (I used bowls), felt (I use wool felt, but you could also use regular felt), and a marking pen

Start by making circles all over your felt...

(Amber used regular felt which is lighter weight)

Now cut out on the inside of the marked line.  You can also just free hand the circles like I do, but I thought I would show you the scientific way to do it!

Now you have your circles all cut out for each of the flowers...

I drew on this circle to show you generally how I cut mine out.  I usually do not mark each circle like this, I just free hand cut each one.  You want to start cutting at the outside of the circle and spiral in toward the center, leaving a larger circle in the center which will become the back of the rose.

 

This is what you have now...

Next pick up the outside or the pointy end of the felt

and begin rolling it up keeping the bottom flat...

keep rolling until you are close to the circle you left...

and this is what you have.  

 

Adjust the circle so that it covers the bottom of the rolled area.  You can see that I made my circle too small, so I am laying part of the cut area on the back of my rose to cover it all.

Now add some hot glue to the flat back area and attach the circle to cover the back.

Now it actually looks like a rose...

Now trim the excess on the petals to even it out.  I don't always make it really even, because I want a more natural look (yes, even though they are blue roses!).

Now look at the edge of the bottom of  the rose.  It will probably look really uneven...

Trim off the excess with your handy dandy scissors...

Ta-Da!!  You have a finished rose!! 

Here is what I made with my 3 flowers...

 

 

And here is what Ellen made over on HER BLOG for a truly fantastic and much more detailed tutorial along with the instructions on how to make this fabulous wreath!

 

Paper Flowers with tute!

I loved this project tutorial and it's endless possibilities, so I gave it a test run...the results are something I can actually show off! This is really simple to do, and pretty fun, and something your children can help with...

As always, a super big thanks to Nicole at madebynicole.blogspot.com for her awesome tute.

Paper Flower Tutorial

This is so easy it feels almost silly to make a tutorial on it but just in case you aren't familiar with the technique, here goes:
(My comments and notes will show in parenthesis)
1. Get ten pieces of thin (not card stock) two sided paper - anything from newspaper to fancy patterned paper works. I used book pages

(I used book pages as well-mine had pictures...lol)


2. Stack them up and cut out a circle.
(I used a 2 1/2" paper punch-too lazy to cut circle's, and my free form circles usually look more like eggs) 

(my circles)

3. Cut spokes into the paper. I made this pic big so you can see what I mean.

4. When you're done it should look like this

(My spokes were not great, but they worked!)

5. Separate you circles. This step is vital as it won't fluff if they're stuck together

(My pile of petals)

6. Re-stack pile

7. Staple through the center of the stack

When you're done it should look like this:

8. Don't panic. I want you take your nice little stack and crumple it in your fist. Trust me, it'll be okay.

(My fat little hand crushing away)

9. Now do it again a few times

(This isn't too hard...)

10. Voila! You did it! Told you it was easy!

11. But we're not done yet. Find the back of the staple. You might lose some petals doing this - no biggie.

12. Press the back of the staple side down against your table to make a flat bottom

 
(As you can see, Nicole's tutorial is fabulous. I followed her directions and took the same types of photo's and by dang it worked!!)

(This is my flower, with a button placed in the center. It's not completed because I still need to add the thread to the button, but you get the drift, right?)

HERE IS A PHOTO WITH SOME OF THE FLOWERS NICOLE HAS MADE...BE SURE TO CHECK OUT HER BLOG POST FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO COLOR YOUR FLOWERS, AND GREAT IDEA'S AND USE'S FOR THESE ADORABLE FLOWERS!!!

Book Wreath

When I found this post at JUST DROPS IN THE BUCKET I knew I had to do this! I LOVE books and reading, so this a perfect item that reflects one of the things I hold dear! I will be making one of these in the next day or so and will post pictures of my results. Until then, take a look at Dani's tutorial, it's so simple to follow and very easy on the pocket book too!  I know your going to want one of these!

The Second Life of a Book: Wreath

Thanks Dani!

Flower Pom Poms

 I have found another awesome DIY flower tutorial! There are several excellent versions of this flower floating around the blogosphere (including a different post I have here on this blog), but this is so simple and straight forward, and the pictures are excellent! We have 

Katie from Food, Wine and Mod Podge

to thank for this awesome post!

Pom Pom Fabric Flowers

I've been seeing these cute flowers all over blogland/DIYland/Etsy lately. They're so fun and full, and I was dying to find out how to make them!
Then I stumbled upon the Pom Pom Flower Tutorial at A Glimpse Inside, and I could hardly wait to make one myself!
The best part of these flowers is that they are the perfect use for scrap fabric! You just need a long strip, that's all! I highly recommend you hop over to A Glimpse Inside for the full step-by-step instructions.

See? Yay for easy and fabulous!

Strong Women

I LOVE THESE PASSAGES FROM THE WORKS OF L. FRANK BAUM...

This is absolutely true and funny!

For all of the strong, wonderful, creative, intelligent, hard working, self sacrificing, dedicated, loving, compassionate women in our world, THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO YOU! 

"As they passed the rows of houses they saw through the open doors that men were sweeping and dusting and washing dishes, while the women sat around in groups, gossiping and laughing.

What has happened?' the Scarecrow asked a sad-looking man with a bushy beard, who wore an apron and was wheeling a baby carriage along the sidewalk. 

Why, we've had a revolution, your Majesty -- as you ought to know very well,' replied the man; 'and since you went away the women have been running things to suit themselves. I'm glad you have decided to come back and restore order, for doing housework and minding the children is wearing out the strength of every man in the Emerald City.'

Hm!' said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully. 'If it is such hard work as you say, how did the women manage it so easily?'

I really do not know,' replied the man, with a deep sigh. 'Perhaps the women are made of cast-iron."

L. Frank Baum
Of course I have to admit I am also a HUGE FAN of the Wizard of Oz movie, and this post would not be complete for me without a homage to Margaret Hamilton...

Margaret is a personal role model of mine (LOL), I love her wickedness!  Can't you just hear the music? Da da da da da....
(these pictures were posted strictly for my own pleasure, plus it's Halloween time, right?).

This is me...dressed like Margaret...again...

Fire Flowers!

Jamielyn at I heart naptime is so talented. I absolutely loved this fast and fabulous flower tutorial.  She has made some darling clothing and accessories just by adding this fabulous flowers! These FIRE FLOWERS definitely belong on our FLOWER POWER list!  Click on the link below to see how she created these fab flowers!  Thanks Jamielyn!

fire flowers! 

This is another project JamieLyn created using the same how-to...