FOR MOTHER’S DAY

My idea of the prefect Mother’s Day gifts?…a delicious box of chocolates and a good book.  And lo and behold, here they are, in miniature of course.  Quick and easy little projects that can be used as accessories in many miniature vignettes.  

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A BOOK FOR MOTHER

Make a copy of the printie on bright white paper using best printer settings & a landscape setting.

Click on image; copy and paste to your computer.

Set to print at 8-1/16" w x 3.54"h

Cut out cover. 

Clip on 4 lines as shown.

Score on all lines.  Crease & fold all borders inward, using a quality glue stick to hold.  Fold front and back cover inward on spine lines.

Cut out pages in one continuous piece   Crease and fold the pages accordion-style, following  directions on printie. 

Glue pages together, back to back, in twos.  Do not include the smaller end pages. Press flat until glue has set, making sure that any excess glue is not causing the pages to stick together where they should not.  You may insert small pieces of waxed paper between pages to prevent any glue mistakes if desired.

Glue assembled pages into the prepared cover by centering the back sides of the end pages on the inside of the cover…do not glue anything to the spine.  Press the book flat until the glue has set.

For a glossy cover you may choose to coat it with a couple of coats of clear nail enamel or water based acrylic gloss or it may be covered with clear packaging tape. Do test your computer ink for compatibility with any finish you use.

You may choose to add ties to close your book.  If so, use fine sewing thread and work with longer threads that you will need.  Cut two lengths, one for the front and one for the back.  Glue them in place on the front & back cover before the pages are glued in place.  Glue them centered top to bottom and an end set in approx. ¼” from the front edge of the cover. After the book itself is complete, tie the strings into a tiny bow.  Decide how much string you want to extend beyond the bow and tie a knot.  Cut of excess string approx. 1/8” beyond the knot and fray out the cut ends, tassel like.

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BOX OF “DELICIOUS” CHOCOLATES

Make a colored copy of the 4 chocolate box parts and the

chocolates onto matte presentation paper using printer’s

 best settings.  Cut pieces out using a craft knife and straight 

edge, eliminating the black edge lines.  Score on fold lines

 using a pointed stylus & straight edge. 

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE 

SAVE TO YOUR COMPUTER

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Glue tabs of box & lid pieces to inside.  Using a quality Glue Stick, adhere the top piece, centered, over top of lid and the bottom piece under the box. Using glue stick will give you more time for correct placement.

Using a toothpick, coat each chocolate on the chocolate insert piece with Diamond Glaze.  This will give the candies depth and dimension. If you feel that they are too glossy, add a light coat of clear semi-gloss acrylic over the top of the glaze.  In fact if you don’t have Diamond Glaze you can use acrylic glaze or even tacky glue in its place,   Allow to dry. Insert chocolate piece into box bottom. 

You can also choose to decorate the box top with the tiniest of nail art to add dimension & interest.  

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To all of you Mother's out there, do have a wonderful, loving day.  To all others, give your mother, grandmother, sister or any other significant  female in your life an extra hug,  just because.  

Joann

PS

I have not forgotten the shadowbox project, real life has just been so busy and sunny that I have ignored it for a bit.  But stay tuned for the end of section 5 and filling section 6.

POTTED IRIS

EASTER SHADOW BOX SECTION 5: FLOWERS OF SPRING

PART 3: IRIS

Iris has always been a favorite garden flower.  There are many varieties and different colors…shades of purples, blues, and white and yellow.  Here I have made a simple lavender, bearded variety but do explore others.  

You will need:  #30 cloth covered wire + ¼” round paper punch or ¼” long petal shaped paper punch + lightweight paper in your choice of colors (purples, lavenders, blues, yellows, white) You may also choose to color your own iris paper using an ombre method (a shading from light to dark)  + medium ball stylus + yellow acrylic paint & small pointed paintbrush (if you are adding beards) + scrap of thin Fun-Foam + medium ball stylus or metal nail file (using the tapered/pointed tip) + fine pointed tweezers Crafter’s Pick The Ultimate glue + green floral tape + leaf green color acrylic paint + medium weight leaf green paper

Instructions:

Cut wire to needed lengths and dip the tip of one end into golden yellow acrylic paint.  Poke into a scrap of Styrofoam to dry.

These flowers have three inner erect petals that surround the stamen and three outer sepals between the petals that curve back.  To create the petals and sepals you may choose to fold/crease a piece of your chosen paper, measure and mark a line 1/16” away from the fold/crease and then use a ¼” round paper as shown.  

Or you may use the paper punch as shown or something similar to create the petals/sepals. 

If you are adding beards to your sepals, use a small pointed paintbrush to feather yellow paint out from the pointed end of the three sepals…I suggest you look closely at actual photos.  As seen, I just paint an illusion but if you are so inclined you may be more precise with the beard or markings. 

Lay the petals and sepals on the fun foam, bearded side of sepals face down.  Using a stylus or similar tool, “draw” lines down each edge and then the center of each petal and sepal, causing them to curve and curl.

Using fine pointed tweezers pick up a prepared petal by the rounded end, dip the very tip of the pointed end in glue & place on a prepared stem, just below the painted stamen.  Add two more petals in the same manner, evenly spacing them from each other and in an almost upright position. 

Pick up sepals in the same manner, add glue to tip and place them on the stem just under the petals & in-between the petals, so they are curving out and slightly down.

For the ovaries cut 1/16” wide by ½” long pieces of floral tape and gently stretch them out.  Wrap one around a stem just up from the bottom.  Use fingertip to shape it into a slightly elongated ball.  Push it up the stem until it snugs up to the underside of the flower. 

Use leaf green acrylic paint to blend the ovary and stem and to slightly feather up and out on the bottom of the flower.

Iris leaves are cut and prepared as was described previously for the daffodil and narcissus leaves but with a more pointed, sword-like shape.  Leaves may be attached to a flower stem or surround the potted flowers.

Unopened buds are made by wrapping ¼” wide by ½” long pieces of green floral tape around the stop of a stem, stretching the tape as you wrap.  Use finger tips to form the top into a point.  Add an ovary as described above right under the bud and then use green paint to meld bud, ovary, and stem together.

Partially open buds are created by adding glue to the face of a petal and wrapping it around the stop of a stem.  Add 3 or more petals in this manner, depending on how open you want the bud, and then pinch and roll the top to a point. Add an ovary. Use leaf green paint to meld everything together, letting the paint go up in points on the petals.

As with the Daffodil and Narcissus, Iris may be potted, as is seen here, planted in a landscape, or used in flower arrangements by themselves or with other spring flowers.  Surround stems by lots of leaves, which should be of a height just short of the blossom or shorter.  I used a clay pot filled with unbaked, scrap Fimo.  The Fimo was coated with a layer of glue and fine dust from sphagnum moss (bottom of package?) was pressed on.  Holes were poked in the “soil” to take the flower stems and after they were in place buds and partially open blossoms were added.  Leaves filled in space in and around.

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Here are some real-life images & illustrations to help inspire you to add miniature Iris to your collection.  

ARRANGEMENT BY CARL STARKERS 

1953

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I will be back soon with the Daffodils, Narcissus and Iris in place in the 5^th section of The Easter Shadowbox.  BTW you may be interested in making some other spring blooms too… Calla Lilies, Pussy Willow, Forsythia…if so they are to be found in my Easter Peddler’s Cart, Basket & Bunnies

 http://joannswansondiyminiatures.blogspot.com/2011/04/baskets-and-bunniesan-easter-peddlers.html

 Now  just one more section to go…like the flowers it will be miniatures that can be used in many scenes or added to a collection. 

Joann

NARCISSUS

 EASTER SHADOW BOX SECTION 5: FLOWERS OF SPRING

PART 2: NARCISSUS 

The most well-known (at least to me) variety of Narcissus is the Barri variety. Their small trumpets,(length not more than 1/3 of petals)  better described as cups, are brilliantly colored and their petals are white.  They are oh, so fragrant.    Grow them in clumps in your miniature garden, force bulbs indoors for a holiday treat, display them in bouquets, in or outdoors, or use them as part of a floral arrangement.

Adding a toothpick in the photo as a point of reference to size as I had many people ask if last week's daffodils were actually miniature...thank you for the compliments btw.

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You will need:  #24 gauge green covered wire + golden-yellow & leaf-green acrylic craft paint + white and yellow lightweight paper + orange permanent marker pen or bright orange water color pencil or paint + green floral tape (craft/floral store purchase) + medium weight, leaf green paper + 1/8” round paper punch + 3/16” long diamond paper punch + scrap of Styrofoam  +  ¼” or more thick fun foam + pointed tweezers + tacky type glue

Instructions:

Cut wire to needed lengths and dip the tip of one end into golden yellow acrylic paint.  Poke into a scrap of Styrofoam to dry.  

From lightweight, golden-yellow paper, punch out a 1/8” round for each bloom.  Using a pointed stylus, poke a hole in the center of the punched rounds. Cut off one of the tapered ends of a round toothpick and sand that end rounded and smooth.  Lay a prepared round on a piece of thick fun-foam.  Use the prepared toothpick-tool to shape the round into a cut by pressing it into the center of the paper round and giving it a slight twist.  This will cause the round to sink into the foam a bit and cup up.  Pick the cup shape out with pointed tweezers. 

Poke a prepared stem into the hole in the cup.  Slide the cup up the stem so the yellow tip on the stem sits down inside of the cup.  Add the tiniest dab of glue to the back of the cup to hold in place.

Use the edge of an orange felt tipped pen or water colors to tint the very edge of the cup.

Punch out 6 white diamonds from bright white paper for the petals…they should be approx. 3/16” from top to bottom.  Lay the petals in the palm of your hand and using a pointed stylus & medium pressure, “draw” three lines over them as shown.  This will shape the petals.  

Using pointed tweezers pick up a petal; dip the bottom tip into glue, picking up just a dab.  Place it on the stem just under the cup.  Place three petals, evenly spaced around the stem, and then one between each for a total of 6 petals.  Let glue set.

Cut a 1/8” x ½” length of green floral tape; stretch it out.  Wrap it tightly around the middle or so of the stem for the bloom’s ovary.  Push it up the stem so it sits about 1/8” below the petals.  Pinch the bottom so it is slightly tapered down from the top. 

Using a fine pointed paint brush, feather some green acrylic paint onto the bottom of the petals and continue down the stem, over & below the ovary. 

When paint has set, use needlenose pliers to bend the stem down to a slight angle, just below the ovary.

For a narcissus almost in bloom, add the petals so they hug the trumpet.  For buds wrap 2-4 petals tightly around the wire with glue.  Make a wash of tan color acrylic craft paint & water and lightly feather it from the stem up onto the end of the bud.  

Like the Daffodil, Bari-Narcissus leaves are tall, slim, and fairly straight.  They have slightly rounded-off tops.  Fold a piece of green paper and cut very thin, long shapes on the fold. Slightly open on the top half of the fold.  

Narcissus may be potted, as is seen here, planted in a landscape, or used in flower arrangements by themselves or with other flowers.  Surround plants by lots of leaves, which should be of a height just short of the blossom or shorter.  I used a clay pot filled with unbaked, scrap Fimo.  The Fimo was coated with a layer of glue and fine dust from sphagnum moss (bottom of package?) was pressed on.  Holes were poked in the “soil” to take the stems and leaves.

Here are some real-life images to help inspire you to add miniature Narcissus to your collection.

                       FORCED INDOOR POTTING

                     A 2ND LOOK AT THE PROJECT

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Second to Gardenias, Narcissus are my favorite flowers...their scents take me to "another place".

I will see you soon with another flower (most likely an Iris) to help fill section 5 of the Easter Shadowbox.

  Joann

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TRUMPET DAFFODILS

EASTER SHADOW BOX SECTION 5: FLOWERS OF SPRING

PART 1: TRUMPET DAFFODILS

To make things easier on myself I am adding flower tuts separately over the next few days.  When they are done they will be shown, in place, to fill section 5 of the shadow box. 

We will start with Trumpet Daffodils, the most popular variety of Narcissus.  Their large, showy blooms are one of the first flowers to arrive in the spring.  As in real life, Daffodils are beautiful  “growing” in our miniature gardens and displayed as bouquets, alone or in flower arrangements in the home.     The most common color is yellow…either one solid color or a bright, golden  yellow for the trumpet and a pale shade of yellow for the petals.  As seen here, they are all one color. These can vary in size but the trumpet part is usually as long as, or longer than the petals.

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You will need:  size #24 cloth covered wire + a  golden-yellow & a leaf green acrylic/craft paint + wire cutters + lightweight yellow paper + round toothpicks + tacky glue + small sharp craft scissors +  paper punch with approx. 3/16” long petal/leaf or diamond shape +  very small seed beads + leaf green medium weight paper   

Instructions:

Cut wire to lengths slightly longer than what you want the finished height of your flowers to be.  Dip about 3/32” of one end of each wire into golden-yellow acrylic paint to form the stamen.  Poke the other end into a scrap of Styrofoam, or what-have-you, while the paint dries.  You will need one prepared wire for each daffodil. 

The trumpets (center) of the daffodil are as long as or longer than the petals.  Cut a long strip of lightweight, yellow paper, 3/16” to ¼” high.  Scrape a knife or scissor blade back and forth across one long edge of the paper strip to make it rough or ragged.  

Wrap the beginning of the strip around the center of a round toothpick, overlap a bit, cut off excess and glue the overlap to form a tube/trumpet. 

Remove the trumpet from the toothpick & tightly fringe around its bottom edge (smooth end), about 1/3 of the way up.  

Insert trumpet back on toothpick with fringed end towards point.  Using toothpick to shape, pinch and squeeze fringed area until a bell shape is formed.  

Remove trumpet from toothpick and put a dab of glue around inside trumpet bottom.  Insert a prepared wire/stem so yellow center is about 1/3 of the way up the trumpet.  Squeeze & smooth glued area of trumpet around wire.  Set aside to dry.

When glue has set, use scissors to finely fringe around top (rough) edge of trumpet about 1/64” deep.  Use fingertips to push back fringe to a right angle to trumpet.  If desired, a dark yellow water color pencil or felt-tipped pen may be used to dab on a bit of color around outside edge of fringed lip.

 Insert a tiny seed bead (look for the smallest ones that will slip onto wire used) onto the stem and push it up just so it sits just under the trumpet.  Paint it and the wire green.  

For petals, punch 6 diamond or oval petal shapes from the same yellow paper (or pale yellow if desired).  I used the approx.. 3/16” long, oval petals from Martha Stewarts Deep Edger Floral Vine paper punch punch image http://www.amazon.com/Martha-Stewart-Crafts-Edger-Floral   It is a bit pricey but lots of usable shapes on it and it punches like butter.

Lay the petals in the palm of your hand and use a small round stylus or the pointed end of a metal nail file to “draw” three lines on it with medium pressure.  Petals will curl-up up slightly, giving them dimension.  Pick up petals at one tip with pointed tweezers and dip the other end into tacky glue, picking up a dab.  Place on stem, between bottom of trumpet and top of bead with the concave side facing up, and very slightly pointed upward.  Place three petals spaced evenly around trumpet and then one in between each.  

Use tweezers to bend the stem just short of a right angle just under the bead.  

For a daffodil almost in bloom, add the petals so they hug the trumpet.  For buds, eliminate the seed beads and with glue wrap 2-4 petals tightly around the wire.  Make a wash of tan color acrylic craft paint & water and lightly feather it from the stem up onto the end of the bud.  This wash may also be used on the upper stem & bead parts of the full flowers.

Daffodil leaves are tall, slim, and fairly straight.  They have slightly rounded off tops.  Fold a piece of green paper and cut very thin, long shapes on the fold. Slightly open on the top half of the fold.  

Daffodils may be planted in pots as is seen here, planted in a landscape, or used in flower arrangements by themselves or with other flowers.  Plant surrounded by leaves, which should be of a height just short of the blossom or shorter.  I used a large clay pot filled with unbaked Fimo.  The Fimo was coated with a layer of glue and fine dust (bottom of package?) from sphagnum moss was pressed on.  Holes were poked in the “soil” to take the stems and leaves.

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Here are some real-life images to help inspire you to add miniature daffodils to your collection.

An Asian inspired table arrangement. 

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A simple bouquet of daffodils in a clear vase makes a showy statement.

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A garden basket full of fresh cut daffodils can be displayed indoors or outdoors.

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Fill a bucket or watering can with fresh cut daffodils to display in a garden room or on a potting bench.

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And we will end with one more photo of the 1" = 1' potted daffodils.

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Ummm, I can smell the spicy fragrance of the vase of daffodils sitting on my desk.   And it is really fun to look at its miniature version sitting next to them.  Wonder if I could find some way to make them smell as good?  

Enjoy the tut and I will see you shortly with another flower.

Happy Spring....

Joann

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