Wishes and Lollipops

I just LOVE Close To My Heart's new card making how-to book, Wishes. I played today and made 4 cards in about an hour (OK, so I made the lollipop flowers yesterday). By the way, if you are interested in making Lollipop Roses, just scroll down the left side of my blog until you get to "labels" and then click on "Lollipop Roses". It will take you to a post from April that includes a written tutorial.

You can always click on any photo in my posts to see a larger view.

Cards from left to right:

• 5" x 7" card using the "Medallion" pattern on page 52 of Wishes.
• 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card using the "On the Edge" pattern on page 53 of Wishes.
• 4 1/2" Circle card using the "Inner Court" pattern on page 67 of Wishes.
• 8" x 3 1/2" card using the "Sunrise" pattern on page 59 of Wishes (slightly altered).

I just love this book and all of the great tips, patterns and step-by-step instructions included. You can easily order the book with order #9033 on my website.

Close To My Heart products used: Wishes (9033), Spot On Backgrounds Stamp Set (D1280), August Stamp of the Month-It's Your Day (D1352. Available to order in August only), Colonial White Cardstock (1388), Smokey Plum Cardstock (1291), Olive Cardstock (1245), Hollyhock Cardstock (1246), Boom-Di-Ada Level 2 Paper Pack (X7095B), Desert Sand Stamp Pad (Z2118), Mini-Medleys Shades of Chocolate Collection (Z1037), Mini-Medley Autumn Garden Collection (Z1119), Colonial White Waxy Flax (Z1081), Clear Buttons (Z1155), Fancy Cuts Borders (X1408), Smokey Plum Organdy Ribbon (retired)

Click here to order from my website 24/7...even when you're eating lollipops! You can also view my artwork and my upcoming classes and events on my calendar.

Lollipops anyone?

Lollipops anyone? Did you know that the roses you see on the Daci layout and the cards are called lollipop roses? I LOVE them and have been having so much fun making them. You can click on either of the photos above and see them much larger that way. I thought I'd teach you how to make these darling flowers today! YAY!

Here's how it works:

1. Cut several circles in graduating sizes. You could do as few as 3 or as many as 7 or 8 to make one flower. You can use punches, your coluzzle, or even hand cut them. They don't have to be perfect so hand cutting is definitely an option. You are going to be manipulating the way they look anyway. You can use all one color, or choose a few colors to mix and match. All of the flowers you see on my layout and cards were made with using the following Close To My Heart cardstock colors (one or several of them): colonial white, hollyhock, olive, smokey plum.

2. Stack the circles with the smallest circle on top and then in order of size until the largest one is on the bottom. You may want to bend or crumple them a little before you do step #3. It depends on how flat or bent you want them to look.

3. Insert a brad in the center to hold them together.

4. Once the brad is holding them all together, play with each layer to separate them and bend them a little. I even tear a little bit here and there around the edges.

5. Using a white acrylic paint, put a little bit on your finger and go around the edge of each layer of the circles in the flower. It's ok if it gets a tiny bit on the top of the flower, but the goal is to have the edges stand out with the white as well as giving them some 'oomph' as you bend and shape them in the next step. Let dry.

6. Spritz a little bit of water on your flower from a spritz bottle. Now have fun! Bend and shape your flower any way you want it to look. After you are satisfied with it, let it dry. Instead of water, you could also use a sparkle spray or a walnut ink spray if you wanted to add sparkles or antiquing.

Voila! You now have a lollipop rose and it's ready to use. The roses you see in the layout and card above were the first ones I made. If you look close, you can see I did a better job on some than others, but they are supposed to each be unique anyway. I made all 12 of these flowers in one sitting in about an hour. I just did it while Dan and I were watching a TV show. Easy!

If you are coming to one of my Play Group classes in May, you will be making a few of these for one of your layouts. You'll love it!

Enjoy making your own! I'd love to see some of your creations. Feel free to email photos of them to me! (pedermom@aol.com)