Encore! One More Time for Orchid Bouquet

I've discovered that the issue I had yesterday with Orchid Bouquet was that I wasn't using it for the right application! Seriously, I saw a project using crumpled paper flowers several months ago on Close To My Heart's consultants' website and haven't gotten around to trying them until now. They are so cute, and while I'm usually not putsy, I thought this one was fun to make. Before I post the directions, I'll just let you know that Garden Green is the other cardstock color, and the patterned paper is from the Floral Tapestry Level 2 paper packet. The sentiment, stamped in Olive ink, is from Impression Obsessions' Anytime Sentiment set, a set of 10 nice sayings that I purchased for $7 on IO's clearance sale last month.

The directions for Crumpled Paper Flowers are as follows:

1. Using cardstock, posterboard, or thin chipboard, make three flower templates in three sizes - large, medium, and small. As the flower is crumpled up, your drawings do not have to be great. The sizes of the example I saw were about 1-1/2, 1-7/8, and 2-1/4 inches in diameter.
2. Cut pieces of cardstock slightly larger than the templates. Crumple your paper.
3. Smooth each piece out enough to trace the templates, and if desired, sand the other side to distress it. Cut out your flowers.
4. Stack the three flowers together, securing with glue or a center brad.
5. Starting with your bottom flower, crumple it more by pushing it toward the center. Repeat with each layer until the desired look is achieved. Distress with ink as desired.
6. Follow the same steps to create leaves.

Now, it's time for me to admit I cheated with the templates and performed the other steps a little differently as well. I tend to act first and then read the directions, sometimes with good results and sometimes not so good results. In this case, the way I did it worked. While I'm perfectly capable of drawing a simple flower, I cut three flowers with my Cricut using the Walk In My Garden cartridge. The sizes were 1-1/2, 2, and 2-1/2 inches. Before crumpling my flowers, I sprayed a small amount of water on them using my JudiKins Extra Fine Mist Spritzer, a very handy (and inexpensive) tool. I didn't sand my flowers, as damp, crumpled cardstock kind of sands itself. I distressed a little with ink that matched the cardstock. As I haven't made a flower the "right" way yet, I don't know if manipulating damp cardstock was easier or more difficult than dry cardstock would have been. I'll try one according to directions next time and let you know the results. Regardless or right or wrong, I achieved a look I like, and I can visualize these fun flowers embellishing some type of container or scrapbook page.

With this post, I'm calling it a day, something I could have done hours ago. I had a little insomnia problem again last night and was still staring at the clock at 4 a.m. Thus, I'm operating (and not very well) on three hours of sleep. Of course, it had to be today that the news came out with a story discussing a possible link between shortage of sleep and diabetes risk - something to think about tonight as I'm trying to go to sleep! Tomorrow!!