Dimensional Flower Technique

 

This technique for making dimensional flowers for cards and scrapbook pages is one that I learned a while back and have used quite often because it is so simple to do. One of my original resources for this technique is Making Flowers with a Scallop Circle Punch video by Julie Allain.

  

 

As promised, here is a tutorial on how I made the flower for my “Simply Handmade” card.

Dimensional Scalloped Flower Technique

Step 1 - To make the flower, punch a scallop circle from yellow cardstock using any scallop circle punch or die. Scallops must be an even number. The small scallop circle was punched from cardstock using a Stampin’ Up Scallop Circle punch and the larger scallop circle was cut with a Nestabilities die.



Step 1 - Cut a cardstock flower



Step 2 - Swipe Vintage Photo Distress Ink across a craft mat and spritz with water to form drops of color. Tap the flower onto the ink droplets and dry with a heat tool. Repeat until your flower has the distress look that you are happy with. I like to ink both sides of the scallop circle. I also alternate tapping the flower and swiping it through the ink.



Step 2 - Distressing the flowers

Step 3 - Cut a slit between every two scallops as shown in the picture. The length of the cut is about ½” depending on the size of your scallop circle.




Step 3 - Cutting slits to create petals



Step 4 - Place the flower right side down on a padded surface, such as a mouse pad or fun foam. Use an embossing tool to emboss each petal so that they puff up on the right side.

Step 4 - Embossing petals

Step 5 - Flip the embossed flower over and emboss the center of the flower, forming a circle. As you emboss, the petals will pop up from the center.



Step 5 - Emboss center of flower to pop up petals



Step 6 - To complete your flower, attach an embellishment, such as a button, to the center.

 

Step 6 - Add button embellishment to center



Gypsy Tips

Buttons - I added color to the unfinished wood button with Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress Inks.

Sales - Think outside the box when shopping. I purchased this raffia ribbon at an after Christmas sale for 90% off. I had no intention of wrapping any Christmas presents with it. It was going right into my scrappin’ stash!

Crafting Tricks from the Past - Here’s an old crafting trick I learned years ago. To thread ribbon or embroidery floss through a small hole, use a dental floss threader. These threaders can be found in the dental department of most any discount store, pharmacy or grocery store.

Here is how I used the Floss Threader to feed ribbon through the holes of the button with ease.

Insert the ribbon through the loop of the threader. Working from the top of the button, insert the tail of the threader through one of the holes of the button. Pull the ribbon through the hole to the back of the button.

 

Pulling ribbon front to back of button

 

Repeat the process, pulling the ribbon to the front of the button from the back. Tie the ribbon and you are ready to attach the button to the center of your flower.



Pulling ribbon back to front of button

 

Tissue Paper - The center of the larger flower was too big for the size of button that I used. So I cut a smaller scallop circle from tissue paper and used the Polka Dot embossing folder to emboss polka dots onto the tissue paper. 

Detail of the embossed tissue scallop circle

I squished up the center to give it a little dimension and glued the tissue scallop circle to the center of the scallop flower.

Glue scallop circle to center of flower

I attach the button to the center with a Pop Dot.



Detail of the small and large flower with tissue



I hope you enjoy making these flowers. They are very easy to make and a lot of fun to do. Don't forget to take a look at Julie's video. Have a great day! Jane - the Polka Dot Gypsy