One of the most popular trends right now is making your own custom embellishments. There are many variations on the custom floral theme and today I'll show you how to create a favorite that I came up with, the silk ribbon rose. I've used it to embellish this card featuring Hero Arts stamps and some sweet Jenni Bowlin paper. Pull up a chair while I share the process.
The card was started with the image panel first. I find that creating the card first and then the embellishments is much easier than trying to create a card around an embellishment. While I am totally addicted to embellishing and all manner of pretty goodies, the card is the most important thing.
The darling Jenni Bowlin mini papers are the perfect size for card making. I chose a simple ledger paper from the Vintage Black Line Mini Papers to stamp on. The Hero Arts sentiment, Wishing you all things wonderful, is from the Just Find Me Stamp Set. It is stamped in Jet Black Archival Ink by Ranger.
To create a resist with the flowers, I stamped the Hero Arts floral image from the Earth Flowers set in Versamark ink and then embossed them with Ranger Clear Embossing Powder.
By sponging around the embossed image with ink, you'll see the design start to pop. For this project I've used Shabby Shutters Distress Ink and the Mustard Seed Distress Ink Pads.
To create a pretty patchwork effect, I stitched Jenni Bowling mini papers from the Front Porch and Play Date lines onto the Neenah Classic Cream Cardstock base.
Creating the silk ribbon rose is super easy and fun. Please bear in mind that no two roses are ever exactly alike in nature and also in crafting. Have fun experimenting with how large you want your rose, the color of your silk ribbon and how tight you twist it.
To form the first inner petal of the rose, I fold the end of the ribbon on an angle and then in half twice more. You'll form something that looks like the above photo. Don't worry about perfection as often the outer folds cover the center up as you build up the rose. This just ensures that you don't have a raw edge popping out of the center of your flower.
Place a dot of hot glue on a scrap of cardstock and place the petal firmly into the hot adhesive. I like to cut a square of cardstock in a very similar color to the ribbon to a size of 3 inches square.
Place another dab of hot glue, twist the ribbon loosely a couple times and then press down to adhere.
Keep turning your blossom and repeating the above process to build up your rose.
I've decided the rose is the size I want it to be. Trim off the silk ribbon tail and hot glue the end under a loose petal to hide it. Don't worry about the strings of hot glue that may be on your rose. They easily pull off.
Carefully trim off the excess cardstock close to the ribbon and your rose is complete. For this project I used the beautiful ivory silk ribbon. Ellen also carries many stunning colors of May Arts Silk Ribbon that you can find in her shop. I find that I use between 1/2 yard and a yard of silk ribbon for each rose depending on how large I make it.
To finish off the card, I clustered the rose with some twill tape, a couple Crystal Trinket Pins and a little bow from Farmer's Market Twine.
I hope you have fun trying out your own silk ribbon rose. Thanks so much for stopping by the CLASSroom and have a wonderful weekend!
