Paper flowers


Materials:

  1. pipe cleaners
  2. Notebook paper.
  3. Wrapping paper.
  4. Waxed paper.
  5. Magazines.
  6. Newspaper.
  7. Tissue paper.
  8. Aluminum foil
  9. scissors or craft scissors that cut interesting lines lots of paper.



Making:


To begin, fold one end of the pipe cleaner down about a quarter of an inch two times, to form a little nub.You can also give your flower a colored center by wrapping the end of the pipe cleaner with a small piece of paper and then folding it down.
Now, cut out any shapes you want. Circles, triangles, stars, long strips, anything you can think of. You can also use craft & special scissors to get interesting edges.
Push the pipe cleaner through the center of the pieces of paper. Make sure the decorative side of the paper faces the nub you made with the pipe cleaner. Do the small circles first, and then the larger shapes. Slide them up the pipe cleaner until you get to the bend. Scrunch them up a little bit to make them look more like a real flower.
To get inspirations, you can look at real flowers for inspiration or just use your imagination. The more different types of paper you use and funky shapes you cut out, the more beautiful your paper flower bouquet will turn out to be!

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Pot Painting


Materials:

  • Clay pots.
  • Vases.
  • Paints.
  • Brushes.
  • Ribbon.
  • Tooth picks.
  • Macaroni.
  • Thread.
  • Stencils.
  • Plaster of Paris.
  • Glitter.
  • Spray paints (which are a wee bit costly).
  • Clay pots and vases (you can even use the ones in your garden) and enamel paints and, if you need, dust (which comes in different colors such as silver, gold, bronze) etc.

Making:

Once you get hold of these things the options are endless. You can make miniature drawings on pots and colour them, do collage work, try the thread, stamp effect (which can be made by taking a long piece of thread rolling it in dust mixed with turpentine oil (mati ka tail) which can then be applied on to the pot), drip paint on the pot to create funky designs which is called the dripping effect, make the marble effect, decorate a cut work pot with laces and ribbons (which make excellent lamps), do stencil work on the vases and then fill them up with rice etc., make things out of Plaster of Paris and stick them on the pot with glue or you can even put some plain bajri mixed with paint onto it and sprinkled with glitter to give it a shimmering effect!!! You can even mix a lot of different effects together. (After all, it is about being creative)

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Tissue Paper Flowers


Materials:

  • Tissue paper in vivid colours,
  • Wire for flower stems and to secure petals,
  • Crepe paper to wrap the flower base,
  • Stem and to make leaves,
  • Glue
  • Scissors.

Making:

Wire comes in different thickness or gauges. 12 or 14 gauge which is rigid and heavy are used for stems of large flowers, 22 to 24 gauges which are lightweight are used for small flowers or curving stems. Very fine spool wire around 30 gauge is used for fastening petals to the stem wire. Commercial floral tapes or strips of crepe paper can be used to wrap the stem, and leaves can be made with either tissue, crepe or construction paper. There are methods by which we can give a crinkled, glossy, transparent or translucent effect to the petals to make them more attractive. Dipping the petals in wax makes them translucent - gives them a semi- transparent effect. Melt wax or candle stubs in a double boiler over hot water and dip the flower into the melted wax and gentle shake off excess droplets of wax and allow it to harden. The petals get a glossy look when sprayed with lacquer or clear acrylic and a glasslike appearance when the finished flower is dipped in thinned lacquer or plastic resin. Each method is explained as and when they come

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Step-By-Step Tie-Dye Projects


  1. Before you dye your item, you should wash it to remove any sizing from the manufacturer or anything else that may have gotten on it.
  2. Decide what sort of design you want your finished project to have. For some tying ideas, check out the photos of our projects which include step-by-step tying directions.
  3. Lay your shirt or other item out flat first and then fold and tie as desired.
  4. Cover your work area so the dye doesn't stain it. I covered ours by laying down a few large garbage bags and then put newspaper on top of that.
  5. Prepare your dye as directed by the manufacturer. You should carefully follow all instructions. While preparing the dye and dyeing your item, you should wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from staining and the hot water.
  6. Pre-treat your item if necessary. With some dyes you will have to soak it in soda ash and with others, like RIT, you simply need to dip it in hot water.
  7. Start dyeing! It is usually best to start with the lightest color if you are using more than one color. Rinse or wait between colors as directed by the manufacturer. Make sure to follow all directions carefully when it comes to dyeing and rinsing your items. Some dyes require you to rinse immediately and others require you to let the item sit for at least 24 hours.
  8. When your dyeing is complete, make sure to clean all containers immediately with hot water and soap.
  9. Be careful washing your tie-dyed items! Most should be washed in cold water. The first few times they are washed, they might bleed, so wash them with like colors or alone.

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