A place to encourage the creativity of artistic minds of all ages. Offering Ideas, Inspiration and Instruction and sharing the work of others who inspire me!
One of my favourite flowers are… Oriental poppies of course. We have had this plant from seed to its full beauty roughly 19 years ago and it's still going strong or should I say growing strong. It's hard to take just a few Photos. Hence this beautiful Poppy slideshow with some moving pictures as well. One
version is without sound and the other is with copyright free music. Not only do I take pictures for reference photos for future art projects. I just take them because I love the subject matter.
A word of advice, it's good to keep a file of your own photographs of whatever subject matter you think you might want in the future or whatever inspires you. That way you don't have to worry about breaking copyright laws. And being original is always the best. Unless you're doing a study of someone else's artwork. If you do paint or draw from someone else's painting or photo ask for permission or if it's a really old painting like I did in University by Cezanne, then just make sure you give them credit. I believe the one from University it was titled "after Cezanne " and then my name. Something like that.
Watch Music Version Below
Watch Silent version Slide Show Below
Hope you enjoy this slide show. Be inspired. A music version is coming soon.
It is another day closer to summer! Depending where you are, there are early, mid or late spring flowers. Here in Thunder Bay, our spring garden didn't fare well. Out of about sixty tulip bulbs planted, we had about two! Yes, we fertilized when we planted them :0( As well, our crocuses, (or is it croac-eye?) and daffodils are no more and it looks like our large oriental poppy perennial plant is surrendering to the same fate as the spring bulbs! Clearly, I stink at gardening. It doesn't help that our entire street, right next to our garden was all dug up for about 2-3 months last year. But, the odds are my green thumb lost all circulation and shall not flourish. (Hey "Flourish," that makes me think of dear Christi Friesen's book of that title)
On That Note...
Polymer Clay bloom by Anita Berglund
Since I can't make our garden flourish or even grow, I can keep creating faux flowers using polymer clay or other materials like fabric! So I just wanted to share some new pieces I have recently been working on, hoping to inspire you. If you can't grow an actual garden of flowers, you can flood your home with handmade botanicals whenever,
A few years ago, I discovered how to make flowers out of satin, taffeta and organza fabrics. It became a bit of an addiction because I got to melt the edges of the flower pieces with a tealight candle. Needless to say, I went through about fifty to one hundred candles! It is risky, easy to burn the fingers. But you can make such beautiful flowers, it is worth it all. It is a great idea for bridal fashion accessories as well as for special events like the prom or graduation. You get to pick the color And if you want it shiny use satin, if you want it not so shiny, use taffeta. To add dimension you can use organza. Or you can make it all out of organza For a very delicate Look.
The flowers I made that you will see in the video, were created to be versatile. That was made possible by sewing a piece of fabric, making a loop on the back. Then you can add a brooch pin, Bobby pin, neck Choker, A Barrette blank...attaching it wherever you like. Except it doesn't work for hair elastics or head band elastics because they are closed loops. So as you will see in the video, for some of them I either sewed the elastic to the back of the flower directly or I made a loop using fabric and Velcro, making it even more versatile because you can open and close it around something. Watch The Video Here:
These flowers can be made however you like. You can just cut circles or circles that have petal shapes around them, You can make the petals rounded or pointy. You will need to experiment with it when you melt the edges of the fabric because I tried smaller petal cuts and a lot of them just melted away into nothing. I found that a circle and rounded edges works best for the flowers.
Caution to Youth: Because this involves a flame, please do not try doing this alone, if at all. We can make flowers without a candle flame. Much safer. Flower Making Tips:
Size: Remember if you want a flower that is about 2 inches across, to cut your circles or shapes a little bit bigger because the edges will curl up when they melt as they curve up. Therefore making your flowers smaller than the original cut shape.
To make a fuller flower make more layers of circles In varying sizes. Then when you assemble the flower you have more rows of petals, making your flower fuller. Materials Needed:
💗synthetic fabrics like satin (I used some old pj's), organza and tafetta.
💗Scissors
💗A marker if you want to trace out circles or flower petal shape circles
💗A sewing/beading needle that fit through the beads you use to make the center of the flower
💗Assorted beads or a focal button. Think of what you would like to be the center of your flower. As you will see some of mine having large focal beads and some have a cluster of smaller beads like freshwater pearls
💗Tea lights Or votives
💗 Templates to trace if you want- I just cut out my circles free form
💗fine clear filament or fishing line that fits through the eye of your needle.
First Step:
This is for the basic around flower That reminds me of a poppy, One of my favorite flowers.
Plan what size of flower you want. Then cut three to five circles of different sizes getting bigger to smaller or smaller to Bigger. Second Step:
Light your Tealight and proceed with caution. First experiment with the scrap of fabric, Preferably as shape similar to the one you're about to melt. Hold the edge close to the flame Going closer Very slowly, Until you see the ad start curl. If you have a flame, Your fabric has ignited Blow it out right away! You do not want to get so close that the fabric start on fire. It took me a lot of tries to get it right. If it helps you, Keep up little spray bottle of water or dish of cold water to put your finger In case it gets burnt.
And if you feel that it isn't safe enough perhaps this isn't the project for you. The last thing I want is someone to get hurt.
All I know is my hands to shake all the time and I was able to do it without any serious incidents. Second Step:
Plan the center of your flower, arranging the beads or just use one large bead or even a button.
And have your fishing line threaded through your needle. All ready to go. Third Step:
Once you have all Your circle Melted around the edges, It is time to assemble your flower.
Stack them according to the sizes that you cut them Big to smaller. Fourth Step:
Select the bead or beads that you wanted to go in the center of the flower. Thread needle with the fishing line. Fifth Step:
Push the needle up through the center or so out of the flower from the backside up And go back down and back up through a few times To secure the layers. Leave about a 2 inch tail, so that you don't pull the line, all the way through And have something to knot later. Sixth Step:
Pick where you want your first been going to center. Push the threaded needle through it and go back down Through the fabric layers. Personally, I do this two or three times for beads that are bigger. If you're only doing One focal bead, Then end with your needle coming out the back. Cut the fishing line and tie that end together with the beginning "tail" to knot it securely. Seventh Step is optional
Want it too be multi-functional? Sew on a strip/loop of fabric to the back after the center was sewn on. Use an open loop with velcro if you want. Or you can sew whatever finding you want to the back. Such as, a hair band, head band or a brooch pin.
Hope you enjoy making them if you're going to do it.
Thanks for stopping by.
💗HeArtfully Creating,
Anita
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Whenever I see a great glass jar, I tell Craig to save it for me! So far, I have way too many bottles and jars but hey, it is best to have too many- because you never know when you want to make a gift or just feel like decorating a vessel. This project was created using a salsa jar. The shape of the jar was perfect for a vase. The bummer part is, my husband didn't like the salsa, so we won't be getting any more of these jars! :o(
Below is the video showing detailed photos of the vase making process. Or should I say, the jar transformation process. Colour Note: The colour purple is definitely a difficult colour to represent accurately in Digital photography. So as you will see, it looks like I am showing you to very different coloured vases. The true colour is not the blue purple as you see to the left, it is actually a reddish purple. Either way, the end result was pretty cool and I think my mom liked it.
Click here or below to see a great video with one of my favourite YouTube polymer clay artists, the unruly housewife - here she shows how to Cover a jar using clay that has been textured and coloured with Mica powders.
Materials needed to make a vase:
💗 polymer clay (I used Premo) Now, you can create canes or mokume-gane blocks to slice and add onto the surface like I did. Or just create a blend or mixture of whatever colours you want.
💗A Glass Jar or a tin can if you want
💗A cutting blade
💗Baking pan and aluminum foil to tent over while baking.
💗Ceramic tile to work on and bake on.
💗Mica powders
