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A Spring Escape Garden – And Miniature Flowers Tutorial
Filed under Art Projects, Fairy Garden, Featured Artwork, Flowers, Giveaways, Miniatures, Sale, Shannon Cooper, Tutorials
Flower Beads & Charms?! Yes, I know. We’ve been on a roll with collage sheets on sale, but with all of the (beautiful!) flowers in today’s artwork by Shannon, I thought some extra little flowers (and leaves) might be useful.
So: ALL Flower & Leaf Beads and Charms are on sale for 40% off now through Monday night, March 14th! (Red Metal Roses – 3 Sizes, Olivine Glass Leaves and Raw Brass Rose Leaves from the sale sections are shown at left.)
Design Team Member Shannon Cooper has been the busy little bee creating tiny flowers for (her amazing!) A Spring Escape Garden.
“This winter was terribly disappointing. We had two, TWO! cold days where I had to wear a long sleeved shirt under a hoodie and that was it. No need for mittens or toques or scarves. Sigh. I know a lot of people that have had the opposite kind of weather and are ready to trade in their snow shovels for some sun and blooming flowers. I’m in no rush (azaleas have been in bloom since January. Sigh again) but if you need a little springtime right now, Alpha Stamps March Theme is The Garden! Fairy gardens, secret gardens, veggie gardens, butterfly gardens, flower gardens; whatever sort of garden you want to make, they have the miniature stuff to do it.
My little garden started with a half-scale Chipboard Arbor, Trellis Panels and a micro mini book. I wanted to create a cozy little reading spot that was nestled among a few flowers. What began as a small project blossomed into an entire flower garden. It was easy to keep making miniature flowers and leaves with mini paper punches, so I kept on until I ran out of room on the 6 x 7 x 2 inch platform. Then the sides got loaded down with sheet moss and flowers, too, because sometimes I don’t know when to stop.
I got to cheat a little and used a sheet of Diorama ReadyGrass. So easy. No mowing necessary. Doesn’t the hedgehog know he’s supposed to be in the hedges?
I made the tree with 18 gauge floral wire that was wrapped in brown florist tape. I separated the two lengths of greenery from some fern garland and wrapped the ferny part around the tree and then glued on some roses. The other bit of greenery had the leaves cut off and I attached little blue flowers made from a Hydrangea Mini Punch to the climbing vine.
Isn’t this the cutest rusted metal tub? I still managed to cram a ton of flowers in there. The ivy leaves were punched from the Ivy Mini Punch.
Making miniature paper flowers required a few essential tools. A small ball stylus is crucial, as is a pair of Bent Nose Tweezers. The bent end made it simpler to glue the tiny pieces where they needed to go. Small sharp scissors are important for cutting out delicate shapes, and various gauges of floral wire, both covered and uncovered, are needed. What type of paper you use for petals and leaves is up to you — I used everything from tissue paper to coffee filters! Tiny paper punches (17 new ones!) made short work of flower making, and I found I could have a handful of flowers and leaves done in about an hour.”
A Spring Escape Garden Supply List
As if all of that wasn’t enough, Shannon has created a tutorial on how to make miniature Geraniums, Irises and Roses! Head over to her blog for the tutorial, more detail and to see pictures of her floral fantasy, A Spring Escape Garden.
And if you’ve no patience (or time) to create flowers by hand, there are also some new pre-made dollhouse-scale flowers below (beautifully handmade)!
Hooray for the More Tiny Flowers Than You Can Shake A Stick At Giveaway!
I picked out a mix of items from Shannon’s A Spring Escape Garden supply list to make this sweet Giveaway (psst! that link is to the supply list, with photos and links to all of the goodies Shannon used):
– 30 Gauge Green Paper Wrapped Wire
– Flower Soft – Crocus or Lavender
– Fern Garland
– Arbor Kit – Half Scale
– Tiny 3D Hedgehog
– Micro Rustic Wheelbarrow
– Ash Leaf Mini Punch
– Daisy Mini Punch
– Trellis Panels – Set of 2
PLUS (not shown in the photos at right) I’m including:
– New Tiny Tree with Pink Blossoms (see pic below)
– a White Tulips Bead (one of the Flower Beads on sale at 40% off through Monday night!)
To enter the More Tiny Flowers Than You Can Shake A Stick At Giveaway drawing all you have to do is leave a comment BELOW on this blog post TODAY OR TOMORROW (the deadline is 11:59 pm PST, FRIDAY, March 11, 2016)! And tell me: Are you going to try your hand at making tiny flowers? If so, how will you use them after they’re made? And what kinds of flowers will you make?
Don’t forget to leave your (hello! correct) email address, too, so I can contact the winner; your email address does not need to be made public. Note: I’m offering free shipping, too, but only within the USA. International shipping will still apply.
Please be patient! Spammers try to post crap here a lot so comments are moderated. So if you don’t see your post in the comments section, be patient and check back in a few hours before re-posting it, please!
After midnight, I’ll randomly pick the winner (via Random.org). So check your mailbox on Sunday morning to see who won and for the next Giveaway and Newsletter!
Hey, who won the A Greenhouse for Spring Giveaway? That would be Marilyn H! Congratulations!
A wonderful opportunity and giveaway! Love the arbor, gardening is a passion of mine and would enjoy making a mini garden and being creative making flowers! Climbing ivy or roses would be lovely on the arbor. Thank you!
I’d love to try the new trellises with some vines. I’m decorating a 1/24 scale garage and would like to add planters, too. Fun ideas!
I love these pieces I would try to make a mini garden with them Thanks
Love the miniatures, so very cute.
I love flowers and garden themes. I would experiment with the trellis, vines and flowers on a mixed media piece.
I’d try making flowers and setting up an outdoor wedding scene!
I would definately try to create tiny flowers. Although I am not great at tiny pieces, it would be another challenge to work with. I could use them in mini albums that I have that are 3×3 or maybe on my miniature dresser I learned to make with Laura Carson. As for what type, I would definately want roses, maybe lillies. Thank you
Love the giveaway and I would make a tiny garden in a matchbox.
I live in a garden of inspiration and creativity. I have made mini roses, wisteria , forsythia and countless others. Gardens are my soul.
Oh, my gosh! More beautiful flowers on a day where it’s pouring rain, windy and dark outside. I love the garden arbor, and would love to cover it in tiny hand-made flowers! Fingers crossed!!!!!
I would love to try my hand at tiny flowers. I would make a pin for my spring sweater. I would probable find ALOT of places for tiny flowers! Thanks for the giveaway.
some many possibilities with those mini punches! I would make a outdoor floor cart with all the beautiful flowers! thanks
I’ve been needing mini leaf punches! I’d finally be able to make the leaves for roses for a fairy garden I’ve been working on!
OMG!!! I love the miniature flowers they are so pretty. Out of my price range unfortunately but if I could come up with a project worthy of them I would definitely get them. >^..^<
The little hedgehog is too cute.
I love using paper punches.
The mini leaf and daisy would be great,
to make fillers with for shaker cards .
Definitely going to try my hand at making the roses and irises!! So pretty and that way I can have a garden year round! LOVELOVELOVE this prize package! It would make a beautiful Fairy Garden for my village! Fingers crossed! TFS!
Tiny flowers made of flowers soft or beads or paper. What a perfect spring kit! I WANT!!
Beautiful project! I’d love to make some tiny flowers and use them on cards and ATCs! I’d also love to use some in a fairy garden!
Oh my – isn’t this pretty :o) I would love to try to make the little flowers but I am a bit of a klutz so would probably end up with them looking like lollipops!!
Having great supplies to make flowers is a great help! My tiny flowers are used in miniature scenes, making the scenes more realistic. Making flowers yourself means you can get the exact colors and types of flowers and greenery appropriate to your project
I love arbors both in miniature & real life. Also like making miniature flowers-
daisies, lilies, tulips, roses-and about 20-30 more in 3 different scales, would
love to learn to make more!
Love those punches! Super sweet! I am not sure if my hands are too clumsy to make little flowers but I might try. I would use them for cards and scrapping!
I would love this. Currently making my mother in law a miniature gift shop dollhouse and would love to include a little outdoor garden
I love this fairy garden scene! The trellis arbor is beatiful and all the bright colorful flowers are lovely!
My fairy garden of course. Such wonderful ideas here. Thank you so much.
Yes, I would try to re-create the old millinery flowers from women’s hats.
Yes, yes, yes – flowers! Right up my alley. Lovely garden scene to be born!!
I love making flowers…..so a miniature garden of course,,
I’m halfway thru a gift for my sister, a small diorama of her garden (HOW PERFECT!!), so yes, I would use the flowers and supplies given, and try to make some lilacs or hyacinths which we grew up with, and let my imagination make up the difference with what I’ve got going already.
I would love to add mini flowers and leaves to the fairy garden I’m working on. Roses and lilies, of course. Such a delightful giveaway…keeping my fingers crossed.
I would make a fairy garden under a glass dome. And I would a climbing clematis vine for the trellis. Love this giveaway!!
I owed a miniature shop years ago. I have been trying to ignore all the awesome projects on here. I believe I am getting weaker. Hubby will kill me but I must try this.
Tiny flowers would also be precious on cards that have die cut windows or doors. So many possibilities!
I like the little flowers you have presented so I don’t think I’ll be making my own but I can think of lots of ways to use the flowers – all kinds of Spring scenes – maybe with bunnies!
Love the trellis! I’d use the flowers on my wooden dolls.
Simply adorable. I make charms from microscope glass and these little flowers would be great.
Oh, the garden will be beautiful. Not sure, if I’ll be able to make the tiny flowers, due to my arthritis, but I would try.
I would love to try and making the tiny flowers on a good hand day and using a magnifying glass!
I use Flower Soft now and love the product.
This is another fantastic flowery giveaway! I really hope I win this time. I would love trying to make some tiny flowers.
I love making doll hats and I am working on a 1:12 scale millinery shop right now. I would love to make flowers to decorate the hats that will be for sale in the shop! I would make roses, daisies and iris for sure and probably others.
Yes, I would love to make some flowers. I want to make a flower shop!
I really enjoy making mini flowers and would love to have the punches, arbor, etc.
I would love to make mini flowers for all my dollhouses. The arbor scene is something that is so refreshing and that I would love to do right now
I would certainly make mini flowers! I am making faery gardens and other things where I can use little tiny blooms. Love this giveaway! LOVE the Arbor! 1/2 scale is soooo much fun!I would love to win this 🙂
I love the flowers and arbor. I would make flowers using paper and punches to add to the ones in the kit and make a glorious flowing arbor.
I love the arbor. I would make lavender or lilac flowers, they would be perfect for decorating sculpture bases and backdrops.
oh my! I just love those tiny flowers! They would be perfect in a fairy garden!
I’m definitely ready to creat my own breed of flower! Bring it on!
Adorable flowers! I have a Tudor style dollhouse that is in dire need of flowers and vines. Making tiny flowers is on my to-do list (roses and ivy in particular) and this kit would get me and my girls started!
I’d definitely try making tiny flowers, especially to make my mom a secret garden for mothers day!
I’ll sure give it a try. I will make flowers to furnish the trellis in a fairy garden!
I love making tiny flowers although it has been a while since I last did it. Think I would make some daffodils to remind me of spring when I was growing up.
So cute. I’d love to try to make daisies and coneflowers for my dollhouse garden. I’m just finishing the interior. Can’t wait to try my hand at landscaping!
I am currently making a 1″scale Fairy General store. I am surrounding the exterior in flowers and foliage. I love the products and tutorials you all have provided. Thank you!!
I love making silk and wired ribbon flowers, so of course, this would be fun to try also. Hope to win this great giveaway.
Love the garden trellis! I would make a fairy garden of course! Thanks for the chance to win!!!
I used to make tiny flowers! I am a lapsed miniaturist and could make all types of flowers. I’m a little rusty, but I’m planning on buying all the items used for the arbor and creating my own. Have my cart loaded right now.
I can picture myself sitting in this arbor with a good book and those sweet, tiny hedgehogs almost hiding but still in sight. Absolutely love this Giveaway.
I would have to pass this on to my wife so that she could make a miniature garden and fill it with all kinds of flowers!
Love the tiny paper punches!
I would make a miniature fairy garden! Those hedgehogs are SO CUTE!!
I really like the arbor! I have been collecting dies and punches for this very thing.
I love making tiny flowers. I use them with the Tim Holtz watch and create Victorian themed necklaces! So much fun!