Paper Poppies-The Fruit of Our Hands!

Today I want to share with you how to make paper poppies.  The materials I used were:  Stampin Up "Poppy Parade" paper, black DMC Embroidery floss, Spellbinders Nestabilities "Blossom", and walnut stain ink.

 The first step is to cut out a flower shape using the Big Shot and the "Blossom" dye.The "Poppy Parade" paper is such a pretty orangish red color.  Just gorgeous!

.Next crumple the paper up and work it until the paper splits.  Sorry this picture is not clearer.

Next use a paper punch to make two small holes in the center.  Oh, and don't forget to stain the edges, both front and back of the flower.  This step adds great depth to the flower.

Now take the black embroidery floss and wrap it as if you were making a bow, and then tie it in the middle leaving a tail on each end

The next step is to pull  a tail through each hole. Tie them securely on the back of the flower and cut the tails.  The bow is now on the front of the poppy. 

Cut open the loops and fringe them out, divide and fluff up the 6 strands of  floss. Add a couple leaves using a punch or just free hand cut them.

The result is pretty cute!  I plan to make them in various sizes and use them on a scrapbook page and also on some handmade cards.  I just love them!
 
In this day of technology and instant everything, I find something so fulfilling and satisfying about creating with ones own hands.   For example, my dear Mother's recipe box is now a keepsake.  She liked to collect recipes and wrote them many times on plain recipe cards, nothing fancy, but now they are of great value to me.  She wrote them all out in her own handwriting, no typewriter, computer etc., and therefore I will not part with that old box of recipes.  Maybe I will spruce up that old box by adding a Poppy, made with my own hands, after all some day that old box will be passed on to my daughters.

I will leave you today with this scripture:

Proverbs 31:31  "Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates of the city."

Blessing!
Bev