30 Days of Creativity: Day 10 with Crepe Paper Flower Tutorial

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Day 10: Create something today inspired by nature!

We had a few days of fantastic weather, but over the last few days, it’s been cold, damp and gloomy. April showers bring May flowers, right? Well, I thought I’d make my own with some party streamers from our stash of supplies. They’re easy and fairly quick to make!

Supplies: Party streamers, pair of scissors and/or Martha Stewart fringe scissors

  1. Cut 6″ lengths of one color for the center of the flower, then cut 36″-40″ lengths for the main color of the flower.
  2. Using your fringe scissors or regular scissor, cut fringe about 2/3 of the streamer width. Crepe paper is delicate and difficult to work with. I found using regular scissors was quicker than the fringe scissors, but I like the texture of the fringe scissor cut better. If you cut the streamer from bottom up, you may have an easier time.
  3. After cutting the fringe, roll the inner section then add the outer section. Keep rolling until complete.

For a little variation, I like layering two colors.

To finish them off, use floral tape or a little glue. You can either make into flowers with thick floral wire or even bamboo skewers. I strung them on some covered wire…

Happy crepe paper flowers from party streamers

Happy Spring!

30 Days of Creativity: Day 9

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Day 9: Make a list of creative people you are grateful for today.

There are so many creative people I’m grateful for… look at the inspiration every day just by searching different blogs, but here’s just of some of my favorite people.

Mrs. Moe and Mr. Walter (1994)

Mrs. Moe & Mr. Walter: In the absence of playing team sports, (and I mean I’m really not that coordinated, like you’d be concerned if I were on your team), I learned how to be a team player while singing in a large ensemble. We all depended on one another to make the most amazing music. My high school chorale teachers had to be creative to teach so many squirrelly teenagers, and teach us well. They taught me the importance of listening to others… on so many levels.

Craft Critique editors, Sarah Moore, Simone Collins and Dana Vitek: They’ve introduced me to some of the most creative people I’ve ever known, and gave me a break in the crazy world of craft product reporting.

My mom and aunts: They were my first creative mentors. One of my earliest memories of the family pooling together is my youngest aunt’s wedding. One aunt sewed all the bridesmaids and flower girl dresses, my mom and other aunts worked on centerpieces and corsages. My first introduction to floral oasis, I was eight years old.

The aunties and me at my college graduation party (1995)

 

Who are your creative heroes? Give them a shout out or a little hello today!

30 Days of Creativity: Day 8

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Create a self portrait, draw or photograph yourself. What do you see?

Her head down, nose to the grindstone, as they say. Always working on something. Always thinking. Busy. Trying to manage her home and family responsibilities. See the pile of laundry in the background? That’s a daily thing. But, overall, she looks like a regular gal with a good life.

I can also honestly say that the person I see is someone I hoped to be when I was younger. Someone a little more self-assured, and a little more proud of herself. I mean, we all have tales from our teenage years; mine not exempt from horrible hairstyle experiments, monstrous zits on the forehead at inopportune times, unrequited crushes, and self-esteem issues. They’re all pretty superficial disappointments, and I think I knew it would pass.

So here I am, plugging along pretty darn well.

On Spring Break

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We’re back home and ready for school and work again…

30 Days of Creativity: Day 6 and 7

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How does your living space reflect your creative nature?  Share a picture if you can!

I love our home with its strong architectural style… it sets a nice foundation in itself for being surrounded by art. And, like lots of parents, we like hanging up the kiddie art. Ours are along the stairs heading down to the basement. Some adorn the cabinets in our kitchen. Over the years, my husband and I have picked up bits of art on vacations or from local artists…we like showcasing them around our home. Hanging in our dining room are lithograph plates with Andy Warhol’s famous daisy. We’ve also collected some pottery reminiscent of the Arts & Crafts period and blown glass pieces by Robert Fritz (we’re blessed to call him a friend). Count those with some framed black and white architectural photographs, and framed art along our entryway… creative moments are everywhere in our home.

Picture by Abby - April 2010

Relax!  Do you relax to create or create to relax?

For me, it’s like two sides of the same coin. But, sometimes, if I’m writing an article with an actual deadline, it can be a little stressful, especially when crafting equipment break.