May Flowers

Time to recycle. Time to renew. Time to plant some seeds to watch flowers grow.

My neighbor has an awesome garden. She is always on top of the planting times, fertilizers, etc. I often go there and gaze longingly at her bounty. Then I come home and make my own flower garden.

No fertilizer, no dirt, no planting, no weeding. Just get a colorful soda can and a pair of scissors and watch a flower bloom.

Today's project is:

Aluminum can flower clip

you will need
a can (the more colorful the better)
scissors
E600 glue
hair clip
embellishment
emery board

The more colorful can you can get the better (Arizona Ice Tea has really good ones). Rinse out the can and let dry.
Take your scissors and cut off the top and bottom of the can. Be careful not to cut yourself at this stage. So now you have a semi flat area to work with. Cut 3 or 4 layers of big petal flowers freehand or you can use a paper punch if you have it.
Cut each one getting smaller in size, so you can layer them.
You may a couple of cans, if you are making a large clip.

File the edges with the emery board so they are not sharp.
You can use a charm or button or some embellishment for the center, or just cut a little circle to use.

Using the E600, glue each layer on top of each other. Weigh it down with something heavy and let set overnight. Then glue the clip (or pin back) to the bottom of the flower.  Make sure you put some wax paper or small crumpled up tin foil into the middle of the clip so it is open (or you will glue the two parts of the clip shut along with gluing it onto the flower. Let set several hours.

Now you can use this in your hair, or on your scarf, or lapel, etc.  Very cute, very recycled, very unique.
These make great gifts for teenagers. Recycled and colorful, you can't go wrong.

Happy Spring!

tip of the day...
We are going to think ahead for a future project and take any small flower blossoms and press them.
Take a sheet of wax paper and fold it in half. Take flower petals and put them on one side of this. Fold the other side over enclosing the petals. Place this in a phone book, or under heavy books. The petals will dry flat and then we can use them for a project in the future. Just don't forget where you put them. :)

That's all for this week.
:D