Crafting for My Momma

Today is my Momma's Birthday (It's also Easter :<). We spent the morning at church and then headed back to Mom and Dad's farm for Easter Dinner and birthday cake.

My Momma is beautiful. And young. And all sorts of things wonderful. Now does look like a woman who is the mother of a 40 year old? I don't think so. I'm beginning to think there is some sort of conspiracy going on. I am convinced I'm really only 35.

Anyhoo. I made her a Chocolate Cake with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. It was Delish.

I had to share my other birthday crafts.

There is this. Yep. That's a flower made from pattern pieces. How genius is that? I was in a local gift shop recently and saw all of these beautiful flowers and garland made with book pages. Being a bibliophile, there is no way I could get myself to tear up a book. I tried. I stood for 10 minutes in front of the old book section at a thrift shop. I bought 3. To read.

Instead, I hit the old pattern bin. They were .25 a piece. You can't beat that. And because I hate the thought of messing up a perfectly usable pattern I chose ones that had styles that should never be worn again.

I mean...come on! I am doing the fashion world a favor. I also made sure the pieces were big and relatively in one piece.

I found a handy dandy professional template (I think that's a lid from Sonic) and traced around several layers of pattern pieces.

I used my water bottle for a smaller flower. I could have done a better job at looking through my house for more appropriate templates, but if I'm not crafting by the seat of my pants I'm not crafting.

I went through and made sure all the pieces were facing one direction. I really don't think it would make a difference (if they were facing willy nilly), but I know myself. It would bother me.

 Next I took my turquoise stamping ink (I found for $1 at Wal-mart). I just brushed the edges and some other spots that needed it. I love stamping ink. It makes the world a better place.

For this particular flower, I used a scrapbooking brad. For the other ones I used a needle and thread and a button.

Then I started "fluffing up." Start in the center and fluff. Be sure not to skip a later. It will make a difference. Wow! Somebody get that girl some hand lotion!

This is how it looks all waded up.

I "unwaded" it and fluffed it into a flower. I used my fantabulous stamp ink and dabbed some more on my flower. Gorgeous!

For my small flower (and another larger one), I used a button.

Just stitch a button up through the center. I have a great button box that has served me well. I think some of the buttons in it belonged to my Great Grandmother.

I did the same thing (the wading technique) with this flower except I left the button showing. Here is a tip. If you want a full carnation type flower (Like the one I showed you previously) use more layers...If you want a flower like this one use fewer layers of tissue.

And because I can't stop at a good thing I used some more pattern paper as tissue paper for my gift bag. I just stamped a cute bird (in the same turquoise stamping ink) here and there.

This was Josiah's gift to Ama. He decoupaged the frame (with pattern piece tissue paper) and then glued on the buttons. He wanted to use the smaller pattern paper flower.

 He did all of this himself. He even picked out the picture. I got the frame for .25 at the same thrift store I got the patterns.

I also made Mom some Skin Polish. I used a tag I had tea stained back around Christmas with some odds and ends of scrapbooking stuff.

I had the cutest mason jar in my cabinet. I simply made a mixture of brown sugar and scented body wash. It is supposed to buff your rough patches (elbows, feet, hands) and it smells yummy. I plan on using this idea some more. What a great gift for anybody! Just be sure you specify they can't eat it :<)

And then there is this. I made Mom a T-shirt scarf (you can find instructions here) and I attached this gorgeous flower pin. I didn't make the flower pin. I plan on trying to make some. I think I need a few (or 8) myself. I have a secret. I got the T-shirt for a $1. I didn't get the pin for $1. I paid quite a bit more for it. I think I need to go into the Flower Pin business.

I also added some great chunky jewelry (in the same color family, of course) and stuffed everything into this gift bag.

Isn't it cute? The next birthday I need to worry about is The Studly Muffin's. Somehow I think he's not going to appreciate the Pattern Piece Flower as much as my Momma. I wonder how decoupaging his Golf Bag would go over?