Tribute to Spring

Welcome to Pam Bray's All Things Altered Spring Blog Hop! Be sure to hop through the list below to see all the fabulous art. Several of the bloggers including Pam are giving away some eye candy, so be sure to read the directions on each give-away blog for entering. To hop to the next blog, just click on the blog on the list at the bottom of this post.

I have been looking at a big ball of rusty wire in my studio for more than a year, trying to come up with something really cool to create with it. I filched the wire from my hubby’s workshop. He didn’t remember buying it, so that meant it was up for grabs as far as I was concerned.

The wire easily bent to form the flowers.

Although the metal was rusty, it was still very strong, perfect for this little bit of spring art. Finally, I had inspiration. I began to twist the wire with the help of a couple of jewelry pliers until I had a fairly large flower. I had purposefully left about 4” of wire on each end and wrapped these over the front center, twisting it in the back to secure the petals, then curled the ends of each wire. I repeated the flower, using small petals this time. I then cut two pieces of wire18” long, gently folded them in the middle and then, beginning at about 3-5” from the folds, twisted the four pieces of wire into a stem, pulling and curving the top of the loops into long leaf shapes. I added a couple more twists mid-stem and at the bottom.

Here’s how I made the rest:

Materials

• Frame, 12” x 12”  (Darice)
• Printed Paper, 2 sheets (Bo Bunny)
• Wired tissue ribbon, 12” (Peacock Park)
• Metal Keyhole (Tim Holtz Ideaology)
• Metal latch (Stanislaus Imports)
• Tags, one large and one small (These are from my stash and are hand colored and hand-stamped)
• Colorbox Chalk Inks
• Acrylic craft paint, ivory
• Printed sentiment from computer
• Lace, 12”
• Assorted paper scraps
• Inka Gold, assorted colors (Viva Décor)
• Temporary adhesive
• Spray Adhesive, Super 77 (3M) Note: I only use this to attach the background
• papers.
• Kool Tak ^TM Clear Adhesive Foam Pads
• Kool Tak ^TM Clear Foam Roll
• Kool Tak ^TM Ultra Clear Adhesive, ¼”
• Butterfly stamp (LaBlanche)
• Phrase and embellishment stamp (Oxford Impressions)
• Swirl Stamp (Bee Line Stamps) 

Instructions
 Note: All edges are inked with brown ink.

1. Create wire flowers and stem and set aside.
2. Remove the glass and photo holder from the frame opening. Paint all the edges with ivory paint, including the small frame edges. Allow to dry, then add inks around all the edges to match your papers.
3. Apply paper to the outside edges of the small frame opening. Flip the frame over and trim out the center.
4. Trim one piece of scrapbook paper to 11” x 11”. Ink edges with brown ink and adhere to front cover with temporary adhesive. Flip the frame over and cut away the photo center. Measure 3/8” inch all around the inside frame opening on your paper and trim this away from the opening. Ink all edges, then adhere to frame base with spray adhesive.
5. Stamp swirls and butterflies.
6. Adhere lace to frame. Tear a strip of scrap paper 11” wide and 1 ¼” tall. Trim ends straight with scissors. Ink edges and apply over lace.
7. Tear a strip of scrap paper approximately 3 ½” wide and 12” in height. Ink edges. Apply to top and bottom over frame opening with spray adhesive, then cut away from the frame opening. Ink the new edges created with the cut away.
8. Apply spray adhesive to wired tissue ribbon and press to frame cover, gently easing wire as straight as possible. This tissue is delicate, so be gentle. Rub chalk ink over the tissue to highlight the texture.
9. Stamp large tag with phrase and embellishment stamp. Pull string through keyhole, adhere tag and keyhole to the frame and tie bow in string. 

You can replace the quotation with a spring photo.

10. Attach latch base with Kool Tak TM Ultra Clear Adhesive. Position tag hole over latch and attach tag to framemwith Kool Tak TM Clear Adhesive Foam Pads.
11. Determine which points of your metal pieces will touch the frame base. Place Kool Tak TM Clear Adhesive Foam Pads and Strips to wire backs and arrange on frame base.
12. Print or hand-letter sentiment and embellish with additional stamping. Place glass, sentiment and easel into frame opening.
13. Apply Inka Gold to wire for highlights.

Easy, peasy.


Here's the list for this terrific blog hop:

1. Pam - http://pammejo-scrapbookflair.blogspot.com/

2. Pinky- http://www.blueyecicle.blogspot.com
3. Debbie- http://studiobeecreations.blogspot.com/
4. Betty-http://scrappybetty.blogspot.com/
5. Gloria - http://gloriascraps.blogspot.com/
6. Jess B. - http://thatzuneek.blogspot.com/
7. Angela Holt- http://www.angelaholtdesigns.com
8. Christine -www.scrapbookingtechnique.blogspot.com
9. Barbara - http://blackholeartstudio.blogspot.com/
10. Irit - http://iritshalom.blogspot.co.il/
11. Candice -http://candicewindhamdesigns.blogspot.com/
12. Jennifer - http://hydrangeahippo.blogspot.com

Today is not only the first day of the rest of your life, it’s Friday and the weekend is here! Do something creative this weekend. Get out of your comfort zone, push the envelope and have a great time doing it!

I received product from Kool Tak, Clearsnap and Viva Décor.