Sizzix fresh vintage...

For the past couple of weeks, you may have been wondering what's been up with the Sizzix Fresh Vintage photo in my side bar? ------>

Sizzix has asked quite a few designers to participate in a blog hop that lasts several weeks. I love the name "Fresh Vintage" for their blog hop! That is really how I think you could describe my style. I love the vintage warm cozy feel, but I also love it to look fresh and bright - not old, like you might think vintage would look!

Anyway, Sizzix sent me the Bigz Flower 3D #2 die to work with!

I made a pretty flower with it to dress up a gift box in silver and red for the holidays. It was very easy!

I followed the directions on the insert for the die. It tells you to first cut paper in squares of 4x4". I used some printed tissue paper from my Christmas stash! (You could stamp on tissue paper also to make your own designed tissue!) The tissue paper works great because it's so thin, and you can cut many layers at once.

Next, you fold these 4" squares in half and then in half again, leaving you with 2" squares. Place them on the flower die in the corner with the fold on the outside and run them through the Sizzix. You will get some little pointy flowers that look like this...

Now take some thread and sew them all together at their points. String them all on the same line.

When done, it might look something like this...

Now pull the two thread ends together tight and tie in a knot. You can unfold the petals a bit, and scrunch them up on the ends. After I scrunched mine, I added some spray adhesive and sprinkled on some Diamond Dust Glitter from the craft store.

Although you can't see it very well in the picture, I sprayed the top of the box with Calico White Mister Huey mist by Studio Calico to make the box a little whiter. I hot glued the twine on and added a rub on saying by Melissa Frances directly to the box. The measuring tape sticker around the box is from the Portrait line by Crate Paper. Red polkadot paper is Autumn Press paper by Studio Calico, striped paper is Candy Cane Prints by Papertrey Ink.

The whole process of creating the flower took me only a few minutes! I am imagining these flowers on all kinds of gifts - birthday, Easter, etc. You could spray the tissue paper any color you wish with mists too.

To continue on the hop, click on that FRESH VINTAGE image in my side bar! (UP by my photo) You can see ALL of the designers participating, but if you click on the image in my side bar, you'll just be visiting those of us doing the "Flower 3D #2 Die" blog hop today.

Visit the Oh My Crafts blog for your chance to win a die!