Grandmothers Flower Garden

This little card  is made in the true spirit of Quilting, it recycles paper though, rather than fabric.

As everyone is having to trim their budgets I thought it was an excellent way to use what comes to us free; the insides of the envelopes that hold household bills. You may not have noticed but their patterns are all different!

Of course there is nothing to stop you from using your favourite expensive designer papers to make this charming project, as it uses very little. A really good way to use up some of the small pieces that you have saved. Crafter's do not like to throw anything away!

Blue card works best for this as almost all household bills come in blue-pattern-lined envelopes, or you might like to use yellow for contrast. Size to fit your envelope and hexagons.

Tools:

Hexagon Template and pencil

Glue

Cuttlebug machine and embossing folders-Paisley and Buttons & Dots borders

0.1mm Drawing pen or other fine pen

Scissors

Fancy Border Punch or Decorative Scissors

Accessories:

Old Button, Garden Twine, Raffia, or Ribbon

Here's how:

1) Save up a pile of blue-patterned-lined envelopes, or use up your designer paper scraps.

2) Make a strong cardboard template in the shape of a perfect hexagon;  or use a ready made quilting one, they come in clear perspex or metal.

3) Draw round the template lightly in pencil and cut out your shapes. You will need 7 different patterns of paper for each flower.

4) Using copier paper, or clean waste paper such as a magazine page, stick the first shape down and then all the others around it to form a flower. If using a wet glue work neatly to the edges, but this is the best glue to use; as it adheres well and they do not lift up when embossed later.

5) Now using a 0.1mm black drawing pen, put in all the little X 'stitches' to make it look as if each patch has been sewn to its neighbour, including around the outside edge.

6) Carefully trim away the unwanted magazine paper you stuck your flower down on to.

7) Place inside a Cuttlebug Paisley embossing folder and run through the machine.

8) Take a piece of contrasting card and using Dots border run through Cuttlebug machine, then punch border design below, or cut one with decorative scissors-off white paper shown here.

9) Check position of flower on the card front and then place Cuttlebug Buttons embossing folder around card at that point and run through the machine.

10) Glue border paper in position below the embossed Buttons border towards the base of the card.

11) Glue quilted flower in position on card front above the embossed Buttons border,

12) Thread Raffia or Ribbon through an Old Button, form a bow, and stick in position on front of card.

13) Add a sentiment or other embellishment as desired.