Fun ways to use your cutting dies!

i don't know about you guys, but i have HUNDREDS of photos lying around from years ago that i have been wanting to scrap...  some of them - like the photo in the layout above, have been at the top of the list for literally years, but it never gets done mainly because the paper available is just not right...  well, that was until the amazing Ooh La La Collection was released!  PERFECT for my photo!  the photo was taken in the USA in 1991 at Wellesley College - i had dreams of attending it while living in the USA as an 18 year old... but it was not meant to be!  it was a wonderful few days spent there, though, with good friends who were going to attend that fall. 

i want to focus on how i created my leaf and flower cluster today.

i used Anna Griffin for Couture Creations Gesso, 3 colours of the glitter set, the Turbo Glue Pen as well as the brown pigment powder and the leaf die from the Magnolia Lane Rose Cutting Die set.  first i cut a few sets of leaves using white cardstock.

i then mixed some brown pigment powder with a little bit of water and then some Gesso.  this binds the pigment powder and i don't want the white as a background for my leaves, it would be too stark for this layout.  the mix just tones it down and prepares my base for the next step.

next i added some Turbo Glue with my fingers to the leaf die cut. i just spread it over the die cut and then sprinkled the 3 colours of glitter over the die cut leaf while it was still wet.

here you can see what i started with and what the leaf looked like when i was done with it.

to create my rolled flowers, i
 punched a circle from some Ooh La La paper.

next i mixed Gesso with some Copper Pigment Powder and painted my circle with it to change the colour.

i then used my scissors to cut a spiral into the circle.

i used a quilling tool to roll the flower - just a tip here - the "wider" you cut your spiral, the "higher" the flower stands.  the bigger your circle - the larger your flower

lastly i use the amazing Liquid Drops and some Orange glitter to add a center to my flower...  i really LOVE these drops!!

here is another close up of my cluster.  hope you enjoyed the technique and that you will give it a try!!

ULT157523 - Ultimate Crafts Magnolia Lane Rose Cutting

CO724871 - Anna Griffin Mixed Media Smooth White Acrylic Gesso for Couture Creations

CO724864 - Couture Creations Anna Griffin Fine Glitter Collection (24 pcs)

CO724866 - Couture Creations Anna Griffin Mix and Match Pigments

ULT157649 - Ultimate Crafts Liquid Drops 3D Pearls - Pharaoh

ULT157610 - Ultimate Crafts 12x12 Ooh La La Paper Pad