Paper Flowers {Altered Element}

This week I have another sweet, little tutorial for the Altered Element Design Team. As you might remember, this month's theme is recycling, so I hauled out my absolutely massive box of paper scraps and dug around until I found some old sheets of music. They had been festering in my 'must use' pile for some time and were practically begging to be turned into something pretty.

What You'll Need:

Ink Mists - I used Cosmic Shimmer Mists in Bronze Blush and Rich Gold, but they're all beautiful.
Brads - I used these 6mm Round, Gold Brads but it doesn't really matter which colour you choose because you won't be able to see them. Buy colours you like and use them for something else too!
Sheet Music - If you can't find any sheet music, I'd recommend some old book pages or some Bazill Smoothies Cardstock
Scallop Circle Punch - You could also use a die cut or a round circle punch.
Craft Knife or Scalpel - Be careful with these. I'll accept no responsibility for slightly shorter than normal fingers or thumbs after you've finished.

1. Punch - Depending on the punchability (that is so a word!) of your scallop punch or your die cut, stack up your sheet music and punch through as many sheets of paper as you can in one go.

2. Pile & Poke - Split your paper circles into little piles - I've used around seven to ten circles per flower, it doesn't have to be an exact science. Then, using your craft knife or scalpel, stick a little hole - big enough for your brad to go through - in the centre of each pile of circles and pop your brad through.

3. Start Scrunching - Starting at the top, scrunch a paper circle up and around the brad.

4. Scrunch Some More - Scrunch each layer in turn. Leave the last couple of layers fairly flat, but use your fingernails to 'lift' the edges a little.

5. Spray & Splatter - When you've assembled all of your paper flowers, it's time to get messy with the mists. I normal lay out my flowers on some old sheets of newspaper or pop them into a cardboard box. (This time I popped them onto some white card, which I'll be using for another project once it's all speckled.) Spritz your flowers with the mists - making sure that you aim some of the mists around the edges of the flowers as well as over the tops. Leave to dry.

6. Beautify - Now use your recycled flowers to beautify your scrapbook layouts, mini albums, altered art or to decorate your craft room.