Thursday's Throw Aways

Whew, it's been a while since I posted one of these.  I hope to get back on schedule sometime soon. 

The Ways to Use Challenge today is to use textiles.  Well, I just so happen to have a pile of old denim jeans handy and although I do have a certain purpose in mind for them, I thought that I would try something for today's Throw Aways and Challenge combined.

One of our teachers at school has been chosen as a recipient of the Teachers Who Make Magic Award from a local radio station.  They will be making that announcement tomorrow and I thought that I would make her a congratulations card.  Then I got to thinking that she deserved flowers.  So I took a pair of jeans and went to work.

I used the Flower Folds die to cut out two sets of flowers.  The biggest ones I set aside.   I took the other three sizes and paired them up alternating the petals.  Then I used a needle and thread to take a running stitch in the centers of each pair to pucker them slightly.   I did this because I didn't want the flowers to lay flat - I wanted some bulk.  Then all the layers were stitched together.

I took a piece of the jeans hem and rolled it to form the center.  It is also stitched together and then stitched to the center of the petals.  Lastly I stitched a pin backing to the back of the flower.  I recommend you use a good needle and quilting thread for this.  It's much sturdier and less likely to snap. 

I cut the center out of one of the large petals that I had put aside and before I adhered it to the embossed cardstock I made a ribbon loop and attached it as you see below.....

The pin goes through the loop and then is fastened.  Not that it makes any difference, because the card doesn't look very good without it, but this way it doesn't have to be torn off. 

The card base is Night of Navy and there's a layer of Bordering Blue under the Barely Banana which is embossed with the Paisley Texture Plate.  I used a Night of Navy reinker to dye white satin ribbon.  (I'm anxious to see how many days it's going to take my fingers to return to normal because I forgot to wear gloves!)

Inside the card I added another Barely Banana panel and used the Congrats stamp set to add the word Congratulations. 

Now I'm off to find a box for this!