Shaker Blooms Tutorial

Here is the tutorial for my shaker blooms that I promised you in THIS post.  :) 

This is the finished product.  I used a wooden box and altered it, but this would work with ANY container, paint can or anything else you can think of. :)

You'll need:

• Flower dies (I used the SU Flower Folds die, but you could substitute any other die including Scalloped Circle Nestabilities (cut apart the scallops to form petals)
• Shaker Sets
• Various circle punches (3/4", 1", 1 1'4", 1 1/2")
• Microbeads (I like the ones without the holes) & Glitter (optional)
• Card stock and/or patterned paper (I used PTI & SU card stock and DeLovely patterned paper)
• Acetate (I used clear card stock from CHF)

First up, you'll need the circle shaker set.  Here, I show you what the full circle looks like, and then what you need to do to make your 3 shaker blooms.  There are rings die-cut in the foam and red line adhesive, and you need to just pull them apart and lay them with their counterparts.  Each circle shaker set comes with 3 double sided adhesive foam circles and 3 double sided red line adhesive.  Each of those can make 6 different shaker boxes in graduating sizes, so you can make a total of 18 shakers with one set of circle shakers, which retails for only $4! 

Here, you see the 3 sizes I chose for my shakers:

Use a paper piercer (or pen if you prefer) to trace around the shaker box you would like to use.  I traced around all 3 with a paper piercer (kinda etching really) and then used those lines as my "cut lines" to cut out my three circles out of acetate.  You don't want them to be bigger than the foam circle.  As long as some part of the acetate touches the adhesive, all the way around, your shaker box will be fine.  It doesn't have to be a PERFECT circle. :) 

Here are my shakers and acetate laid out together, by size.

Now, you'll need to prepare some card stock "frames" to cover your shaker circles.  The way I do this is, is to punch a small circle that is the same side as the INSIDE of the shaker box, and then punch again with a circle punch that is 1/4" larger to create a frame.  Just keep it centered so it is nice and even. 

Here, I used a 3/4" circle punch first and then made my frame using a 1" circle punch.

Please note that I was trying to take a picture with one hand while holding the punch with the other.  This is obviously not centered, so make sure that yours is.  LOL

Here are my frames laid out with my shakers and acetate.  I jotted down the circle punch sizes I used to create all 3 shakers.

Remove the liner on the foam shaker piece.

Adhere the acetate circle to the foam shaker.

Lay down the matching red line "ring" OVER the acetate.  Remove the strip, and adhere your card stock frame.

Flip the shaker over and remove the liner from the shaker box.  You'll want to do this before you fill your shaker box so that you don't disturb the contents by removing it afterward.  If YOU think it's better to fill, then remove the liner, feel free to switch that around.  I am just giving you my personal preference.

Now, carefully add some microbeads and glitter.  Of course you can add anything YOU want to.  Beads, glitter, confetti... ANYTHING that will fit. :)

Now you'll need to punch a matching card stock circle for the back.  Make sure it is the same size or larger, than your shaker.

Adhere the card stock circle to lock in your shaker contents and flip it over.  This is what it should look like now:

I wanted to jazz up my flower, so I added 1/8" red line tape all the way around the shaker:

Then I created a fringed border by slicing the card stock every 1/8" and then crinkling it in my fingers a bit to get it malleable.  I also curled the fringe back as shown:

I wrapped a single layer of fringe all the way around the flower:

Mold the fringe until it looks like you want it to look.

Stack your flower using red line adhesive dots.  Mold the petals with your fingers.

Add a 1" red line dimensional dot to the center of your flower:

Adhere your shaker to the red line dimensional dot. 

Here is the next shaker I created.  I filled it most of the way with beads.  It was a happy accident.  LOL  I think about 1/5th of my glitter got dumped in here so it REALLY shines.  LOL  I couldn't really get it out, so I just called it good.  LOL

Here it is on the next flower:

Here is another fun use for the shakers.  You can put the shakers behind a piece of card stock (or flower).

Start by punching a hole where you want the shaker.

Add the adhesive ring.

Remove the liner and add your matching acetate circle.

Add the shaker foam, remove the liner, and add beads and glitter.

Seal it with a corresponding circle-punched piece of card stock.

Now you can add a frame if you want to.

Here are all 3 blooms embellished:

For my stems, I grabbed some bamboo skewers from my kitchen and colored them green with a Copic marker:

I die-cut Jumbo Ric Rac using green felt and then ran a line of 1/4" red line tape down the center.

I then adhered the sticks to the red line tape, and the blooms to the top of each "stem".

Go ahead and laugh... I did.  LOL  Use Styrofoam or florist foam in the bottom of your container.  I used a leftover Styrofoam ball from a planet project my daughter did last school year.  :)

Shove the stems into the foam.

Finish off with paper shred or faux moss or something.  As long as you cover the foam in the bottom of the container, that is all that matters. :)

If you've hung in there with me all this time, thank you.  :)  If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail or leave a comment.  You can purchase the circle shakers, square shakers and many other sticky products right HERE in my sticky stuff store. 

Stamps: Who's That Gardening Girl (will be available for purchase on July 7th)
Paper: Cosmo Cricket DeLovely, Yoyo Yellow, Raspberry
Ink: Memento Black
Accessories: Circle Shakers, red line dots, red line dimensional dots, glittered garnishes, microbeads, glitter, ribbon, felt, paper shred, baby braddies, jumbo ric rac Die-namics die