Tonic Studios | Tutorial: How to make 3D flowers with the Tonic Beautiful Bloom dies

I promised on Facebook that I would share a tutorial on how I made the bunch of realistic 3D flowers with Tonic Studios Beautiful Blooms dies I shared earlier. 

So here it is. I have made it very detailed so hopefully it all be clear. This is just a way to create them, you can modify any step, simplify them change the colours... Have fun!

For the whole bunch I used:

Beautiful Blooms - Sunburst Gazania 1288E - USA | UK

Beautiful Blooms - Gerbera Daisy 1287E - USA | UK (the one on the very left)

Beautiful Blooms - Apple Blossom 1290E - USA | UK

Beautiful Blooms - Magnolia Flora 1289E - USA | UK

Beautiful Blooms - Woodland Aster 1285E - USA | UK (red central one)

I also used Beautiful Blooms - Sweet Melia 1286E - USA | UK - for some of the leaves.

I die cut six large Magnolia Flora 1289E - USA | UK - flowers and 3 small ones using 120gsm textured paper. You can also use thin card  - 220 GSM or there about. The texture is completely optional.

Using Fossilised Amber (or any yellow) Distress Ink and foam on an applicator I coloured all the flowers.

Then, leaving a couple completely yellow, I coloured some over with a bit of Spiced Marmalade - or any orange. 

Finally on the last two I added Festive Berries - or any red distress inks.

The idea is to get an array of different shades that all coordinate.

Then I folded them individually in to quarters and then I trimmed the very centre that becomes a pointy. That it will create a hole in the centre as well as one realistic folds on the paper.

On the second lightest colour flower I made a cut between the petals. Then I put glue on one and layer the next one after the cut over it.

Using the lightest flower, I trimmed one full petal and glued the petals either side.

I put a blip of hot glue and thread the flower through a pipe cleaner..

Then I threaded the other glued flower and secured in place with glue.

For the other flowers, I just scrunches them to create shape on the petals.

Then one by one I attached through the pipe cleaner. Just make sure to push each layer to each other as much as possible.

I applied the smaller flower in the centre. Then. I rolled a the small flower for the centre and make the centre of the flower. (You can make like little stamen by cutting the small petals in a small fringe cuts as in the original Magnolia. )

The main flower is finished, but of course you can add more layers, or make it more shapely by making some more cuts and layers.

Using a green florist tape, I covered the stem. You can also use green washi tape.

For the leaves, I die cut them using them from different sets. This particular one I am using for the tutorial is from Apple Blossom 1290E - USA | UK.

I coloured it using a Crushed Olive - or any light or medium green distress ink that you have.

Using the Distress Stain in a darker shade of green - I used Peeled Paint but others will work too - I gently dabb ink in some places to create  some darker areas.

Trim the frilly bits on one end of a pipe cleaner, about 1 inch or so.

Using the Distress Stain I coloured the trimmed end of the pipe cleaner.

I glued it to the back of the leave using hot glue. You can put the wire almost up to the very top of the leave for maximum malleability.

Then I covered the rest of the pipe cleaner using florists wax tape. Twisting and turning a little bit all through.

And here it is the flower and leave. Every time it will be slightly different, and I love that about making paper flowers!

I wanted to add an extra, and I took my Nuvo Crystal Drops - Morning Dew 677N - USA | UK  - and added a couple of drops.

And that creates a dew effect.

So that is how this bunch of flowers was created. Mixing and matching distress colours, timing a few petals - or not -, scrunching layers of petals - or not - its easy! Give it a try.