old picture frame

I needed a piece of "art" for my porch and remembered a few cheap frames I had stashed away. I love to scrapbook and thought I would do a little for this project. Turned out so cute and I didn't have to buy a thing! These flowers are my new favorite thing to do--have made dozens in the last month! :)

Aren't they adorable?! O.k., I know you're dying to try them, so here's how:

• tear 3 different size circles out of heavy cardstock (you can use patterned paper, just have to be more careful with it as it will tear easily). Hint: I trace circles using different size cups or whatever I have on hand, and then tear around the circle, but you can freehand them too
• with each circle tear 5 lines from outside edge toward center (don't worry if they're not evenly spaced, it won't matter). Don't tear too far into middle or one of the petals might fall off when you do the next step. They don't have to be perfect, as a matter of fact the less perfect they are the better I think they look!
• after tearing the petals you can ink the edges if you want, or not--cute both ways.
• crumple the circles. With the heavy cardstock I just put them in the middle of my palm and squeeze. With lighter paper you want to be a little more gentle.
• uncrumple and stack
• poke hole through the center {you don't just want to try to jab a brad through because you might tear it and, again, the petals will fall off! ;) } and insert brad
• now you can just leave it as is, but I like them to have a little more "body" so I spray them with a clear coat poly several times and "squish" them again while they are a little damp
• ENJOY! I use them for all kinds of things--recently decorating a cork board for the back of my computer desk with them--so cute!