TUTORIAL - Floral Punch Craft - Poinsettia

There was so much interest shown in the card that I made at Jane Gill's workshop (this post) with her amazing poinsettia's that, when I next saw her, I asked her if she'd mind me drawing up a tutorial and posting it on my blog. Jane, being the really kind person that she is, gave me her full permission to do so. Unfortunately I didn't have time before Christmas but I've now done it so ... here it is and in plenty of time for next Christmas! Thank you so much Jane for allowing me to do this.

TUTORIAL (Click on any photo to enlarge)

Tools & Requirements:

~ Christmas tree, stamen and small daisy punches.

~ Chalks

~ Dark red ink pad

~ Red and mid to dark green paper

~ Gold glitter glue

~ Scissors and tools as pictured and described in previous FPC tutorials (or alternatives)

~ PVA glue (use very sparingly at all times!)

Method (for one flower):

Step 1: From the red paper punch 2 small daisy shapes and 16 tree shapes

Step 2: From the green paper punch 3 stamen shapes

Step 3: Dot gold glitter glue on each 'blob' of the stamen shapes and put to one side to dry.

Step 4: To save time double up the tree shapes so that you cut 2 at a time. Cut up the trunk (they need to be thin enough to fit on daisy petal) and cut the branches off as per photograph. These are the shapes for the 'petals' of the poinsettia.

Step 5: Take your dark red ink pad and edge each shape with colour. Don't be to worried about where the ink goes as it's not obvious but does give more depth to the finished 'flower'.

Step 6: Score lines as you would do for a leaf using the DEET tool (or alternative) - up the centre and then from the centre to the edge several times up the length, remembering to keep the scoring tool as flat to the surface as possible. Run over the centre score line again. (The 'flowers' on a poinsettia are the very centre and the red 'petals' are, in fact, not flowers at all but bracts/leaves that have changed colour from green to red)

Step 7: Stick a prepared and trimmed trunk to a daisy petal, lining up the bottom of the trunk to the bottom of the daisy petal - the edge of the centre circle of the daisy shape. Repeat this for all 8 daisy petals. Put to one side for the glue to dry. This is the bottom layer of your poinsettia.

Step 8: With the remaining 8 trimmed and prepared trees and the other daisy shape repeat the last stage but this time bring the bottom of the trunk to the centre of the daisy shape. The trunks will overlap and the centre will become quite thick. Put to one side for the glue to dry. This will be the top layer of your poinsettia and slightly smaller than the bottom.

Step 9: Take each layer in turn and, with green chalk (dark green is best), lightly chalk from the centre to the tip of each 'petal', lifting the pressure as you proceed towards the tip of the 'petal'. The chalk will stick to some of the raised areas but not to all of it.

Step 10: Give some shaping to some of the petals but not all, curling some under and giving others a slight curl upwards or sidewards - any which way shaping!

Step 11: Using a character shaper or very large embossing tool use a circular motion in the centre of the 'flower' layer to lift the 'petals' slightly.

Step 12: In the centre of the bottom layer add a spot of PVA glue and add the top layer, offsetting the 'petals'.

Step 13: Now take the 3 stamen shapes and, checking that the glitter glue has dried first, take your embossing tool and give each shape severe cup character. Starting from the outer edge and using a fast circular motion spiral towards the middle increasing the pressure the nearer the middle you go, finishing by pushing the shape into the embossing/moulding mat.

Step 14: Add a spot of PVA to the centre of the 'flower' and stick one of the stamen shapes. Now add a spot of glue to the centre of that stamen shape and, offsetting the longer arms, add the next one and repeat for the third.

You have now completed your poinsettia.

To make a slightly smaller version of the poinsettia the procedure is exactly the same but the tree is cut smaller. Cut up the trunk but into the tree a little further before curving to cut off the branches then cut 1 to 2mm off of the bottom of the trunk.

The holly was cut from Bazzill using a holly punch. Each shape was edged with dark brown ink and scored up the centre and side veins using the DEET tool with the centre vein being scored a second time after the side veins were done.

The card made at Jane's workshop used one large and 2 smaller poinsettias but this 'flower' would look just as good used singly as an accent on a card or gift tag .....

All the punches can be found at the Glitterpot.

Enjoy!!