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Make Your Own Pressed Flower Jewelry Box

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Would you agree that there is something enchanting about pressed flowers? They dazzle the eye with vibrant color and exquisite detail, all the while evoking gentle feelings of nostalgia. Perhaps best of all, pressed flowers cost nothing.

Preserve Your Favorite Spring Flowers by Pressing Themimages

Do you love flowers? Do you hate to see things go to waste? Are you great at crafting and making things beautiful? If so, our pressed flower jewelry box project is for you. It is the perfect Springtime craft, and also makes a thoughtful gift.

Before you begin making your jewelry box, gather the needed materials:

  • Small wooden box
  • 2 pieces of white paper
  • Acrylic paint (your choice of color)
  • Small paintbrush
  • Elmer’s glue
  • Several blooms of your favorite Spring flower (small blooms work best)
  • Krylon anti-UV clear acrylic sealer (comes in a spray can)
  • A hardback book

Altogether, these materials should be very inexpensive.

Directions for Making Your Pressed Flower Jewelry Box

Once you have gathered your materials, you are ready to get started making your pressed flower jewelry box. Follow these directions to get a beautiful result:

  • Carefully place your live flower blooms onto one piece of white paper; do not let the blooms overlap. Open your hardback book and place the white sheet loaded with blooms into it. Cover the blooms with the other sheet of white paper and close the book firmly. Now comes the hard part: leave the book alone for at least a week; this is how long it takes for the flowers to become thoroughly pressed and dried.
  • In the days you are waiting for your flowers to dry, paint your wooden box with the acrylic paint you chose. You may need to apply 2 coats of paint. White is the perfect showcase color for your vibrant pressed flowers. Allow box to dry totally.
  • After the week long period, open the hardback book and carefully remove the dried flowers with tweezers. They will be as thin as tissue paper, so be very gentle.
  • Using tweezers, arrange the pressed flowers into a design of your choice on top of the box. Be as creative as you desire. Remember, this is your creation!
  • After your flowers are arranged atop the box, carefully lift each dried bloom and dot tiny amounts of school glue (use a toothpick to do this) on the backside of the flowers. Then, lay the flowers on the box and gently press down on them. Do this until all your dried flowers are glued in place. Let arrangement dry.
  • The last step is to spray your completely dry craft with Krylon clear acrylic sealer. Be sure that the top of your jewelry box is open when you do this; otherwise, the spray will glue the images-1box’s lid shut. You may want to spray another coat of sealer after the first coat is dry. Allow box to dry. Your Springtime pressed flower jewelry box is now finished and ready to be enjoyed!

We would love to see your finished product. Please share a photo of your Springtime craft with us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/segmation).

Is there a specific craft you love to make that uses pressed flowers? Please share with us in the comments section below.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Paint by Number – The Original DIY Project

Colorful Flowers to Plant this Spring

Easy Ways to Prepare Your Home for Spring

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Learn to Make a Custom Paint by Number Pillow

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Have you been keeping up with Segmation’s paint by number blog posts this month? If so, you are aware of the impact this art form has had on American culture. Do you love paint by number? We hope so, because this post outlines how to make your very own paint by number pillow.

The first step in creating your paint by number pillow is to obtain the supplies you need: paintbrushes, a fabric marker, masking tape, paint pot strips, paint by number guide, fabric paint, “heavyweight” cotton (to be used for back of the pillow), hand sewing needle, thread, “plain, light colored utility fabric for pillow front,” scissors, and Poly-fil. Once you have gathered your supplies, you are ready to move into the crafting stage of the project.

Next, you will print a paint by number guide (you can download the right side of the guide at http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/files/rightside.pdf, and the left side at http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/files/leftside.pdf). Once each side of your guide is printed, you will tape the sheets together to make a whole guide. Place the guide atop your fabric (intended for use as the front of the pillow) and cut the fabric to fit the size of the guide.

Now for the fun part! Trace the paint by number guide onto your pillow fabric. You can do this by hanging/taping the paint by number guide with the fabric ontop to a window. The sunlight coming through the window will help you to see the paint by number lines. Use your fabric marker to trace the guide onto the fabric as carefully as possible. (Don’t forget to include the numbers.) Make sure you do this on a sunny day!

Next, you will number your paints and begin to add color to your pillow front. Paint your picture by simply matching up the numbers of paint with the numbers on the pillow guide. This will result in a beautiful paint by number pillow front!

How much do you enjoy paint by number and Segmation? Whether you like being a perfect painter, great digital artist, or have fond childhood memories of coloring inside the lines, your experience is unique. We want to hear your story in the comment section below. What does paint by number mean to you?

Note: this project was adapted from http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2012/07/make-your-own-paint-by-numbers-pillow.html; here you will find more in-depth instructions for this project as well as directions for putting a back on the pillow, etc.

Coming soon: Read Segmation’s exclusive article about the unique ways many professionals have incorporated paint by number into their careers.

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Selling Your Art in a Strained Economy

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As we all know, experts are predicting a slow recovery for the U.S.economy. Consumers are maintaining cautions and often frugal spending habits.

When it comes to art, buyers want to know that they are making a responsible investment. More than ever they are considering a variety of purchasing options and you can assume that most buyers are now working off a budget.

If you are an artist struggling to find buyers for your art amid these unsure economic times, the following marketing tips may just give you the encouragement you need to preserver.

TIP # 1 – Keep Making Art!

The most important thing for an artist to remember is that it is essential to keep creating. Even if you work another job to make ends meet, make time for your art. By stepping away from your art you risk loosing the creative progression that might propel you towards greater success.

TIP # 2 – Don’t Wait For Others to Realize Your Potential

Most artists do not become famous during their lifetime, but many learn how to support themselves by selling their art. There are several things you can do to make your name familiar and respected.

1). Carry yourself as a serious artist by…

    • Becoming a member of art organizations.
    • Getting your art work reviewed by a magazine or newspaper.
    • Have a gallery or art dealer publish a catalogue of your work.
    • Donating a piece to a charity auction.

These things become physical proof that you are dedicated to the work you do and show buyers just how serious you are.

2). Learn to convey to potential buyers why your art has value.

    • Document the process of your work, by taking photographs of different stages of the process.
    • When talking to a potential buyer, share what inspired you and what the piece means to you, or how the piece changed throughout the creating process.
    • Always have your contact information easy to access.

By taking these simple steps you are helping a potential buyer understand the significance of your art and you are providing them with information that allows them to feel intelligent about their purchase. In the long run, you have provided interesting facts that just might pop up in future conversations. Suddenly, you will have gained a buyer and advertiser all in one.

Don’t let the economy scare you away from putting yourself and your art out there. There are easy steps that can bring you close to achieving your goals. Keep an eye out for more easy marketing tips that will help you start to make a living off your creativity.

Image retrieved from http://ceramicartsdaily.org/pottery-making-illustrated/

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