Donita Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 This my first try at an arrangement. I glued the flowers onto 24# paper cut to the exact size of the mold. Then embedded it. Holy Cow! It worked....Now I will be experimenting.....can't use anything too thick. Bamboo leaves would be great for this. Actually any leaves and you could do a little overlapping.... In this picture, a couple of flower petals fell off....that was because I made a mistake....one I won't do next time.....I tried to iron it flat and the flowers tried to come off....no need to iron....just brushed some hot wax over the flowers, then dipped the whole thing into the melter...then placed it into the wax in the mold..... anyone want to try this? Just ask and I will try to help. Donita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryinCary Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 You are the master at your hurricanes Donita. Very very pretty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtngrl Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 I was wondering how that would turn out ... I'm a bit curious if you notice any air bubbles since there is a depth differential between your flowers & paper. But from the looks of it, I don't see any bubbles.Do you find it easier to glue the flowers on paper & then embed rather than gluing the design on the outside of the shell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 Looks awsome girl! One more thing to add on the "to try" list. If you keep this up, I'll never get the list done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alohagirl Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 Along with exceptional candle-making skills, you also have a talent for flower arranging. You go girl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnitaG Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 Very nice. Looks good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted August 13, 2005 Author Share Posted August 13, 2005 No air bubbles....guess I just got lucky....it is completely smooth...beginners luck again....This is easier for a "flat" design because I don't have to overdip it two times.....and people can't "pick" on the flowers to see if "they are real"........the overdip is a very clear film as this is a bit more, but soooooooooooooooooooooooo much easier....I will have to see what sells. Donita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beauloser Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 W:cheesy2: W!!! That is really beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rsvlbrat Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 Gorgeous! - Great job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharyl55 Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 OMG that is fantastic. Now you have me hooked on pressed flowers too. Ok my questions are 1. is there a web site to purchase pressed flowers since nothing I've seen at Michaels would work. 2. what kind of glue do I need to get and 3. when are you having your next floral design class cause I sure don't have your design skills. Can't wait to see your next experiment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verrylicious Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 Thats pretty........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dipdiva Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 As usual, beautiful! Your work inspires me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted August 13, 2005 Author Share Posted August 13, 2005 Good morning Sharyl.....I belong to a Yahoo Group called pressed flowers. Kate Chu is the moderator of that group and is a wonderful person and very helpful. You can go to her website and see her work and she has a store. I buy some flowers from her too and we also trade flowers. She has dyed flowers that won't fade as well as many nautural ones....she also sells in larger quanities so I can get wholesale prices. As far as glue goes, I just used mod podge because that is what was sitting next to me....the other women on pressed flowers have their own favorites. Another member from this CT board joined pressed flowers recently...she wants to learn how to press too. I think I will use tacky glue....be sure to let it dry completely so you don't seal in any water. I put my picture under a lamp....but I was in a hurry so overnight would be better....In our archives there are files of our members work....many many many ideas for designs....you will love to see those....so if you are serious, just join. This is so much fun.....I really press thousands and thousands of flowers every year....I have had two women send me their Bee Balm just so I can make my "Rooster Candles".....I have some growing too. Makes perfect tail feathers. http://www.pressed-flowers.com/Also check out my friend Haley's website. She is part of our co-op store Transient Crafters. Ed was working in the store yesterday and she sent home a large print for me entitled "My Mother's Heaven"......they are pressed flowers from her mothers funneral. Since we both lost our mother's she thought I should have it....Last week I tried to get it off of her website, but it came up this page cannot be displayed. I emailed her and told her to check her website....she has a different style than Kate....everyone is different....Haley's is very pretty and since she is also an excellent framer....she makes a ton of money...I mean a ton. http://haleyj.com/ Good luck....Donita I will pm you and you can see my album of how I made my own "special" flower presses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debscent Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 You have my total respect. Your work is lovely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 Donita, as usual your stuff is amazing. I'll be driving through Virginia on Monday. Too bad.... I will never talk the others into a detour. I'd stop to check out your studio in a heartbeat!e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon WY Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 That hurricane is really beautiful- looks really time consuming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted August 13, 2005 Author Share Posted August 13, 2005 Thanks Shannon...and it didn't take much time....easier than putting them on the outside.....probably took about 10 minutes to do the flowers, then 2 minutes to make the candle....that's not bad. Donita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macyboutique Posted August 14, 2005 Share Posted August 14, 2005 Beautiful hurricane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharyl55 Posted August 14, 2005 Share Posted August 14, 2005 Thanks for the info Donita. My flowers are pretty pathetic so won't have anything to press this year. Love the idea of putting the flowers around wedding pictures in a Memory cane. I'll be checking out the websites so I can order some to work with. LOL you are starting to cost me as much money as Ashlie does. Shannon - I'm guessing Donita's 10 minutes after how many yrs of experience will translate into 5 to 10 hrs for the rest of us flower newbies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharyl55 Posted August 14, 2005 Share Posted August 14, 2005 OMG! I just took a quick tour of your friend Haly's web site. What an outstanding artist. Her work is simply amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saphakasha Posted August 14, 2005 Share Posted August 14, 2005 I have to make one of these for my mother, she would love it! Excellent work.-T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted August 14, 2005 Author Share Posted August 14, 2005 No it doesn't translate into hours....hee hee hee....really, just cut a piece of paper to fit the mold.....put a dab of glue on the background piece.....then start a simple design...too many flowers would be too thick and ruin the embed process.....then I brush hot wax over the flowers.... let cool completely....then pour my candle and take the floral arrangement and dip it into the melter holding it by a corner....then slowly remover it, let it drip off, then turn it over and do it again.....place it directly into the mold and proceed as usual to embed. I did three with simple designs yesterday...made a boo boo.....used 1/2 tsp gloss poly to see how the wax would look....wrong...too opaque....made a bunch of Chinese Symbol Candles that have to be redone...but learned something in the process too....because the wax was opaque, I notices that I wasn't getting the righthand side bottom edge of the pictures sealed as quickly as the left......with the wax clearer, it almost isn't noticable....then I repeated it with an empty mold and saw that the way that I was holding my cold towel on the mold, my thumb was upside down on the left with more pressure and my little finger was up just slightly so it wasn't getting pressed to the mold as well.......see, it is these little things that make such a huge difference....again...my mother said "practice makes perfect".......I got sick of hearing that so quit piano lessons when I discovered boys.....damn...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted August 15, 2005 Share Posted August 15, 2005 Really a very pretty product Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet68cam Posted August 15, 2005 Share Posted August 15, 2005 Very pretty!! Great job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystical_angel1219 Posted August 15, 2005 Share Posted August 15, 2005 Donita that hurricane is simply divine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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