Happy color, happy paper!

I have been following a few new blogs over the last two weeks and I'd like to share two of them with you.  The first one is called Yogademia.  Kiki is smart, sassy, and finds the best dresses to post about!  It's Kiki's post about using Yellow and Orange to help break away from any crazy winter funk that really got me going on a new project!  It seemed like such a simple thing for me to try and incorporate yellow and/or orange somewhere in my house. 

Then I ran across a second blog called Creature Comforts.  I was pointed to this post about how to make paper flowers (it's escaping me how I ran across it this moment), but I was lucky enough to land there and that's when the idea hit me!  I needed to make yellow and orange paper flowers!!!!!

 (how adorable is the little bird from Creature Comforts blog badge?)

I broke out my trusty construction paper pad which must be eons old.  I have not been able to bring myself to throw them out, even though some of the edges are faded and torn.  And I am ever so glad that I didn't!  Even faded and torn the paper was perfect for this project!  Here is the tutorial re-posted from Creature Comforts:

Materials:
- construction paper
- scissors
- pencil
- glue
- patience
- imagination

Instructions:
1. Draw a spiral on a 4x4" square sheet of paper

2. Cut out spiral along the lines you have drawn
3. Begin rolling up the spiral from the outside
4. Keep on rolling until there is no more left to roll
5. Secure the end of the flower by either tucking it or gluing it
 
I noticed a couple of things as I went to do this myself.  First of all... I forgot to make the square round, by cutting off the corners the first time.  Second, I didn't make the starting end an straight line.  Third, I rolled my flower the wrong direction so it didn't roll right.  Fourth, I tried different types of paper like origami paper and found that the more ridgid the paper the better it went. 

Once I fixed those things I was amazed at just how easy this project is!  And how addicitive!!  Here is how my third or fourth attempt came out:

You can see my last goof here is that I used pen to mark the spriral which turned out to be very visible on the finished flower made of yellow paper.  I was also originally stuck with how to finish off the flower. 

Once you roll the whole spiral you are left with a little tail... you can decide at that point if you would rather tuck that tail into the center of the flower from the bottom up or glue it to the side.  I tried both methods and I think gluing was a bit more secure.  But defineitly try it both ways to see which one you like. 

I found it very easy to make these flowers while watching a movie and before I knew it I had a stash of them.

My next challenge was to figure out what to do with them!  I liked the picture of the flowers on the branches.  And, I wanted to display these in a place Mr. Happy and I would see them every day.  The more yellow we see... the more happy we would be, right?  Then it clicked.  I had some white branches left over from Christmas decorating (again, I couldn't bear to throw them out)... and I had a mantle that needed a make over.

Voila.  A step stool, few vases, oil painting, and cool deer family later... and I had this:

I'm so happy with the way it came out!!  It really does make me happy!  Here is more of a close up of each of the components.  Have I mentioned before how much I adore the brick in my living room??

This is adorable set of deer made out of metal that I recieved as a Christmas gift.  They have been herding themselves on my dining room table for some time, but I think they finish off the mantle nicely!

Notice the two vases I used are different shapes.  Don't be afraid to mix and match what you already have.  The unifying factor is that they are both clear glass.  Works for me!

What do you have in your house that is yellow and cheery this time of year?  Oh, and I have already thought of another way I am going to use this paper flower project, but I don't want to give away the secret just yet ;)

Completing an art project = happiness!

Making the living room a very cheery place to be = happiness!