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Another project I’ve been wanted to do for a long time is new shabby flowers, probably one of my most favorite stylized paper flower designs.

The trick I use is to find round objects in descending sizes and wet the edge with alcohol inked water and then press  the paper making sure it is soaked enough for easy tearing. Much easier for me than trying to tear a circle. I use the small tip of the stylus or another pointed tip to start the tear.

Since I don’t like spending all of that time inking either I used alcohol ink in the water to tint the edges of the circle as I go. I make one color at a time unless the colors will make a nice blend. Then just a little shaping with a stylus, glue and embellish the center. A light spritz of water on the back makes shaping easier or usually I just sit them on a damp paper towel for just the right amount of dampness before shaping which depending on the paper helps prevent tearing. I usually layer in three or five. You can also glitter the edges. If you want to just stick with paper for embellishing the center you can mold little beads with water and glue by rolling tiny bits of paper between your fingers, like paper clay. I often do that when I want to keep things more natural looking and this is usually what I add to my more conventional paper shaped flowers. I make a bunch and let them dry and then when I need them I have them pre made, they are easy to ink with any color.

I really love the bolder colors that the alcohol ink gives the flowers and I like mixing and matching too. Book pages also make great shabby flowers or save your stamp offs or imperfect stamping to use as well. The words add another nice element to the design. You can also use scrapbook paper as shown  below, a great way to use scraps.