https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/mini-jeweled-flower-clips • Posted by The Brass Paperclip Project
I've been making and selling jeweled flowers in my Etsy shop for several years and never get tired of them. It is so much fun to find just the right centerpiece to compliment each flower and there is always that "aha" moment when I find just the right combo. I prefer to make them big and bold, but every now and then I have a reason to make some "minis." I had one of those reasons recently when my 3 year-old asked to make some for her friend's birthday. (Happy Mommy!) I made the flowers in this tutorial using materials I had around my studio, but if you don't already have them available, they are easy enough to find. I do use new hair clips, but most of my other materials are found vintage or second-hand. This is also a great craft for using up leftovers from other projects. Small silk flowers are easy and inexpensive to find at craft stores and thrift stores. Vintage millinery flowers are also perfect for this project. The bits and pieces you use for the centers can be pretty much anything from loose beads to lonely buttons or even a small earring. For this project, I stuck to pearls and crystal beads/buttons. Vintage applique trim finishes off the back, but you could use any scrap fabric or ribbons that you have on-hand. Here are the finished clips with tutorial to follow...
I've been making and selling jeweled flowers in my Etsy shop for several years and never get tired of them. It is so much fun to find just the right centerpiece to compliment each flower and there is always that "aha" moment when I find just the right combo. I prefer to make them big and bold, but every now and then I have a reason to make some "minis." I had one of those reasons recently when my 3 year-old asked to make some for her friend's birthday. (Happy Mommy!) I made the flowers in this tutorial using materials I had around my studio, but if you don't already have them available, they are easy enough to find. I do use new hair clips, but most of my other materials are found vintage or second-hand. This is also a great craft for using up leftovers from other projects. Small silk flowers are easy and inexpensive to find at craft stores and thrift stores. Vintage millinery flowers are also perfect for this project. The bits and pieces you use for the centers can be pretty much anything from loose beads to lonely buttons or even a small earring. For this project, I stuck to pearls and crystal beads/buttons. Vintage applique trim finishes off the back, but you could use any scrap fabric or ribbons that you have on-hand. Here are the finished clips with tutorial to follow...
PREPARE YOUR MATERIALS Remove fabric flowers from stems and take off any plastic pieces. Cut 4" lengths of craft wire. Trim appliques apart or cut small circles from felt or fabric scraps. Plug in your glue gun and get it warmed up.
CREATE YOUR JEWELED FLOWERS Mix and match your flowers and your centers until you are happy with the arrangements. Thread a jewel (bead, button or pearl) onto a piece of wire. Bend wire in half with jewel at center. Pinch wire ends together underneath jewel as tightly as possible, then twist wires to secure.
Place wired jewel through the center holes of each flower petal, arranging the petals as you go. Pull wire through and snug up against the back of the flower, spiraling the wire into a flat circle at the base of the flower to hold everything in place. Trim off excess wire with your wire cutters.
Repeat as needed to make as many flowers as you would like.
ASSEMBLE YOUR CLIPS Place a small dot of hot glue on the back of the flower, completely covering the wire spiral you made. Center an applique or fabric circle directly over the hot glue and press down firmly - don't burn yourself! Make sure the glue embeds in the fabric and wire. Let cool. (This will cover your handiwork and make it easier to attach the flower to the clip) Place a tiny dot of hot glue on the end of the clip where you will place the flower. (I do this so I don't end up with too much glue for the clip.) Press flower to glue and hold until set.
Now you are done! Sweet little clips.
TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER: If you are presenting these as gifts, make a tag or card to place them on by punching holes in a piece of card stock and arranging the clips as you like. Add a ribbon to the top and voila! These would be adorable for a flower girl - color coordinate them to match the wedding colors. You could also use these as adorable party favors for a little girl's birthday or tea party. Know some big girls who like to wear little flowers in their hair? Try putting these on bobby pins for a more sophisticated look.
When you're ready to wrap...box them up in a simple reuseable box. Wrap with a hand-colored belly band layered with paper lace and/or ribbon for a special, eco-friendly wrap job. (I like to recycle some of my daughter's "extra" artwork this way. She loves it too because it's an easy way for her to help make a special gift for someone she loves.)