Alisa Bangerter
I had the opportunity to create the Paper Crafts 101 column for the July/August issue of Paper Crafts magazine. I played around with techniques using items from nature and came up with a lot of really fun things to do using items from my yard.
One of my favorite was creating texture using some green leaves by rubbing them on cardstock and transferring the pigment onto the paper.
Since spring has burst my yard into a plethora of color, I wanted to try a variety of brightly colored flower petals and leaves to see what I could create.
I took each petal or leaf and rubbed it in circular motions onto cardstock. It was fun to see how each color transferred onto the paper, as some colors are different from what you think will appear. The effect of the pigment from the plants has a soft watercolor look to it – in fact it is hard to tell that it isn’t a paint or ink that was used.
And here's the finished result!
So my challenge to you is to try a new technique using something from nature. It’s fun, fast and free!
Alisa, Paper Crafts Pro
P.S. For those of you who don’t have flowers growing in a garden, today I’m giving them away…the stamped version that is! Leave a comment telling me your favorite item from nature. It can be anything! I’ll randomly pick three people to win a copy of our July/August issue and Kelly Panacci’s Funtastik Flowers stamp set. All comments must be received by midnight on Thursday, June 11. The three winners will be announced on Friday’s blog.
Three lucky winners will take home this prize package!
I LOVE the mountains! We went up to the American Basin near Lake San Cristobol in Colorado a few years ago and the fields and fields of colorful wildflowers with the mountains in the background was just breathtaking!
I absolutely love grass! It’s so nice to walk in it barefoot, or to sit on it for a picnic!
Pene
Gee, that’s pretty tough to narrow down. I do love to collect feathers – I have a few interesting ones that I haven’t identified yet. My 4 year old finds some for me now!
My absolute favorite of all of Mother Nature’s gifts would have to be Cattails, and now thanks to your inspiration, creating a card with this beautiful piece of nature is definitely on my list of things to do!
Spring blossoms, tulips and peonies make my day anytime:)! They always put in me a good mood and I always count my blessings for such lovely variety.
My favorite part of nature is birds. I love their songs. I love the colors they come in. I love watching how they interact with each other (we have a couple of birdfeeders). Watching and listening to the birds always make my day more pleasant.
Such beautiful hues for your card ~ love it
My faves in Nature are flowers and clouds. I love smelling the wonderful fragrances & seeing their colors: plumeria, gardenia, orchids, ginger and others growing in our neighborhood. Today here is a beautiful, balmy day with blue skies & puffy white clouds. So nice!!
I love all kinds of flowers…..especially the different colors, fragrances, shapes and textures! I love this time of year!
That is such a neat technique. I’ll have to try it sometime.
I feel so right when I glance at the sky and see it bright blue with those white, fluffy clouds. That’s definitely my favorite thing in nature.
goodness! that is a pretty hard thing to narrow down. I’ll say flowers, b/c life would be so much more dull without them.
My favorite nature items are sunflowers and puffy clouds!
I just love flowers… I love the card idea. I am going to have to give it a try.
i love growing fruits & veggies in my little garden. the boys love plucking fruit off the tree!
I’ve never rubbed flower petals on cardstock. That technique is genius! Thanks for sharing.
Our backyard is tiny. We’ve got some fruit trees and we plant herbs, like basil, cilantro, and mint. I love having fresh herbs!
I love lichen! And trees. And lichen on trees.
Oh I just love the bright colored flowers that pop up in summer. They are so bright and cheery after a dull, grey, cold winter.
what a neat technique! i love flowers
I love fresh fruit and vegetables, especially anything I have managed to grow myself in the garden!
Cool technique!
I’m a big nature lover. I guess I’d choose trees – I love the different shapes and sizes, the different shades of green, the freshness of new leaves in spring, the vivid colours of autumn, the way they look with snow on their branches…
Trying to pick just one thing is pretty tough
My favorite thing in the garden are hydrangea bushes…my favorite summer flowers.
Roberta
The flowers in my flower garden. I have tried to press them and use them with cards. Your card is lovely.. I love reading the other comments. It’s interesting to read from all over the country.
Turtles, yup that my fav today.
That is so cute… That’s why I like flowers the best the colors are just awesome…
I love fruit and flowers. My favorite flower would have to be Gerber Daisy’s, I just love their bold bright colors.
I love flowers, any kind. I’ve been in my house for 2 years and this is the first time I’ve gotten to plant my own garden. I just love it, year I made a rock garden on my front yard and next year I will tackle the back
My favorite thing from nature is fall lleaves. I love all the colors of them. I love the ones that still have some green in them with yellow and red. I use to live in Connecticut and used them all the time for projects but I have moved to Texas. one of my good friends sends me leaves every fall. She irons them in wax paper and they last forever.
Thanks for the chance to win
debbie peysen
your card was cool using the flowers. I am going to try it tommorrow.
I think my favourite thing in nature is the beach. I love a lazy summer day at the beach!
I never realized that flower pigment rubs off like that on paper – very beautiful project! As for me, I love the blue sky, and my favorite flower is the stargazer lily – had them in my wedding. *sigh*
Thanks for the chance to win these inspiring prizes!
Flowers is my favorite. I like the colors and the scents of them.
my favorite would have to be flowers.
i love the owls.
My favorite thing in nature has to be a gorgeous sunset. I never get tired of them.
Butterflies, I heart them!!!
Luv your project.
My favorite flower are pansies – which stands for thoughts! I just love them – any color!
My favorite? Paper of course!!
Ok seriously, my favorites natural items for papercrafting are the new Papertrey Ink coconut shell buttons. Apart from papercrafting: the sea and sunshine 
I love trees – pretty much any kind.
My favorite would have to be my plum tree! The blossoms are oh so beautiful, and the smell, well undescribable! Love it!
my favourite item from nature – trees. They do so much for us – provide oxygen, shade, beauty. We don’t have a very big lot, but we have managed to incorporate 7 different trees into our landscape.
I love flowers and love checking them out as they bloom in the garden. Kind of like little surprises popping up!
Honeysuckle vines are my favorite because the smell reminds me of my childhood. I used to pull the center and suck off the honey – how fun!
I love nature–in hiking I love the sound of water trickling and water falls, but I also love flowers! I love to water color them, stamp them, die cut them and especially love looking at my yard full of roses, hybiscus, oleander, Lillies and petunias! A marvelous feast for the eyes.
I love flowers and the ocean!
walk on the grass, my favorite moment !!!
I love the nature and like to look at the ocean, ear the waves and the birds… it’s so peacefull !
I bought 2 bunches of peonies yesterday and they are next to me on the dining table. I love these in all kind of colors.
Eveline.
My favorite thing from nature would have to be flowers. Your card really turned out great. TFS.
Janet
My favorite thing from nature would have to trees. There pretty kool, they each have there own history.
How fun!! I love spring flowers the best, just wish they lasted longer!!
Water….I love water, whether its the rain (which I absolutely love) or the ocean or a little stream…the fog…or even water in my shower…just love it. =)
I love bird nests! Made from twigs and all sorts of other cool things…ribbons, plastic bags, straw, grasses, dryer lint. It always amazes me to see the objects birds have found and incorporated into their nests.
Thanks!