Angels among us...and a paper flower DIY

 How has your week started off?  I captured this breath-taking sunrise through my bedroom window this morning.  I admit, that morning time (after my coffee and shower) is my favorite time of day now.  It's like a breath of fresh air, a huge sigh.  A time to start over, blank slate in hand.   

I saw the COOLEST photo project idea here, where one of my favorite bloggers photographed the sunset each day and then printed the pictures and made a gallery wall out of it.  Brilliant! 

 I'm a sucker for old, faded, antique-y looking things.  Which is why I just couldn't bear to throw the dried flowers away that the girls and I treated ourselves too.  These prized beauties are sitting on my dining room table.  I'm thinking they would look lovely laying on an open book, as photo props.  I'll add that to my spring list of photo ideas...I've created a little extra photography project for myself I'll tell you about soon.  

 "Look Mama! I'm an angel!" 

 It snowed a bit today.  As begrudgingly as I watched it come down, I stepped outside quickly anyway because it was a goal of mine to capture at least one snowflake up close.  The intricacy of it.  I mean, can you believe this?! This much detail into one tiny snowflake?!  There is truly beauty among us, even in the tiniest of places.

 This little crowded vignette is such a delight for my eyes this week.  Lots of my favorite things (and people) all tucked in nice and close on my craft room window sill.  I'm dreaming of getting in there one night soon and lighting a bunch of candles.  Doesn't that sound wonderful?

After I exercise (which isn't happening near as much lately, sleep is limited right now) I'm usually so tired I sit for a chat with Brett and then go to bed.  Does anyone understand or are you super productive in the evenings?

 So I saw the most brilliant, GORGEOUS idea in the last Martha Stewart magazine to make crepe paper flowers.  It's actually an idea from Paper to Petal, which looks wildly inspiring.  I wanted to make the paper flowers so badly but my motivation for running around town to gather the "correct" supplies was like nada.  With two babies and limited funds....bring on the creativity for using what I already have on hand!  So that's just what Anna Ruth and I did.  

We started by painting several different paper types we already had at home: Coffee filters, plain white paper, old book pages, and Q-tips.

 Next I began to assemble the flower.  To make the center (I have no idea what the correct flower terms are so you'll have to excuse me!) I taped four Q-tips around a kabob stick, used normally in the kitchen.  

Then I cut some large petal shapes from the coffee filters we painted, which were actually 3 or 4 coffee filters stacked on top of each other.

I rolled the coffee filter petals up and placed them around the Q-tips.  I taped all of these in place with washi tape, because it's the only thing I had on hand.

 Next it was on to the old book pages, which had also been painted.  I cut a petal shape out of these too and then pinched the bottom of each petal to make the top part more curved, like a real flower.

The book page petals were then placed around the coffee filter petals.  I held all of these in place with washi tape, wound tightly around the flower again.

 The last step was my favorite. I cut much bigger petals out from the plain white paper and placed them with the color side facing up.  These were layered around the very outside of the flower.

I twisted a rubber band around the entire flower to hold all of the petals in place. 

I was so pleased with the final result! 

 I think these would be gorgeous in big, colorful clumps, with paper leaves attached.  It surprised me how much time and how many materials were needed to make just one of these but I think the reward was worth it.  I plan on making more of these soon and creating a pretty spring arrangement on our dining room table with them.  Or maybe a wreath....or toppers for a present, or a garland. 

So many possibilities. 

And in case you're wondering if I really mean the term "happy mess" when I use it, I do. 

Anna Ruth was happily playing with her bag of fabric scraps and art supplies while I assembled the flower.  A happy mess, indeed.

What are you up to this week?