Free Porcelain Flowers for art projects

Enter Giveaway for a free mosaic serving tray until 5/29/10

 Free, well almost! I will show you how to chisel porcelain flowers off from nick nacks from the thrift store or tag sale.  Here is a couple examples.

This was a plain mirror dresser tray that I painted white and added a porcelain rose

Here is a spoon or hanky holder (Spoon holders are great for displaying vintage hankies) note this flower is glued onto a brooch. This is available at The Polka Dot Closet

One last example.  This is available at The Polka Dot Closet

Soooo, are you intrigued, heres how.  The first thing you do is gather all of your nick nacks, now I pick these up for $1-$2 at the thrift store, look for the ones marked down because there is a chipped flower or cracked base, no one wants these, but us!

Now grab your goggles or glasses because the porcelain is about to fly! You will need a chisel (I have never tried it, but maybe a standard screw driver would work?) and a hammer.  Then really pad your work surface with a towel or bubble wrap.  The first thing I like to do is wrap the adjacent flower with a little bubble wrap so you don't damage it when you chisel the one next to it off.

 Now, lets get this party started!!

Look at all of those luscious roses, do you have a project in mind yet?

Were on a roll now!

Sometimes they practically fall out, if the stems are to long for your project you can just use tile nippers and clip the stems off.

Here's just a little tip, you need nick nacks that are the real deal, not the ones from the dollar store, they just won't chip off.  Don't use something like this:

Because it will end up like this:

Trust me on this, they just don't break off.

You need something like this:

 Look $1.91 but it gets better, it was 1/2 price day .95 Yippee

Then you get this:

Now take all of your flower treasures and put them in a drawer lined with bubble wrap

 

To attach your flowers to your project you will need either Weldbond or E-6000.  Weldbond, I ordered on the internet, but E-6000 is available at all craft stores.  You also might need painters tape to hold your flower in place while the glue dries

Now don't limit your self to flowers, chip off those angels or birds, I can tell your creative brains are already in action.

Happy Creating!

Carol