I first went to my local glass supply shop to buy some glass tubing only to find that they didn't carry it anymore due to the huge druggie clientele who wanted it for...non-crafty purposes. Yet another example of drugs messing up dreams! I had to switch gears, so I looked around for what I already had. I found a plastic tube that had beads in it which I thought would work great (hoarder moment of success)! I inked and stamped a piece of patterned paper and cut it to be able to fit into the tube.
I found this great sentiment in an old vintage book with a broken spine, so I cut it out and glued it to my paper and rolled it into the tube. I also found a Bic pen that fit in the tube and I had my husband drill a hole through the plastic lid of the tube so the point of my pen could stick through it.
I stuck the point of the pen through the hole in the lid, then put the pen inside the tube, inside the patterned paper. To secure the lid in place, and to replicate the look of solder, I cut a strip of shiny aluminum foil tape and wrapped it around the lid. You can find this tape at your local hardware store. Apparently it's used to tape metal vents,etc., together. I used some flat pliers to press it down firmly around the pen's point.
Next I made my flower using the Avery Elle Flower die. This die cuts several petals that you assemble with one brad down the center. You have to bend and glue each petal into a conical shape and I thought these clip tools from Stampendous did a great job of holding the glued parts together (like having an extra three sets of hands)!
I assembled my flower and dipped it in some glass glitter. Then I threw on some tulle and some vintage silvery leaves I found at a yard sale. I wrapped the whole bundle with wire and poked a hole in the other end of my plastic tube (opposite of the pen end). I threaded the wire down into the pen tube and glued the flower to the top to reinforce its stability. I also added a ribbon, which I made from dragging Tim Holtz's crinkle ribbon through puddles of spritzed Distress Ink. I wadded up the ribbon and dried it. I tied it around the pen and wah-la! My faux glass pen was complete!
Here are the supplies I used which you can find at Simon Says Stamp:
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
The theme of plants is so vast and endless that I'm sure you'll find all sorts of ways to incorporate it into a project or two. I'm always amazed at the clever things you come up with week after week. Upload your creation to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog and you just may win the $50 gift voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store!
