Bird Of Paradise

I've been making presents for friends and family lately and it's mostly been flower key-rings.

I love making them and they always seem to be warmly received which encourages me.

Plus I love seeing them on the recipient's keys when it's time for those keys to come out.....

This is the only one I managed to photograph before I gave it away.

It's a wild combination of the brightest, happiest colours that I could find, with some of my favourite golden stamens in the centre.

I usually add beads to the centre because I know they will last longer* but I just couldn't resist the stamens this time.

 The leaves are in one of my favourite shantung silk coppery-golds. It's positively luminous and never fails to put a smile on my face. Unfortunately, this was the last of it.....

I'm happy to say that, yes, it was warmly received.

 * these flower keyrings last in great condition for about a year and then start showing the wear....They can be washed and revived provided that their centres are beaded and they do not have metalic parts. I haven't as yet tried washing flowers with stamens.

Linked to:

The Dedicated House, Annemarie's Haakblog, I Heart Naptime

Violet And Blue

I made this violet and blue organza flower keyring the other day for a friend.

It's the very first thing I made in the new year! 

 The leaves are a beautiful, deep violet purple satin and the flower is a deep almost midnight blue organza. I couldn't photograph either true hue properly but you get the general idea of what it looks like. 

I love the violet-blue combination of flower and leaves and thankfully so does the receiver who  is already in possession of it.... 

I've actually made myself a couple of these flower keyrings (in other colour combinations) for the new year.

I'll try to remember to photograph them and share the pictures.....

Linked to:
Maybe She Made It, Homework, The Dedicated House, Annemarie's Haakblog, I Heart Naptime, The Silly Pearl, The Dedicated House