Transcripts
1. Introduction: Hi everyone. I'm Carella and I'm back for another
artistic adventure. I'm a Peruvian artist that specialize in co,
creating with nature. And today I'm going to show you a simple method to
press flowers without any special tools and how to make beautiful affirmation
bookmarks with them. If you're a flower enthusiast, this is a fantastic way to keep your favorite flowers
with you and use the beauty of nature to inspire love and
confidence in yourself. In this class, we
are going to create three powerful
affirmation bookmarks. I believe in myself,
I am worthy. I am capable. I will provide three
templates to guide the drawing process
and extra information to give purpose to each
one of your creations. This class is a great
way to stimulate creativity and connect with
the frequency of nature, but you can also think of this
as an art therapy session. See you in the first lesson.
2. Flower Pressing Tutorial: If you have a flower
press as great, but if you don't, you can use
books or Sheets of favor. Let's begin with the first step, which is collecting our samples. Since we are making compositions in addition to our flowers, we're also going to need
stems, small leaves, and any plant that
you like, ferns, are very easy to press, and I recommend collecting the blades as well as
the individual parts. It is also very useful to check if there are dry
leaves on the ground. I was surprised by the
colors of the Kino leaves. Take enough leaf samples, small and large specimens. Let's talk about the flowers. Some flowers take a while
to decompose if they fall. I invite you to
keep an eye on them and take what nature
has already given you. Now, which flowers retain their colors best after present? You may want to choose flowers with a single layer of petals. The less water they
contain, the better. Therefore, thinner flowers
tend to perform better. But it doesn't hurt to also experiment with thick flowers. I have found beautiful
surprises before. I also recommend keeping some flowers with their
leaves and stems. They will provide a sense of structure to the
compositions we want to create for delicate samples. Bring a book or small
box to store them. For the rest, you can
use any box or basket. Let's prepare all we
need for pressing. Here we have the flowers, leaves and stems, scissors, tweezers, parchment
paper, and books. I like to use parchment
paper because it can absorb more moisture
than other papers. You can also use newspapers
if you have some at home. I recommend folding
your paper this way to help move the
samples elsewhere. Make sure to fit the sheets of paper to the size of the book. Here we have our flowers. Now we're going to
discard bad leaves and clean our samples
from dirt and box. If some of your samples are wet, way until they dry. I've decided to discard
this stem because it's very thick and it would be difficult to glue
it into the paper, but this other
sample is perfect. To keep it as it is, if you have many samples
of the same flower, I recommend arranging
different looks. To do this, you can cut some
petals and keep some stems. This type of flower,
for example, doesn't offer many options. I am cutting the stem by keeping the leaves since they're
very pretty and thin. Here I have a sample that is
very difficult to approach. I'm removing the front
petals to facilitate the pressing and get
a better look inside. Just be careful when you
place them in the book. The process for the
leaves is much easier, since most leaves don't
contain a lot of moisture. You don't have to
use parchment paper. Proceed with the
remaining samples and organize them by thickness. Remember to not overload the paper to prevent the
accumulation of humidity. Less humidity will allow
for vibrant colors. When you're done, add
additional weight on top of the books to
provide enough pressure. The next step is to
wait two to four weeks. The time will depend
on the thickness of the flowers and the
humidity you pump at home. You can check the
progress after two weeks, and if they are still
sticking to the page, wait a bit longer. The fourth and last
step, the revealing. Use your twitters to help you remove your
delicate samples. You can store them
in notebooks or simply keep them inside
the parchment paper. I personally prefer
to keep them in the paper because it's
easier to organize them. In the next lesson,
we're going to review the materials we need
for the bookmarks.
3. Bookmark Materials: These are the other materials you need to make the bookmarks. The first step is
choosing the type of paper and the size
of your bookmark. I have selected this size,
18 centimeters long, 6 centimeters wide, to
have plenty of room to create that you can adjust
it depending on your liking. The standard size for
bookmarks are five to 8 centimeters wide and 12
to 21 centimeters long. I recommend using paper that
is 250 grams and above. This time I'm choosing two
different types of paper. I have this black
watercolor paper. If you have collected white
or clear colored flowers, I suggest using
black paper as well. Also, I'm using 300
grams watercolor paper, cold press, and ivory color. I'm going to draw using my
0.5 black pigment liner. But you can use any other
tools you have at home. Also, I have this
white pigment liner to use on the black paper. Have some tweezers at hand
to handle your flowers. To glue your samples
into the paper, you can use white or
transparent glue. If you have thick stems, you may need stronger glue. But I don't recommend using
thick stems for bookmarks, since they can ruin the book. Finally, you can print the templates and provide them
in the resources section.
4. Design your Project: We are going to make bookmarks with these three affirmations. The first one is called, I believe in myself. The second one is
called, I am worthy. The third one is
called, I am capable. The making process for each
bookmark is an opportunity to reflect and bring attention
towards your inner self. I invite you to observe the
beauty that exists within you and express it using the flowers and leaves
that you have collected. Another goal of this project
is to open yourself to fulfill your emotions while giving life to
these affirmations. And providing templates in
the resources section for each bookmark you can bring them to help you
during the drawing step. I'm also including
extra guidelines that I will explain how to use
in the following lessons. Please feel free to adjust or compliment your bookmarks
with your personal touches. I encourage you to share your work in the
project section. Doing so, you're
inspiring others to feel confident and
appreciate one another. This class can
also be adapted to create cards instead
of bookmarks. If you like more crafting space or have very large
flower displays, you might consider making
affirmation cards. It's up to you. Let's begin
with our first design.
5. Bookmark 1: I Believe in Myself: I believe in myself. The act of believing in yourself takes place
when you're able to give your abilities to the world and remain open to receive what life
is putting in front of you. This simultaneous
process involves mastering our own power
to give and receive. These are the Yin
and Jan energies, the Feminine and Masculine
within ourselves. Let's begin by drawing the body. You can find the templates for the body shapes in the
resources section. Place the paper against the window to draw
the silhouette. If you wish, you can
adapt this drawing to the shape of your body or
adjust it to your liking. Once you're done with a drawing, let's create our composition
without any clue. Only when you're
happy with that sign. You can glue
everything together. This way you have more room for creativity During
the creation process. I recommend preparing
a selection of flowers that
you can play with, pat them on a movable surface
to make your work easier. Let's start by
choosing two elements. The first one will
be placed above the right hand to symbolize
the power of the sun, The masculine or an energy. Take your time to feel and choose flowers or
perhaps leaves. That remind you about the
power of giving and taking action with different samples
until you find the one. Now let's choose the sample
that goes on the left hand. This element symbolizes our
gene energy and the moon, which of your flowers
inspires you to trust the process and open yourself to receiving what is
inherently yours? The next step is choosing other elements
such as leaves and stems to create a feeling of communication and harmony
around these two channels. The stems can help
you add curves or lines to create a
sense of movement. But you can also line
up small leaves or tiny flowers to give
rhythm for your design. Play with different
textures or shapes. Try mixing triangular
and rounded leaves, tiny and big flowers,
to simulate nature. Be careful not to mix too many elements or include
colors that may distract, instead of bringing
focus to the main parts. This practice can help you
notice how your gene and gen, energies are manifested
in your body. Right now. Remember to relax and
enjoy this process. Once you're done
with that design, now it's time to glue the
flowers to the paper. You don't need to
use a lot of glue, but I recommend applying the product with a
little stick or brush. If I have samples that
stick out of the paper, I prefer to cut them at the end to leave a
more precise finish. The last step is writing your affirmation and use the liner to decorate your
bookmark as you prefer. For example, I wanted to
make the moon more visible. If you're interested in reading a bit more about self belief, you can download the PDF
in the resources section and this is the final result.
6. Bookmark 2: I am Worthy: I am worthy. This one. We're going to do it a little different before
drawing anything. I invite you to go to the
mirror and give yourself a hug. Look deep into your eyes
and observe with gratitude. Then close your
eyes and visualize this gratitude traveling within your body from top to bottom. Let it flow around you. With this feeling, we are
going to create this bookmark. Remember to get your templates from their resources section and you're welcome to modify and complete this
drawing if you want. I prefer to leave at
a cities and place the flower instead of the head. For the following part, please open this list of pillars that are
connected to self worth. I invite you to choose
any pillar from the list. I pronounce it loud. Take a moment to notice how your body feels
about this pillar. Using your intuition,
choose any flower or specimen that could bring brighter energy around
this pillar in your life. You don't have to
do the whole list. Focus on those that really catch your attention right now. If you want to create a sense of unity within your design, try choosing similar
colors of flowers. Also repeating the
same element in different sizes can bring
harmony and cohesion. Sometimes I like to create layers to attract more attention to some elements or simply
at depth to my design. Take your time to
find a place for them and once you're
happy with the design, begin the gluing process. Do your best to
stay present during this practice by reflecting
on each pillar you chose, I suggest writing them down in a separate place so you can
read more about them later. When using black paper, be extra careful when applying the glue because it
can leave stains. The last step is to
seal your intention, which means writing
your affirmation. If you like, you can give an extra touch to your bookmark. All the love and
attention you are putting here is mirroring inside of you. This is the final piece. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a message
in that discussion section here on the class or send
me a message on Instagram. I will be happy to assist you and chat a
little bit with you.
7. Bookmark 3: I am Capable: I am capable. The third affirmation relates to our capacity of ideation
and manifestation, the ethereal and the physical. The Ascendant Current represents the inspiration that arises from our desires and how we are able to transform
them into ideas. The Ascendant current represents the expression of
our imagination. Our ability to act on every necessary step to bring our ideas to this
plane of existence. This drawing is an expression of both currents
happening together. Grab your template
and let's begin with a drawing for the
stream coming up. I invite you to place
one or more samples here above the head to symbolize your ideas and
inspiration coming up. Look for colors or shapes that represent your sense of
creativity and cleverness. I already have this
design ready because I couldn't record during the time I was choosing the flowers. The only detail worth
mentioning is that I used the scissors to cut the ends of these leaves in a
triangular shape. For the second current that ends in the lower
part of the body, you can place any element that
represents fulfillment to you that reminds you of the physical
manifestation of things. Glue your composition, and finally, write your affirmation. These book marks are
beautiful proof that we are capable of
manifesting self love. Use your liner to
draw how you imagine these currents are
occurring in your body. As I said before, this practice can bring
self awareness and help us express with art what we
cannot express with words. I have listed a PDF in the resources section
where you can read more about the
knowledge behind these affirmations and
compliment your learning. In the next lesson, I'll share a fun way to use these
affirmations in the future.
8. Final Recommendations: Thank you for joining
this adventure. I hope the beauty of nature
has inspired your creativity. Finally, I want to share
a few recommendations. One way to use these
bookmarks in the future is by choosing one at the
beginning of your week and reflect on the message. It's more fun when
you choose it. Plainly, remember to be respectful to nature when
collecting your samples. Take only what you need. I like to ask permission
from nature or give notice of my intention
before cutting any flowers. I realize that doing so, I feel much more conscious
during the gathering process. Don't forget to
share your project. And if you're interested
in nature oriented art, check my other classes
here if you like my approach and would
love to delve deeper into a practice
related to creativity, mindfulness, or art therapy, you can visit the one on one sessions that I have
available here on the score. I hope to see you soon.
Karelia Blum, Artist | Mindfulness Facilitator
