Mini Gumball Machines

Someone asked me once where I get my ideas for OTP's from. The truth is - I really don't know - they just seem to leap out at me when I am looking at things. Out of the blue - at the weirdest  moments and looking at the most mundane things - ideas just come to me. ;)

So - I have these cute little gumball machines (thanks Alison Bevis for spotting them for me on one of your little shopping trips) - and then I got an idea ...

Whilst I love to make OTP's, I also try to make them functionally useful if possible and as Mazz Cairns would say, not "dust collectors" so I decided to make a pink one first (and a little shabby in style) so I could store my fuschia rhinestone dots.

I started by covering it with Gesso, then while it was still wet, I scrunched up some muslin all over it. Then I sprayed it with some watered-down pink paint..

I taped down some of our pink organza scalloped edged ribbon, bent one of our pins from the "Perfectly Pink" Flutterbies collection and added a pink butterfly (which had a pearl centered flower on it) to the top of the gumball machine.  

Then it was time to tie a bow with the ribbon and cover it with clustered flowers (also from the "Perfectly Pink" Flutterbies collection), some 1cm light pink roses, 1cm dark pink roses, pink sweetheart blossoms, large pink & white leaves, silver leaf charm and our pink pearl garland. 

Then I added a single flower from our White Felt Ribbon, which I centered with one of our roses.

More butterflies from our "Perfectly Pink" Flutterbies collection,

pink pearl garland, lots more roses and our pink sweetheart blooms.

 The bottom edging was made with some scrap lace and more of our 1cm light pink roses.

Now to work on my blue gumball machine ... I am thinking maybe a nautical theme, with some of our blue scroll felt ribbon ... so stay tuned.