Tattered Floral Challenge

I'm sure a lot of you have checked this out already, but right now Tim Holtz has a tattered floral challenge going on at his blog.  Since his Tattered Flower Sizzix Bigz die is one of my favorites and probably the most used, I decided to play along.  I started trying different things with it a couple of weeks ago, but unfortunately most of my "over-tattered" flowers ended up in the  garbage!  I decided to give it a go again, and wanted to use a wood birdhouse kind of basket that I had bought last year from Winners (like a TJ Max).  It was painted white with an ugly shade of yellow that was crying out to be altered!  I was so inspired by Tammy Tutterow's beautiful flowers, I decided to use some chiffon type fabric that I've had for years.  I can't even remember why I bought it, probably had some project in mind; along with all my other unfinished ones (or should I say not even started projects)!
Here's my finished project:

I started out by painting all the yellow trim with black paint, and then after it had dried, clear Rock Candy crackle paint.  Once that dried, I lightly applied a bit of Bundled Sage and Peacock Feathers Distress stain in a few places.  I didn't want the stain too dark, so I wiped a bit off with a damp cloth before it dried. The main box was covered with "Dear Jane"paper from Carta Bella Paper's "So Noted" Collection.  I painted the inside with a light turquoise paint.  After it dried, I painted lightly over it with white paint.  After that had dried, I put a bit of Sage Green Distress Stain in a mini mister with water and sprayed lightly over the painted inside.  I dried the sprayed areas immediately with my heat gun, so it had a vintage spotted look.  Now I was ready to make my flowers!

First, I cut squares of my chiffon fabric about the size of the large tattered flower.  Cut out quite a few, it's always good to have extras for other projects.  I took three or four, layered them, folded in half, then again and stapled the corner.  Fluff out your flower to get it ready for the coloring.  To get a soft color, I dabbed Peacock Feathers and Bundled Sage Green Distress ink in two separate piles on my non-stick craft mat.  Next, I sprayed a small amount of water on my flower and the small stain piles.  Dip the edges of the flower into the stain and depending how light you want it, spritz more water on your flower.  Lightly and  carefully, dry immediately with your heat gun.  This particular fabric curled up when I heated it, so I didn't do it for very long.  Some of them I left that way, and others I applied a bit of clear embossing ink on the edges with Ranger's Embossing dabber.  Next I embossed with Ranger's Antiquities Verdigris embossing powder.
For my leaves and twirly twigs, I used thin wire and Tim Holtz Tissue wrap.  Cut the tissue in thin strips (about 1/4" wide), apply Claudine Helmuth's Matte Medium, and wrap around the wire.  I cut the leaves with Sizzix's Tim Holtz Tattered Leaves die, covered two with Matte Medium, and glued together with a piece of wire in between.  Lightly brush the leaves and twigs with Bundled Sage Green Distress Stain.

I added a few flowers and twigs along the sides and back also.

I filled my bird house box with moss and some easter eggs.  I love that rusted one, which really isn't an easter egg.  I bought this, which was in a set of four, from Wellington Gardens(my favorite store) last year.  It's really an antique grape protector that opens up.  Isn't that cool?
I love looking for objects to alter, sometimes finding a great deal on damaged or badly painted ones!
Hope you like my take on the Tattered Flower challenge, and if you have that die, join in!