Violets and Leaf Tutorial

The new  Graphic 45 "Secret Garden" 8x8" paper pad has such gorgeous papers. You know how much I like purple so I really wanted to create something with the lavender paper and one of the little panels on one of these sheets.  The Graphic 45 paper was added to the background, then the Spellbinders A2- Filigree Delight" frame was added for the background to this arrangement. (The color of card stock is not coming out the true color in this photo - it is more lavender.) Violets were created using  Punch Bunch petals.  There is a Marianne Design "Garden Branch" and a Memory Box "Fresh Foliage"  leafy die cut behind the the violets.    

I received the following email:

 "I love the Memory Box dies well, but I notice on your flowers and leaves you always have them "come to life" with a tool I imagine, but what do you use? I am always finding myself tearing and I know I don't have the right tools, but I look and look and can't find what I think will work. Can you help me?"

I used the Memory Box Fresh Foliage Leaf die she was asking about and thought I would answer explaining here how I made the leaves come to life.  As most of you know, I always use the tools available from Joan's Gardens to shape all my flowers.  Here is a picture:

Flower Tool Kit

To shape the leaves, I use the self-closing tweezers, shown in the top left of this kit.  I place the tweezers on the tip of each leaf, right in the middle, and pinch the edges up to give it a dimensional look.  I think by doing this it creates a more realistic looking leaf.  On the little tiny leaves, I place the tweezers on one side and pinch up the other side.