I’ll be honest: I’m not an artist. I enjoy being creative—especially in the kitchen—but drawing or designing original artwork isn’t my strength. I can reproduce something if I have a reference, but inventing a piece that looks like real art doesn’t come naturally. That’s okay, though. Sometimes the best choice is to team up with someone who specializes in that skill.
When I decided to participate in the Tour the World by Flower project hosted by Playground Parkbench and represent Minnesota, I wanted a beautiful floral illustration. I commissioned Lizzy Barrett, who specializes in floral drawings, to create a black-and-white depiction of Minnesota’s state flower. The result was a delicate Pink and White Lady’s Slipper Orchid—exactly what I envisioned—so I’m sharing it here as a free printable.
My original plan was to turn the printable into a paper-cut collage using various scrapbook papers in greens, pinks, whites, and yellows. I imagined cutting away the white sections to reveal patterned paper beneath. In my head it looked fantastic, but in practice the many thin black lines—especially in the leaves—made precise cutting difficult and easy to tear the cardstock.
I switched to watercolors instead, which proved faster and more kid-friendly. Surprisingly, a Q-tip worked better than a brush for filling small areas, giving more control and reducing the chance of going over the lines.
Because the Lady’s Slipper is largely white, I wanted to keep that delicate look while still giving it dimension. I used white glitter glue to fill the white portions; it looks lovely up close, though it doesn’t always photograph well. If you want the white areas to really stand out, apply a slightly heavier layer of glitter glue or use traditional white glitter for extra sparkle.
When the paint and embellishments have dried, the finished piece fits perfectly in an 8×10-inch frame. While I used watercolor, you can achieve beautiful results with markers, colored pencils, or even crayons, depending on the look you want and the ages of those decorating it. This project not only creates a lovely piece of art for your home, but it’s also a fun way to celebrate Minnesota pride and teach others about the Pink and White Lady’s Slipper Orchid.
Download Free Printable
To make this project, print the Orchid Free Printable on sturdy paper or light cardstock. The file is set up so you can easily color it by hand and then frame the result for display.
If you’re interested in more flower-themed crafts and artwork from other contributors, explore the Tour the World by Flower collection at Playground Parkbench to see a variety of creative projects inspired by blooms from around the globe.