Paper and Ribbon Roses

Cupcake Craft Challenges are saying to 'Make Your Own Flowers' this week - GULP - so thought I'd be brave and have a go to see if I could create something suitable to decorate a sidestep birthday card rather than resorting to bought ones.

There are literally thousands of wonderful tutorials to follow out there, just type 'Making Paper/Ribbon Roses into your search engine or click the link I have provided.
My first attempt was to create a Ribbon Rose by loosely twisting and glueing pale pink ribbon around a punched circle, before using silicon gel to attach it to a larger circle of black card which had been cut into rough sections and rolled over at the edges to simulate outer petals.

 While this was drying, I set to work making a trio of Paper Roses from spirals of scrap card which had been embossed with swiss dots and these were embellished further with a narrow black ribbon bow.

I need a bit more practice I think but not bad for a first effort!
The dramatic pink and black paper is from a 12" x 12" pad of Anna Marie Designer paper which I purchased some time last year.
Crafty Cardmakers are having a 'Challenging Challenge' and encouraging us to try a new technique or do something we've been pondering attempting but not quite got around to.  
Both of these techniques for making roses are a first for me and now I've done them once I have no fear about doing them again.  Hopefully, the end results will improve with practice.
Finally, The Pink Elephant Challenge 61 - Nature also allows me to submit this card as we all know that roses are one of nature's many miracles.