Materials
needed:
White Plastic Spoons(10-13) **
Dried flower/pine cone
Candle
A plastic disc cut from a milk/juice carton (aprox 2 1/2 " in diameter)
glue gun
dried/treated magnolia leaves or silk
Try to do this in
an area free
from any fans, AC, or breezes. Hold the spoon BOWL SIDE DOWN
at an angle about 2 inches over flame. Any closer and you'll get
black streaks from smoke and heat. After about 30 seconds - the
spoon
will start to "slump" - immediately remove the spoon from the heat and
lay aside. You can shape them if they slump too much while still
warm - just lift them and hold them until the plastic re-hardens(about
30 seconds). Cut the handles from spoons - save the handles
for bracing if you need it.
Position five
spoons along the
edge of the disc - approximately 1/2 inch from the outer edge.
Put
hot glue on the cut end of the spoon and glue down to disc using a
"star"
as a guide - one on top and then the other four into the star
pattern.
The next row should take only four spoons - and you place them
between
the five spoons. Place the glue more toward the cut end so they
will
stand up at an angle versus the first row which are flat down.
You
might use the cut handles to "brace" the spoons in a more upward
position.
The last row can either be 2 or 3 spoons, depends on placement and
shape.
Liberally place the hot glue on the cut part of the spoon - carefully
stand
it up right outside the center of the "flower". You'll use either
2 or 3 for this. Again, use handles to brace spoons upright for
2-3
minutes until glue dries. Place either a small pine cone or dried fuzzy
flower in the center with hot glue. Add leaves.
Some Ideas
for using your
faux flower
You can put a
magnet on
it for decoration or a clothespin to attach it to Christmas trees or
for
place cards for entertaining. Adding a magnet to the clothespin
makes
it a great refrigerator magnet to hold messages, notes, etc.
DOGWOOD
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for larger
view
Materials
needed:
Plastic
spoons **
- 4
Candle
Hot
glue
Plastic disc
from milk/juice
carton
dried yellow
yarrow
Hold
the spoon vertically over the flame - straight up with the bowl
straight
down over the flame about 2 inches. Watch carefully, and as soon
as spoon starts to "curl or notch" in the center of the tip of the
bowl,
remove it from the heat. If you want it notched more - you can
press
against the warm (not hot) plastic and make the indentation more
pronounced.
Cut the handles off the spoons. You won't need them for
bracing.
Place hot glue on the back of the spoon and position on the plastic
circular
disc you've cut from the milk carton. Leave a space in the middle
to accommodate several small dried yarrow clusters. This
forms
the yellow actual flower of the real dogwood. You can attach it
with
a clothespin and/or magnet for the same uses as magnolia.
WATER LILY
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for larger
view
Materials
needed:
Plastic
spoons**
- 13-15
Candle
Hot
glue
Plastic disc
Dried poppy
pod for center
You do not need to
melt
or slump the spoons for the lotus water lily. Just position the
six
spoons for the first row on the outside edge. Position 5 in the
next
row, bracing as you did for the magnolia - and finish with 3-4 in the
inside
row. Leave space for a dried poppy pod as the center.
**It is
best to use
white spoons from Wal-Mart and K-Mart that come 50 in a pack. The more
economical brands and quantities do not shape or form well for the
magnolia
and dogwood flowers.
If using colors
- sometimes
hold the spoon bowl side up - some colored spoons shape better using
this
method.
