FREAKS OF NATURE.
I started planting our flower bed a few days ago. Jesse and I know very little about flowers, but are eager to grow and learn about them. When we were ordering seeds, there were only a few types of flowers I knew I wanted. Other than that, it was mostly an adventure in guessing ....picking what sounded nice or looked pretty. One of these mystery varieties was "calendula." When I opened the packet, I honestly almost screamed and dropped the seeds. Seriously, they are the MOST BIZARRE seeds I have ever seen. I called Jesse over and he peeked into the package and said, "Are they alive?" The seeds look like little tiny octopus tentacles or sea creatures or worms....so strange. This picture truly doesn't do them justice. It was terrifying. But I am obsessed with them. There is so much to learn and discover about plants and vegetables and farming and nature...and I hope to never stop being surprised by it.- Hannah.
CRAFTING THROUGH THE FLU.
So I have the flu. Or had it, rather. Earlier this afternoon I ventured out of the house for the first time in days, and I feel like I am on the mend. Basically, my head does not feel like a swollen volcano of pain anymore. Progress! Of course, this is wonderful timing, because Jesse and I are getting MARRIED...in FOUR DAYS! I just can't believe it, really. All that being said, I know this is supposed to be a blog about farming, but I have had little else to do with my time while laying around sniffling and groaning this week. So today, we are going to talk about crafting.
While making plans for our (incredibly simple) wedding, I realized something: flowers are insanely expensive! Is this common knowledge? I was not aware. While trying to figure out how to justify paying for a bouquet and boutonniere that would eventually shrivel up and die, I decided to just make my own. It was honestly incredibly easy, and now Jesse and I have something to keep forever! This is a great project for a wedding bouquet, but it would also make wonderful centerpieces or just decoration for your home. The best part is that you can customize the colors to exactly what you need, because it is just made out of PAPER!
So here's the step by step:
MATERIALS:
ROSETTES:
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| Draw a spiral. |
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| Cut out the spiral. |
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| Start rolling the spiral into itself, starting in the middle. |
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| If you need to, you can secure the outside with a piece of tape or glue, so it doesn't unroll. |
CARNATIONS:
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| Cut out a set of circles, slowly increasing in size. |
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| Wrinkle up the paper circles. Poke the wooden stick (or twig, or wire, or whatever) through the biggest circle. |
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| Keep poking circles down on the stick on top of the first, getting smaller as you go. |
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| After adding the smallest circle on the top, I added a little superglue, letting it drip down the stick and securing each circle in the right place. |
PUFF BALLS:
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| Wrap yarn around your fingers. |
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| Once you have a thick amount, cut it free from the skein. |
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| Carefully slide the bunch off of your fingers. |
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| Tie it using a separate, small piece of yarn. |
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| Cut through the loops on both sides. |
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| Trim the yarn until it resembles a ball! |
NOW....
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Keep making them until you have A LOT...trust me, it takes a lot. Then attach them to your wooden sticks or wire.
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| Arrange the flowers by sticking them in the styrofoam ball. I supplemented mine with some silk flowers and rattan balls. |
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| If you are making a bouquet, you can make a handle by grouping a bunch of wooden sticks together and wrapping them with ribbon. |
TAH DAH!!!
I am really pleased with how this turned out. It was fun to make, and a welcome distraction from my sick days. I hope the holidays are finding you happy and healthy, and now I'm off to make Jesse's boutonniere!
- Hannah.