annies home: Daffodils Make A Spring Bouqet

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Daffodils Make A Spring Bouqet

Daffodils are one of my favorite plants and do line my yard. They have been here longer than me as the previous owner planted them. They come up yearly as daffodils are perennial plants. Daffodils leaves arch with leaves that are either strap shaped or cylindrical. The beautiful flower part of the flower is cup shaped with six petals which can be flat, round, or trumpeted. Petals are usually yellow or white. While have seen the cups in shades of yellow, red, orange, green or pink.

I always look forward to the first daffodil as it is also the first sign of spring to me. Many around here call them easter lilies but in truth an easter lily is a bit different. But because daffodils appear around the first of spring before other plants and close to the season of Easter.

The Daffodils and Their Relatives
Daffy down Dilly came up in the cold from the brown mold,
although the March breezes blew keen in her face,
although the white snow lay on many a place

While waiting for the first spring flowers to arrive why not create a bouquet of flowers

One paper egg carton
12 pipe cleaners
24 gauge wire
Buttons
Acrylic paint in your choice of colors
Floral tape
Scissors
Paper clip
Varnish (optional)
Glue (I used wood glue, but regular white glue should do the trick.)

Find a paper egg carton.

Remove the egg carton cups using scissors.(I also cut a few of the triangular parts of the egg carton that are between the cups.)

Cut the egg carton cups into various flower shapes. (I fringed some, made some rounded and others were made into daffodil shapes.)

Paint the cups using acrylic paint. Let dry. Coat with glossy varnish. (This step is not mandatory, but if you want them to be glossy you will need to varnish them.)

Take the end of a paper clip and poke two holes into the back of one of the flowers.

Take 24 gauge wire and pipe cleaner and poke them through the bottom of one of the holes.

If you are going to add one of the triangles to the center instead of the button, weave the pipe cleaner through the other hole.

Glue the triangular shape to the middle of the flower and let dry.

If you are using a button for the center of the flower, place a button on the wire/pipe cleaner.

Forming a loop, bring wire/pipe cleaner through the other hole.

Take floral tape and begin wrapping just beneath the bottom of the flower. I hold the flower in my right hand (I am right-handed) and the tape in my left. I spin the flower with my left finger and thumb until the tape covers the length of the flower. This is a bit tricky at first, but after doing a few you will get the hang of it.