I've had an obsession with crafting using foam sheets. Yes, the ones you find at the craft stores in the kiddie section. The material is so easily manipulated just by using heat - either from an iron, candle, griddle or hot plate. You can even form beautiful contours from the heat of your hands by twisting, pulling and shaping.
I first noticed foam flowers at a local upscale garden center, Homestead Gardens - beautiful, large, realistic looking flowers. I took several photos of them at different angles, determined to re-create those lovelies! Using mostly white or light colored foam sheets, I could use any type of coloring - acrylics, colored chalk and even eye shadow to change the foam into a work of art. So far, I've made a few different types that you can find here, here, here, here and here. Whew, I told you I'm obsessed!
One day last week, while rearranging my linen closet, I found a beautiful paper guest towel I had forgotten about. I knew I wanted to use the flower on the paper as a pattern for a foam flower creation.
And this is what I came up with:
Materials Used:
1. First, make a pattern - either by taking an artificial flower apart or using free petal/flower graphics online. Remember, the size of the petals dictate how large the flower will be. Once you've found a pattern, cut it out on cardstock or posterboard. Using a toothpick, trace around pattern onto foam - remember, pencil marks are hard to remove from foam. Cut out six petals.
2. Heat the foam petal by placing it on an iron or hot griddle or plate or over a candle to warm - your choice. I prefer to use a griddle or iron. If using a hot flat surface, it only takes a few seconds for the foam to curl. Remove the foam using a skewer stick so you won't burn your fingers.
3. Carefully twist the edges back and forth like a ripple effect and shape. You can use the tip of a toothpick to draw veins in the petals.
4. Color the petals, front and back, using pictures of real flowers to follow, by swiping the paint on, giving it a gradient or shading effect.
Start at the bottom with green . . .
and then use a purple shade. Paint can be thinned out with water.
5. Stems can be added to back by dipping the wire into the opening of E6000 glue and pressing on.
6. To assemble flower, glue faux stamen onto center of a petal . . .
and then glue on two more petals.
7. Continue gluing on petals, staggering them in between.
I love how this flower turned out.
8. You can freehand cutout leaves in the same manner as the petals and add on, as desired.
To make the pot:
Using a craft knife, cut Styrofoam cup in half.
Coat cup with Mod Podge.
Select desired pattern from paper guest towel. Separate white backing from color pattern and lay on top of coated cup, smoothing out using cling wrap. Allow to dry. Paint on additional mod podge to seal.
Remove glass from frame and hot glue decoupage cup to inside frame backing.
Add floral moss . . .
flowers and leaves.
Pretty cool, don't you think!
Take a little time to
enjoy
and
Happy Crafting!
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