Clay Cherry Blossom in a Vase

Bring spring in your home with this beautiful cherry blossom in a vase. This flower arrangement can be put as a centerpiece on a dining table or can beautify your corner lamp stand or may be an end table. Wherever you keep this handmade cherry blossom it is definitely going to make the space the center of attraction. This classy arrangement is something you can make yourself with a little effort.
Refer picture below for a closer look.


Supplies you need:
- Air dry clay- white and red
- Pollens
- Bamboo skewer
- Floral wire
- Brown floral tape
- Vase
- Dry stems from your backyard


Follow the above picture for the step wise instructions to create this beautiful cherry blossom in clay. To begin with you need to mix the white air dry clay with a pinch of red. Mix well. Try to reach the desired shade of pink. Once you get the desired shade keep the clay covered as it dries really quickly.
-Take a small tear drop of clay as in the picture above.
-Holding the tear drop in your hand, put the bamboo skewer at the center and start rotating both the clay and the skewer. Keep rotating till you get the thickness like of petals as shown.
-Flatten it and cut petals as shown using pointed scissors.
-Using your fingers fold the edges of the petals downward as shown.
-Use skewers to highlight the center of the cherry blossom.
-Insert pollens at the center
-Insert wire and let the flower dry for few hours or may be overnight.
-To make buds you can use the tear drop shape.
-Complete by covering the floral wire using brown tape.
-Arrange the flowers the way you like.
This is how I arranged it. For making the below arrangement you will need about 40 flowers. Have fun creating this handmade clay cherry blossom flower arrangement this spring.


Tips: Air dry clay is available in craft stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby.
You can also order them online from Amazon or similar websites.
We recommend using Delight or Deco clay for this project.
Instead of red clay you can also use acrylic paint.
It is a good idea to prepare the clay all at once to make sure you get the same shade in all flowers.

Paper flower arrangement

Making paper flowers has been my passion since I learned this art during the summer break before joining college. I did incorporate my imagination to the basic art I had learned. Its amazing how you can create amazing pieces of art once you set your heart into it.
This creation was inspired by a fresh flower arrangement recently given to one of our neighbors on her 50th birthday.

Material
Double crepe paper - Pink color 1 sheet for petals.
Double crepe paper - Green color for calyx
Floral tape
18# wire - 5 pieces each about 6 inches long
Wire cutter
Glue
Pebbles - about 2 bags
Round transparent glass vase
Baby breath flower stems artificial - 2

All the material is easily available at craft stores like Michaels.
To make rose first cut out the petals as per the template.
For one rose you will need about 11 petals. Take the stem, roll one petal entirely on the stem at the center using glue. Its better to use a painting brush to apply glue. Add the next petal making sure its opposite to the previously added petal. Once you have fixed five petals and it starts looking like a rose bud which is just starting to open, take another petal roll the sides using a toothpick. Fix the rest of the petals in such a way that they face each other and on putting the last petal it looks like a complete rose. If you feel the rose is complete after fixing the 10th petal there is no need to put the 11th one. Make sure height of all the petals are same.
Turn the flower and fix the calyx on the stem. Calyx can be cut using the template on the green double crepe paper. Fix it using glue.
Cover the stem using floral tape. Make the rest of the 4 rose flowers using this technique.

Now fill the glass vase with the pebbles, keep a little aside for later use.
Put one rose in the center and rest four on the sides in a symmetrical pattern. Fill up the vase with baby breath stems. You might have to cut the branches based on the height of the vase and to use as a filler in the arrangement. Once done, fill up the vase with rest of the pebbles to give a perfect finish. Your arrangement is ready. Enjoy your morning with the lovely roses at your breakfast table.