Cornhusk Flowers

In November, the blossoms of summertime are little more than a distant memory. But you can bring some of their delicate beauty to your fall decorating by fashioning flowers from the husks of dried Indian corn -- a farm-stand staple at this time of year. Inspired by the early American craft tradition of making dolls from cornhusks, our cornhusk flowers -- mimicking cosmos, daisies, and sunflowers -- are both elegant and simple to create.

Total Steps: 8

Tools and Materials
For Cosmos and Daisies:
Printable template
Card stock (for templates)
Dried cornhusks (available at crafts stores and Mexican food shops)
Paper towels
Scissors
Pinking shears
Wire, 18- and 32-gauge
Dried corn kernels
Butter knife
Clear varnish
White glue
Tweezers
Brown floral tape

For Sunflowers:
Printable template
Card stock (for base and templates)
Dried corn kernels
Hot-glue gun
Tweezers
Cornhusks
Scissors
Wire, 18-gauge
Wooden dowel, 1/4-inch diameter
White floral tape

Prepare Cornhusks

Step 1
For all flowers, soak cornhusks in water for 2 to 3 minutes; blot dry with paper towels. For petals and other shapes, copy template onto card stock. Cut out and place template on slightly damp husk, and then cut shapes. Using your fingers, cut and shape petals while they dry. To make pink husks, soak purple and off-white cornhusks together in a bowl of water overnight. Blot dry with towel papers before using.

For Cosmos and Daisies

Step 2
These delicate blossoms can be any colour and can have either fringed or corn-kernel centers. To make multiple petals, fold a still-damp cornhusk accordian-style, place petal template on top, and cut out, making sure the grain runs vertically. Edge the top of each cosmos petal individually with pinking shears (see finished cosmos petals in step 4). Form stamen by rolling inner strip tightly, and wrap twice with end of wire; roll outer strip around that, and wrap wire again. Make a single center for cosmos, a double for daisies. Fasten with 3-foot length of 32-gauge wire. Attach petals to stamen, wrapping twice with wire each time.

Step 3
For corn-kernel flower centers, pry kernels from the cob with a butter knife. Seal kernels with clear varnish spray before using to discourage weevils. Make an unfringed stamen, folding center rectangular in half lengthwise (for daisies, use only inner center), rolling tightly, and fastening with wire. Using white glue, affix several kernels to center after attaching petals (a pair of tweezers is helpful for handling kernels). Insert a length of 18-gauge wire into base of stamen; trim to desired stem length, and finish by wrapping with floral tape.

Finished Cosmos and Daisies

Step 4
Place finished cosmos and daisies in a vase to create a seasonal arrangement.

For Sunflowers

Step 5
For each sunflower, cut a 4-inch square of heavy red or orange card stock. Use tweezers to pick up a kernel of corn, dab with hot glue, and attach to center of card stock. Repeat, arranging glued kernels in pattern indicated in photo. Continue to add rows of kernels until the flower center is desired size, between 2 and 3 inches across; cut out. Next, cut out 45 to 50 petals in desired size (use small petal-template for 2-inch center; use large petal for 3-inch center), using accordian-fold technique. Hot-glue the petals, one at a time, onto the back of the center disk, making 3 staggered rows so petals overlap.






Attaching The Stem

Step 6
Cut a 10-inch length of 18-gauge wire and bend in half, forming a 1-inch loop at top. Bend wire gently just below loop to make flower's neck. Attach the wire to the ned of a 1/4-inch-diameter wooden dowel, about 3 inches from the loop, and secure with white floral tape. Hot-glue the loop to back of flower disk. Cut out 15 to 20 calyx petals, using accordion-fold technique.









Step 7
Hot-glue calyx petals to back of disk, one at a time, in staggered rows, covering entire back from edge of flower to top of dowel. Trim dowel to desired stem length. Cut 1-inch-wide strips of cornhusk. Wrap stem with strips; Hot-glue one end to top of dowel, where calyx petals end, wrap, and hot-glue at other end. Repeat until stem is covered.












Finished Sunflowers

Step 8
Place finished sunflowers in a vase to create a seasonal arrangement.

Basket-Weave Candles

Transform basic pillar candles with strips of beeswax and a simple under-and-over weave. Beeswax sheets come in a range of colors. We found that using natural shades of beeswax and a darker candle, such as pumpkin-colored ones, give a particularly pleasing result. We also experimented with strips of different widths and other weaves and found that the measurements below mimic a basket weave best.

What you'll need

Tools & Materials
- Cutting mat with a grid
- Candle
- Ruler
- Craft knife
- Beeswax sheets
- Hair dryer

Step 1
Working on a cutting mat with a grid and using a ruler and a craft knife, cut 1/2-inch-wide strips of beeswax that are 1/2 inch longer than the circumference of the candle and 1/4-inch-wide strips that are at least 1/2 inch taller than the height of the candle. (The number of strips needed will vary depending upon the height and circumference of the candle).

Step 2
Lay one 1/2-inch strip across the cutting mat, and use a hair dryer to soften the wax slightly. Line up the ends of all the 1/4-inch strips along the 1/2-inch strip, and placing them 1/2 inch apart and alternating them on top and underneath. Press gently to adhere the strips, using the hair dryer as needed to soften them so they stick.

Step 3
Weave in the remaining 1/2-inch strips, warning the strips on the mar before adding them and leaving a very small space between them. If a strip breaks, heat broken ends and press them together. When the woven sheet is large enough for a candle, trim the edges as needed to straighten.

Step 4
Run the hair dryer over the wax sheet, then lay the candle on top; bring up 1 side of the wax sheet and press edge to adhere it to the candle. Roll the candle, wrapping the wax sheet tightly and heating it as needed to meld the 2 layers and the overlapping seam.

I'm back

I has been a few months since my last post. I'm not going to stop my blog yet bcoz' i really love doing crafts & my other activities.After getting married last october, i was quite bz with my routine as a worker & a wife. Apart of updating my other blog, i was bz adapting myself with my new life as a wife. There were a lot of things to take care of but i never forgot this blog. & i won't stop blogging here even though i've married & b4 this my main purpose of creating this blog was searching & collecting crafts for my wedding day.I won't quit bcoz' i realized that making crafts was very fun. I still have 3 brothers who's not married yet & is going to get married someday.Plus they kept on complementing the door gifts & 'gubahan' decorating i made during my wedding day.& they've booking a few of my creations for their coming big day.I will & i'll try to find other interesting crafts since i've a lot of times b4 their big day.

Cards In Bloom

Paper flowers invite guests to their tables. The leaves show the name and table number in easy-to-read white ink (write information yourself using a gel pen or give finished leaves to a calligrapher). Making the blooms is quick work -- especially if you ask friends to help; the more you fold, the simpler it becomes. At the wedding, set them out on a table draped in linen.

Cards in Bloom How-To
1. Begin with a perfect 3-inch square (to make large numbers of them, use a paper cutter); use a bone folder to crease all folds.

2. Fold in half horizontally, then open paper and fold in half vertically. Open up the paper, and fold in half diagonally top to bottom; open up paper again, and fold diagonally side to side. This will result in a starburst pattern of folds.



3. Refold to create a large triangle with its center point facing you. The right side of the triangle, and bring the far-right point down to meet the bottom point, forming a diamond. Flip paper over, and repeat on the back side.



4. Turn the resulting diamond so that the folded point is at the bottom and the open point is at the top. Fold in the top layer of each side point to meet the center fold. Flip over, and repeat on the back.



5. Unfold one of the side points, and reverse the folds to tuck it inside. Repeat with the remaining three side points.



6. With the shape still folded, cut off the tips of the points at the open end of the blossom, cutting through all layers and making a curved edge.



7. Open the shape, and crease all the sides again; pinch blossom into shape.



8. For each leaf, cut out the leaf shape freehand from a 1 1/2-by-3-inch rectangle; crease down the center, curving the crease with your fingers to sculpt the center vein. Use craft glue or an adhesive dot to attach leaves and blossom.

Bows

How to Tie a Bow.

A floral bow is one that has a variety of loop sizes. The larger loops are around the outside of the bow and the sizes gradually get smaller towards the center. They may have as few as four to eight loops or as many as twenty to thirty loops. The loops are spread apart to make the shape oval or round and tails are generally hanging below.





Making a Floral Bow

1. Pinch the ribbon and make a loop leaving the tail the desired length.

2. Continue making loops gradually increasing the size of the loops until the bow is full and you have enough ribbon left to make the other tail.

3. Secure the center of the bow with wire.

4. Fan out the loops.

5. Cut the tails at an angle or in points to finish off the bow.

Making Layered Bows

The layered bow is two (or more) separate bows, of various sizes, stacked on top of each other. They can be glued in place or held together by twisting all the wires together. Usually each bow is a different color, texture or pattern in addition to being a different size. The bottom bow or bows can be a floral or loopy type bow. The top bow should have a center loop to cover the wire, as done in the wreath bow.

1. Make a floral or loopy bow (see above). If layering more than two bows, make additional floral or loopy bows. Each one should be slightly smaller than the last.
2. Make a wreath bow, slightly smaller than the smallest floral or loopy bow.
3. Lay the smaller bow over the center of the larger bow and connect the wires by twisting them together under the larger bow.

How to make a Basic Bow

1. Using three yards ribbon measure about 7" for the first tail. Squeeze the ribbon together and hold it with your thumb and forefinger.



2. With the right side of the ribbon facing out make a loop on one side using 6-7" of ribbon. Pinch the ribbon together and hold it with your thumb and forefinger. as before.



3. Make a full twist of the ribbon so the right side is facing out and make a loop towards the other side.



4. The second and third sets of loops should be progressively smaller than the first set. Make a fourth set of loops still smaller than the first three. Be sure to fully twist each loop so that the right side of the ribbon is always facing out.



5. Twist the remaining ribbon around your thumb to make the center loop. Adjust the tail so the right side of the ribbon is facing out. INsert a piece of wire through the center and twist it tightly at the back of the bow.



6. Spread out the loops and cut the ends of the tails at sharp angles or inverted V's

Making a graduated loopy bow.

1.Make a loop leaving the tail the desired length.




2. Continue making loops gradually increasing the size of the loops until the bow is full and you have enough ribbon left over to make the remaining tail.




3. Secure the center of the bow with ribbon or floral wire.



4. Fan out the loops.




5. Cut the tails at an angle or in points to finish off the look of the bow.

Making a loopy bow

1. Make a loop leaving the tail the desired length.




2. Continue making loops keeping them uniform in size until the bow is full and you have enough ribbon left over to make the remaining tail.



3. Secure the center of the bow with floral or bow making wire



4. Fan out the loops



5. Cut the tails at an angle or in points to finish off the bow.

Puffy Bow

A great gift wrap bow or finishing touch to a corsage is the puffy bow. It is made by wrapping ribbon around your fingers. This gives you loops that are uniform in size. Start with five or six "wraps". To make your bow larger spread your fingers. To make it fuller add more loops.

The Puffy Bow

1. After completing the wraps of ribbon, fold the loops in half.



2. Cut a "V" into each side making sure you do not cut all the way through the center.



3. Tie the bow with a coordinating narrow ribbon in the center. You can also use a fine bow tying wire to hold the center.



4. Separate the loops one by one to the right and left from the inside out. Twist each loop towards you as you pull it from the center. Do one side at a time.



5. Trim the short ends at an angle.