NARCISSUS

 EASTER SHADOW BOX SECTION 5: FLOWERS OF SPRING

PART 2: NARCISSUS 

The most well-known (at least to me) variety of Narcissus is the Barri variety. Their small trumpets,(length not more than 1/3 of petals)  better described as cups, are brilliantly colored and their petals are white.  They are oh, so fragrant.    Grow them in clumps in your miniature garden, force bulbs indoors for a holiday treat, display them in bouquets, in or outdoors, or use them as part of a floral arrangement.

Adding a toothpick in the photo as a point of reference to size as I had many people ask if last week's daffodils were actually miniature...thank you for the compliments btw.

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You will need:  #24 gauge green covered wire + golden-yellow & leaf-green acrylic craft paint + white and yellow lightweight paper + orange permanent marker pen or bright orange water color pencil or paint + green floral tape (craft/floral store purchase) + medium weight, leaf green paper + 1/8” round paper punch + 3/16” long diamond paper punch + scrap of Styrofoam  +  ¼” or more thick fun foam + pointed tweezers + tacky type glue

Instructions:

Cut wire to needed lengths and dip the tip of one end into golden yellow acrylic paint.  Poke into a scrap of Styrofoam to dry.  

From lightweight, golden-yellow paper, punch out a 1/8” round for each bloom.  Using a pointed stylus, poke a hole in the center of the punched rounds. Cut off one of the tapered ends of a round toothpick and sand that end rounded and smooth.  Lay a prepared round on a piece of thick fun-foam.  Use the prepared toothpick-tool to shape the round into a cut by pressing it into the center of the paper round and giving it a slight twist.  This will cause the round to sink into the foam a bit and cup up.  Pick the cup shape out with pointed tweezers. 

Poke a prepared stem into the hole in the cup.  Slide the cup up the stem so the yellow tip on the stem sits down inside of the cup.  Add the tiniest dab of glue to the back of the cup to hold in place.

Use the edge of an orange felt tipped pen or water colors to tint the very edge of the cup.

Punch out 6 white diamonds from bright white paper for the petals…they should be approx. 3/16” from top to bottom.  Lay the petals in the palm of your hand and using a pointed stylus & medium pressure, “draw” three lines over them as shown.  This will shape the petals.  

Using pointed tweezers pick up a petal; dip the bottom tip into glue, picking up just a dab.  Place it on the stem just under the cup.  Place three petals, evenly spaced around the stem, and then one between each for a total of 6 petals.  Let glue set.

Cut a 1/8” x ½” length of green floral tape; stretch it out.  Wrap it tightly around the middle or so of the stem for the bloom’s ovary.  Push it up the stem so it sits about 1/8” below the petals.  Pinch the bottom so it is slightly tapered down from the top. 

Using a fine pointed paint brush, feather some green acrylic paint onto the bottom of the petals and continue down the stem, over & below the ovary. 

When paint has set, use needlenose pliers to bend the stem down to a slight angle, just below the ovary.

For a narcissus almost in bloom, add the petals so they hug the trumpet.  For buds wrap 2-4 petals tightly around the wire with glue.  Make a wash of tan color acrylic craft paint & water and lightly feather it from the stem up onto the end of the bud.  

Like the Daffodil, Bari-Narcissus leaves are tall, slim, and fairly straight.  They have slightly rounded-off tops.  Fold a piece of green paper and cut very thin, long shapes on the fold. Slightly open on the top half of the fold.  

Narcissus may be potted, as is seen here, planted in a landscape, or used in flower arrangements by themselves or with other flowers.  Surround plants by lots of leaves, which should be of a height just short of the blossom or shorter.  I used a clay pot filled with unbaked, scrap Fimo.  The Fimo was coated with a layer of glue and fine dust from sphagnum moss (bottom of package?) was pressed on.  Holes were poked in the “soil” to take the stems and leaves.

Here are some real-life images to help inspire you to add miniature Narcissus to your collection.

                       FORCED INDOOR POTTING

                     A 2ND LOOK AT THE PROJECT

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Second to Gardenias, Narcissus are my favorite flowers...their scents take me to "another place".

I will see you soon with another flower (most likely an Iris) to help fill section 5 of the Easter Shadowbox.

  Joann

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TRUMPET DAFFODILS

EASTER SHADOW BOX SECTION 5: FLOWERS OF SPRING

PART 1: TRUMPET DAFFODILS

To make things easier on myself I am adding flower tuts separately over the next few days.  When they are done they will be shown, in place, to fill section 5 of the shadow box. 

We will start with Trumpet Daffodils, the most popular variety of Narcissus.  Their large, showy blooms are one of the first flowers to arrive in the spring.  As in real life, Daffodils are beautiful  “growing” in our miniature gardens and displayed as bouquets, alone or in flower arrangements in the home.     The most common color is yellow…either one solid color or a bright, golden  yellow for the trumpet and a pale shade of yellow for the petals.  As seen here, they are all one color. These can vary in size but the trumpet part is usually as long as, or longer than the petals.

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You will need:  size #24 cloth covered wire + a  golden-yellow & a leaf green acrylic/craft paint + wire cutters + lightweight yellow paper + round toothpicks + tacky glue + small sharp craft scissors +  paper punch with approx. 3/16” long petal/leaf or diamond shape +  very small seed beads + leaf green medium weight paper   

Instructions:

Cut wire to lengths slightly longer than what you want the finished height of your flowers to be.  Dip about 3/32” of one end of each wire into golden-yellow acrylic paint to form the stamen.  Poke the other end into a scrap of Styrofoam, or what-have-you, while the paint dries.  You will need one prepared wire for each daffodil. 

The trumpets (center) of the daffodil are as long as or longer than the petals.  Cut a long strip of lightweight, yellow paper, 3/16” to ¼” high.  Scrape a knife or scissor blade back and forth across one long edge of the paper strip to make it rough or ragged.  

Wrap the beginning of the strip around the center of a round toothpick, overlap a bit, cut off excess and glue the overlap to form a tube/trumpet. 

Remove the trumpet from the toothpick & tightly fringe around its bottom edge (smooth end), about 1/3 of the way up.  

Insert trumpet back on toothpick with fringed end towards point.  Using toothpick to shape, pinch and squeeze fringed area until a bell shape is formed.  

Remove trumpet from toothpick and put a dab of glue around inside trumpet bottom.  Insert a prepared wire/stem so yellow center is about 1/3 of the way up the trumpet.  Squeeze & smooth glued area of trumpet around wire.  Set aside to dry.

When glue has set, use scissors to finely fringe around top (rough) edge of trumpet about 1/64” deep.  Use fingertips to push back fringe to a right angle to trumpet.  If desired, a dark yellow water color pencil or felt-tipped pen may be used to dab on a bit of color around outside edge of fringed lip.

 Insert a tiny seed bead (look for the smallest ones that will slip onto wire used) onto the stem and push it up just so it sits just under the trumpet.  Paint it and the wire green.  

For petals, punch 6 diamond or oval petal shapes from the same yellow paper (or pale yellow if desired).  I used the approx.. 3/16” long, oval petals from Martha Stewarts Deep Edger Floral Vine paper punch punch image http://www.amazon.com/Martha-Stewart-Crafts-Edger-Floral   It is a bit pricey but lots of usable shapes on it and it punches like butter.

Lay the petals in the palm of your hand and use a small round stylus or the pointed end of a metal nail file to “draw” three lines on it with medium pressure.  Petals will curl-up up slightly, giving them dimension.  Pick up petals at one tip with pointed tweezers and dip the other end into tacky glue, picking up a dab.  Place on stem, between bottom of trumpet and top of bead with the concave side facing up, and very slightly pointed upward.  Place three petals spaced evenly around trumpet and then one in between each.  

Use tweezers to bend the stem just short of a right angle just under the bead.  

For a daffodil almost in bloom, add the petals so they hug the trumpet.  For buds, eliminate the seed beads and with glue wrap 2-4 petals tightly around the wire.  Make a wash of tan color acrylic craft paint & water and lightly feather it from the stem up onto the end of the bud.  This wash may also be used on the upper stem & bead parts of the full flowers.

Daffodil leaves are tall, slim, and fairly straight.  They have slightly rounded off tops.  Fold a piece of green paper and cut very thin, long shapes on the fold. Slightly open on the top half of the fold.  

Daffodils may be planted in pots as is seen here, planted in a landscape, or used in flower arrangements by themselves or with other flowers.  Plant surrounded by leaves, which should be of a height just short of the blossom or shorter.  I used a large clay pot filled with unbaked Fimo.  The Fimo was coated with a layer of glue and fine dust (bottom of package?) from sphagnum moss was pressed on.  Holes were poked in the “soil” to take the stems and leaves.

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Here are some real-life images to help inspire you to add miniature daffodils to your collection.

An Asian inspired table arrangement. 

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A simple bouquet of daffodils in a clear vase makes a showy statement.

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A garden basket full of fresh cut daffodils can be displayed indoors or outdoors.

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Fill a bucket or watering can with fresh cut daffodils to display in a garden room or on a potting bench.

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And we will end with one more photo of the 1" = 1' potted daffodils.

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Ummm, I can smell the spicy fragrance of the vase of daffodils sitting on my desk.   And it is really fun to look at its miniature version sitting next to them.  Wonder if I could find some way to make them smell as good?  

Enjoy the tut and I will see you shortly with another flower.

Happy Spring....

Joann

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EASTER IN A SHADOW BOX PART 4

FILLING THE SHADOWBOX

SECTION 3:

THE  EASTER BASKETS ARE READY FOR THE EGG HUNT

It is Easter morning, the baskets are filled, and the eggs are hidden in the grass.  All is ready for the hunt to begin.  This is the subject of the 4^th section of our Easter Shadowbox.

The Background:  Make a color copy of the background graphic onto matte presentation paper using, best printer settings, adjusting the size to fit the walls of the shadowbox section it will be in.  As seen the section is 4 ¼” wide.  I used a dry, deep green watercolor pencil to change the yellow of the grass to a green, nothing artistic here, just simple feathered strokes.   Cut out the piece.  You may choose to add it in one piece or do each wall separately (makes applying to the walls easier).  Use a quality Glue Stick for adhering. 

Save image to your computer.  Print out at 8.97"w x 3.5"h

Print onto matte presentation paper at best settings

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The Flooring:  I used the same self-stick moss as was used in section 2, Adhesive-backed moss (this product is available in craft ((Michaels)), model railroad and floral supply stores).  Although this product is not a must it sure makes the job of landscaping easier and less messy.  Cover the floor and up the wall a bit to add dimension.  I doubled some of the side edges, here and there,

for more dimension and to make the look of the hidden eggs more realistic.

  Fine flowers were added in groups around the perimeter.  These were purchased but one could easily make them using railroad flower landscaping material http://www.amazon.com/Scene-A-Rama-Scenery-Bags-Flowers  and fine wire.

You may choose to hide your eggs now as it is easer before the baskets are in place.  Use the colored eggs you made for section 3…remember, I told you to make extras.  But here is something different you may want to try:  Look in the floral department of craft stores for branches of pastel colored Styrofoam balls.  The balls can be picked off the branch and pinched in fingertips to form ovals...larger ones can be eggs; smaller ones can be used as candy eggs or jellybeans.  

 WOVEN EASTER BASKETS

These Easter baskets are paper strips woven over a form.  They are fun and fairly easy to make.  The size and shape of the form, the width of the strips used and the choice of colors make each basket unique. 

 Choose a form that matches the diameter you desire of your finished basket.  The samples used a ¾” diameter dowel but the form may be small, smooth lids, bottles, etc.  Decide how tall your basket will be and mark a line up from the bottom around the form. 

For the spokes and the weavers, cut colored paper into 1/16” x 5 1/2 “strips.  You may choose to make a solid color basket or a two-toned one…the spokes being one color and the weavers another.

For a ¾” diam. basket you will need 8 full sized spokes and one half the length.  You always need an uneven number of spokes to weave. Glue two spokes together at right angles at their centers.  Continue to glue on the other 6 full spokes in the same manner, centering each around the others.  Glue the 9^th spoke on so it fits in an open space.  When the glue has set a bit use needle nose pliers to pinch and compress the center a bit.  

Hold the center of the spoke assembly on the center of the bottom of the dowel- form and with the other hand glue the ends of the spokes on the sides of the form up somewhat from your marked line.  If you glue four spokes that are evenly spaced around the dowel first you can then let go of the top of the spoke assembly while you glue the rest in place.  

To weave, cut one end of a weaver-strip to a point and glue the other end to the inside of one of the spokes, as close to bottom as possible, making sure not to get glue on the form.

  With the help of pointed tweezers, weave the strips in and out of the spokes around the form.  When the first strip is almost used up, glue another weaver strip to it.  Let the glue set just a bit and then continue weaving around, always pushing the weave close and tight.  For this size basket six rows of waving are good.  Stop up form the same place you started the weaving.  Trim excess from the last weaver; glue the cut end under the nearest spoke.  

Cut off all but 1/16” of the spokes that are under the last woven row.  Glue the extending 1/16” down over the last row of weaving to secure it.  

Cut off the remaining spokes in the same manner.  Slip the basket off the form.  Glue the extensions over the last row of weaving on the inside of the basket.

For the top trim, Glue two of the strips together for a double thickness…if you are using two colors, use one of each.  When the glue has set, cut the strip in two lengthwise,  With the fingertips one hand, pinch one end of the strip to hold, and with the other hand twist the strip into a tight corkscrew….with a bit of practice this is easy.  Cut off the end of the twisted paper.  Glue the twist around the top of the basket, just very slightly to the outside edge. 

For the handle, prepare a twisted piece as described above.  Glue one end to the inside of the basket, decide how high you want you handle, cut off excess twist and glue the other end inside the basket.  Use needle nose pliers to pinch and meld handle paper to basket paper.  

If desired the baskets may be finished with a clear, matte medium.

If you enjoyed weaving the basket do explore using other material in the same manner…thinner paper strips, cording, ribbon, etc.

 Easter Basket Grass:  You may have some very fine Easter grass on hand… vintage grass is often very fine and lovely but hard to come by.  The finest and most malleable I have been able to make is using tissue paper. Using sharp scissors and four thicknesses of tissue paper cut it into ultra fine strips but not freeing it from the whole paper.  When it is as fine as you can cut it, without shedding it, cut it free.  Roll it into bundles in your hand to compress and wrinkle it.  Fill baskets.  A deep green color is traditional but white or light pastels work well too.  

Filling the Baskets:  Fill your baskets with candy, toys, and other goodies.  As seen  the white basket holds a small story book, dyed eggs, and a pom-pom chick.  The lavender and white one besides candy has a coloring book and crayons.  The blue and yellow baskets has a chocolate bunny and assorted candy.

Story books:  Because these books will not be opened they use matboard as a filler for the pages.  Print the book covers onto matte presentation paper using best printer settings.  Cut out, score and fold. Cut a piece of matte board a scant smaller and glue into cover.

      Chocolate Bunny:  The bunnies are made using a mini plastic candy mold, Country Kitchen Inc.  #90-2119.

    http://www.countrykitchensa.com/shop/seasonal-and-theme-party-shop/mini-easter-assortment-chocolate-candy/42/552/908/615923/

      This particular mold has 10 each of rabbits, ducks, baskets and egg on it.  The rabbits are 1” high. The mold can either be used as a press mold with Fimo by first dusting the mold very lightly with cornstarch or with Plaster of Paris.  If using Fimo, choose a brown color and press into mold and smooth out evenly.  Use a needle tool or something similar to lift rabbit out of mold, smooth edges if needed and bake according to Fimo directions, or do as I sometimes do and use a heat gun to cure the clay.  If using Plaster of Paris, follow package directions for mixing and spoon into molds. When plaster has set a bit, smooth off excess plaster, even with mold.  When plaster has set push out the rabbit and when completely dry paint with brown acrylics.  Either way give the rabbit a tan eye and add a bow with paint, dimensional paint, Fimo, silk ribbon, or crepe paper twist.   Use chocolate rabbits to fill Easter baskets or wrap in clear plastic wrap, tied at the top with a silk ribbon bow….whatever, they look good enough to eat, but don’t. 

      Color Book: Print the pages on bright white paper and the cover on matte presentation paper. 

       Cut out the pages in one continuous piece.  Neatly fold the pages sharply, accordion-style, starting on the left-hand side with an inward fold. 

      Keeping the smaller front and back pages free, glue the rest of the pages together in pairs by using a quality glue stick on the back side. Make sure there is no glue on the front of the pages and press the assembly even and flat.

       Cut the cover out and score and on the spine lines.  Glue the page assembly into the cover by its spine and when the spine is in place glue down the smaller facing pages to evenly to the inside of the front and back covers.  Check for excess glue and then press flat until the glue has set.

       Crayons:  This image is an altered version from .  http://www.printmini.com (a great printie site).  Copy and paste image to your computer.  Print box onto matte presentation paper.  Cut out, score, fold and glue sides to tabs

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SHADOW BOX TO DATE

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       Well, per usual these days, time got ahead of me and I did not finish this project before Easter as planned.  But not to fret, as the subjects of the next two sections of the Shadowbox will focus on pieces that can be used anytime of year.  And so as soon as the remains of Easter dinner are put away, the family are on their way home, and I have put my feet up for awhile (maybe eating another tiny sliver of cheesecake) I will start on the 5^th section of the Shadowbox, Spring Flowers.

     Here is hoping your Easter is/was peaceful, loving, and happy,

Joann