Valentine Topiary

Valentines already??????

I've been wanting to keep my hands busy because idle hands are not good hands. So I decided to make something that would be cheap, which is a tissue paper topiary!

Isn't it pretty!

Supplies I used-

Styrofoam Ball (I used a large plastic Christmas ornament that I got on clearance at Walmart, $1.25 for a pack of 6! A Styrofoam ball is $2.50 at Walmart.)

Wood dowel (stick) - Painted desired color

Wood plaque ( Michael's $0.62), or clay pot- Painted desired color

Tissue paper - ( I used 2 sheets of each color white, pink, and magenta, packs of individual colors are at Zurchers for $0.80) 3 sheets of each color to be safe. Total 8-9 Sheets, but you won't use them all depending on how you cut.

Mod Podge or Elmers glue

Small paint brush to paint glue

Pencil

Hot glue gun

Styrofoam block

This cost me around $4.00 to make, not bad!

Step 1: Cut wood dowel to desired length, no need to sand cut edge because it will just go into the ball. Paint dowel, wood plaque or clay pot.

Step 2: Tissue Paper Roses

I counted the hard way after I was done so I don't know if it's correct but I did 13 white, 13 pink, and 11 magenta. Maybe do 15 of each color to be safe. I started with 10 of each color and it was a pain to make more as I was already into the project.

Cut 2 - 2 1/2" wide x 18" long strips. I just cut the direction of the tissue paper fold, so it's the shorter length. I didn't measure exactly.....

Fold the the strip in half so it's half as wide. Take the pencil and roll the edge in, this just makes the paper easier to work with. I didn't fold in half exactly I folded left 1/4" out as a "tail" for my glue.

Take the pencil out and keep rolling the edge in to start shaping. Glue the bottom to hold the shape together. Your hands may get sticky from the glue just try to not get it too sticky or it will stick to the paper you are forming.

This is what it will start to look like as you start forming it. Every time you roll you will need to apply glue at the bottom so it will stay together, a little bit of the paper will be pinched together due to the glue and shaping, it's easier to hold that way too.

This is a bad photo but this is what the bottom looks like when it's finished, it's more rounded but if there's excess sticking out that's okay just smash it up.

This is how the top looks

Step 3: Glue Roses to Ball

Attach wood dowel (stick) to ball. Since I used an ornament I had to make sure the dowel would fit in the hole, I just hot glued the tip and stuck it in the hole. If you are using a Styrofoam ball you should probably glue it in so it will stay.

After it's put together set it in a Styrofoam block. Now you can glue the roses on the ball. Put the glue on the bottom of the rose, you don't need much, be careful since this is paper the glue gets really hot and drips off the paper. I started at the top of the ball and worked my way around. If you are using different colored roses try to separate them so you don't have the same colors bunched next to each other. When you glue them together it's okay to fold the edges up so they are smashed a little bit so you can get them really close together so you don't see any of the ball.

Keep working around ball, and try to put them close to each other.

Step 4: Glue Topiary to Plaque

I used hot glue and it came off, so I need to drill a hole in so it will stay. Or you could get a heavy duty glue.

If you are using a clay pot I think it would be cute to paint the top of the styrofoam and then cover it with glitter instead of using moss or something.

Done!