FLOWER FAIRIES

Materials and Tools:

wood bead
5/8" wood flowerpot
silk flowers
pipe cleaners/chenille stems
Tacky glue
gold, silver or clear nylon thread
fabric and sewing materials (optional)
painting materials (optional)

Steps:

1. Carefully pull apart any medium to small silk-type flower and lay the parts out.

2. Fold one pipe cleaner in half. Slide the small wood flowerpot upside down half way down the pipe cleaner. Note: You may want to paint the pot the color of the flower you are using or in a contrasting color.

3. Take the largest part of the flower and slip it on the cleaner upside down, meeting the flower pot. You may need to use more than one flower, depending on how full the flower is. This becomes the skirt of the Flower Fairy.

4. Glue the flowerpot in place. This will prevent the skirt from slipping off.

5. Cut one pipe cleaner in half and wrap it about 1 inch from the skirt top (flower) to make the arms.

6. Fold a leaf from the flower in half and cut a slit in it. Slide it onto the pipe cleaner. This becomes the top. Glue it in place.

7. Slide the wood bead over the pipe cleaner for the head and glue it in place.

8. Turn the center of the flower upside down and glue it to the head as a hat.

9. Bend pipe cleaners to look like dancing legs. Note: Sew a tube of fabric to cover pipe cleaners if desired.

10. Glue or tie a hanging thread from the head.

11. Draw or paint the face on the bead and blush her cheeks.

Alternate Designs

As a window accent: Hang the flower fairies at different lengths with beads and other small flowers hanging down from a pressure rod.

Holidays: Use seasonal flowers to make fairy ornaments to decorate trees.