Let your menu inspire your decor! A Spring Radish and Apple Salad will be the star of this luncheon menu so make something equally delicious and springy to decorate your space. This homespun-chic Paper Apple Blossom Wreath, growing with paper flowers and beautiful Cosmic Crisp® apples (on a grapevine wreath purchased from a craft store) was made in 30 minutes and is the perfect craft to spruce up your dining space.
Paper Apple Blossom Wreath
makes 1 (18-inch) wreath
What you need:
5 (8”x10”) sheets of light-weight white card stock paper (slightly heavier than copy paper)
2 (8-inch x10-inch) sheets of light-weight green card stock paper (slightly heavier than copy paper)
1 piece bright pink chalk, smashed to a fine dust (To Do: put chalk into a small zip-top bag and crush with a hammer until fine)
6 feet of natural vine wrapped floral wire (available at most craft stores), can substitute small branches from your yard
1 (18-inch) grapevine wreath (available at most craft stores)
9-15 (3-inch) Floral picks with wire (available at most craft stores), can substitute bamboo skewers cut into 3-inch pieces
3-5 Cosmic Crisp® Apples
Gingham Fabric or Ribbon for hanging (optional)
Equipment:
Pencil, scissors, craft paint brush, glue gun and glue sticks
What to do:
Step 1. Start Paper Flowers, Buds and Leave: Using your white paper make a template for your flower and flower bud. To make the flower, draw a basic five petal flower about 3-inches in width (you can do it). Cut out. To make the bud template, draw a circle (about the size of a penny) and then draw 12 thin “petals” coming from it that are about 2-inches in length. Cut out. Using your green paper, make a template for your leaf. Draw a simple 2-inch long leaf (about 1-inch wide at its widest part). Cut out. Using your cut templates, trace your flower (about 12-15) and buds (3-5) onto your white paper and cut out. Trace your leaf (20-25) onto the green paper and cut out.
Step 2. Chalk the Center of Your Flowers: Using the craft paint brush (or your finger) brush your crushed chalk into the center and a few of the edges of the flowers (you can also add more chalk later). The buds you will chalk later.
Step 3. Curl the Flowers and Leaves: Using your scissors GENTLY pull them across each petal from the center to the end (like you were curling a curling ribbon) so the petals curl INTO the direction of the pink center of the flower. Do the same to curl the ends of the leaves.
Step 4. Make Branches: Cut two (3-foot) lengths of the natural floral wire and bend each length into a branch with three twigs. They do not need to look alike. Have fun!
Step 5. Glue Flowers, Buds and Leaves to Branches: Make the buds by bringing the opposite petals of the bud cut outs to the center and gluing. Continue around the cut outs until all the petals have been glued to the center. Brush the entire bud with the pink chalk. Buds will grow at the tips of the branch twigs so glue a leaf to the tip of one or two of the branch twigs. Glue a bud on top of the leaves. Now, use the flowers and leaves and glue onto the branches (save a few of each to glue directly onto the wreath).
Step 6. Add Branches and Flowers to the Wreath: Decide where the top (NORTH) of your wreath will be (where you will hang it) and push the bottom of the flowering branches into the wreath on either side (EAST AND WEST). Bend however you like and glue down as needed where the branch meets the wreath to keep in place. Allow the branch to come out toward you. Keep it three dimensional and not just flat against the wreath. You got this!
Step 7. Add Cosmic Crisp Apples: What’s an apple blossom wreath without apples?! Decide where you would like to place your apples on your wreath (I did three Cosmic Crisp apples in a cluster in the bottom left corner) and push your floral pics or skewers into the wreath. Glue or wire as necessary so they are secure. You’ll need about three pics to keep each apple in place securely. Push apple into the pics or skewers. Add more pics or skewers as needed to hold. Continue decorating wreath with the remaining flowers and leaves. Brush center of flowers and outside of buds as needed with chalk if some has worn off during handling.
Step 8. Finish Wreath and Hang:Use your piece of gingham fabric or a long piece of ribbon and wrap it around the top (NORTH) of your wreath to make a hanger. Pick a perfect spot to hang a removable hook or nail and hang your wreath. I used extra fabric to make a gingham bow! NOTE: The grapevine wreath will hang fine on its own on a nail.
