As spring gets under way, it’s the ideal time for fresh flower head wreaths. This DIY floral accessory adds the perfect touch as a prop for a magical photo shoot.
Summer is nearly here, flowers are aplenty, and these days call for relaxing evenings on the front porch creating flower crowns. This is the perfect activity to work on with children — little ones love to collect or choose the flowers, can help make the crown, and model their creation for you in their own special photo shoot. A bouquet of design options awaits you! If blooms aren’t growing in your yard, a trip to the store and less than $10 in flowers works just as well. Choose flowers with a sweet scent and your crowns will both look and smell delightful. Our Favorite Blooms Daisies, jasmine (the smell is enchanting!), bachelor’s buttons, poppies, violets, ivy, freesia, baby’s breath, alstroemeria.
Supplies:
- Assorted flowers
- green faux stem wire
- stem wrap tape
- green floral wire
- little scissors
- wire cutter
- ribbon (optional)
7 Steps to make a flower crown:
1. First, gather your supplies and make a plan. It’s best to have a vision for the crown you want to create so you know the quantity and type of flowers you should collect.
2. Measure your subject’s head using a cloth tape measure so you know how large to make your crown. Use green or brown faux wired stems to create the circular crown shape. Cut to the appropriate length; I used three loops for the larger, fuller crown and two loops for the smaller crown.
3. Cut several dozen 2-inch pieces of floral wire to secure the stems to the crown. (You will need more than you think you do.) Trim your flowers so the stems are just long enough to affix to the crown —usually about an inch or two, depending on the flower type.
4. Start by placing your small filler flowers and greens like baby’s breath or ivy around the entire crown in one direction. I let my daughters place them, and then I used green floral wire and stem wrap tape to attach them to the crown. If you don’t cover the wires with stem wrap tape, make sure the ends of the wires are facing the outside of the crown so they don’t poke little heads.
5. Next, add in more flowers to make it as full as you desire. Save the larger, showy flowers for last so that you can position them exactly where they look best, taking into consideration overall balance of the crown.
6. An optional step is to add some thin ribbons to trail from the back of the crown. Estimate how long you want the ribbons to hang and cut a ribbon twice that length. Then simply make a loop around the crown and slip the two ends of the ribbon through the loop and pull tight.
7. The last step is to have the child try the crown on and make sure there aren’t any gaps. It’s easy to fill in flowers if needed. The options are endless so feel free to let your imagination run wild!
Photos by Amy Lucy Lockheart
This article first appeared in Click’s July/August 2014 issue. Click subscribers have access to the magazine’s full digital archives; visit our subscription area to learn more.
