Crafting a Hornet of Tranquility (you know… the one with the sparkle butt)

1 July 2020
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Once the petals drop from an Alstroemeria flower...

Cut the developing seedpod from the stem

This gives you the perfect little body for your hornet (... or bug, if you want to create something else)

Design note: When you add a bug or critter into a design make sure it has something to chat with. Nothing in your design should ever look as if it is desperate to escape.

The best way to do this is to pin it at an angle so that it looks like it has some attitude... this is how I do this:

Spear the little seedpod into the teeth of a Kenzan. You can reposition it until you get the exact right angle before adding the fragile design details.

I am making two hornets so I am placing both on the Kenzan so that I can position them so that they look like they are having a lively discussion.

For the wings I am using dried alstroemeria buds

Newsletter subscribers: this week I am sharing the tiniest little tip with you that makes the biggest overall difference in the positioning of design details. Make sure you are subscribed. These tips are only available in the newsletters.

Glue the petal wings to the green body.

I used dried stamens to craft the hornet's antenna.

Glue the stamens to the stem end of the seedpod.

Now, I know the glue blob is slightly bigger that what I usually allow to show in a design but I did this for two reasons: firstly is to preserve the moisture in the seedpod by sealing the wound with glue. And secondly the stamens are so delicate that it is easier to just position them in a tiny blob of glue than what it would be to add glue to the stamens and then trying to position them.

Place a gorgeous lily stem in a deep container...

Fill the vase with water... almost all the way to the top.

Remove the foliage from a passion fruit vine...

Add the vine to the vase to twirl around the lily stem.

Glue the hornet to the side of the vase.... and add a tiny crystal to the stinger.

Glue the other hornet into the design and add a blue crystal

Design note: make sure to position the hornets in such a way that they look like they are interacting with each other and the design. If you are interested in reading more about how and why I do this in my designs turn to page 386 of my book where I show you how to make a few more nature inspired critters and page 369 where I talk about doing just a bit more than you have to.