Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Eucalyptus collar for a snow-covered Christmas candle
- 4 December 2019
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Wrap a battery powered candle with a single ring of ribbon.
No need to be too precise most of the ribbon will be covered. This is just to give the leaves a stable foundation and protect the candle so that you can re-use it again... and of course when the leaves shrivels and dries the pretty ribbon might peek out.
Secure the ribbon with double sided tape.
Design note: The candles actually look pretty just like this... but they are also now ready to design with.
Snip eucalyptus leaves from the stem. Cut away the entire stem so that you have a flat surface to glue the leaves to the candle.
Design note: use both fresh and dried leaves so that it looks amazing once everything dries. The dried leaves gives the design structure in the beginning and the fresh leaves then dries to that shape.
Place the candle on its side on a flat surface and glue the first eucalyptus leaf to the ribbon. The leaf should point straight out.
Start adding leaves. I start on the "ugly" side, the double sided tape side, first so that I can make sure it is covered with the prettiest leaves.
Overlap the leaves so that they extend slightly beyond the top and the bottom of the ribbon.
Roll the candle as you go along...
Make sure not to crush the leaves... when you have reached a point where you can no longer roll the candle without damaging the eucalyptus leaves...
Place the candle at both ends on drinking glasses to lift it from the working surface. Carefully push the glass towards the leaves so that it is kept in place without either damaging the leaves or causing the candle to roll as you design.
Newsletter subscribers: I have a special tip for you this week on how being mindful of craftsmanship elevates your designs. It's always the smallest things that makes the biggest difference in the overall look!
Continue to add the eucalyptus leaves.
When the collar is done glue in some dried twigs. I added my twigs like a wrapped scarf blowing in the wind.
Make sure the twigs look healthy and flourishing... by pointing the ends in an upward direction...
You can read more about this in my book. I like to go back to nature for my design inspiration. This is one way of doing this. Book readers turn to page: 76 where I talk about bio-mimicry and really observing nature.
Glue in a few snow flakes around the top edge of the eucalyptus collar. I also have tiny snow flakes on the twigs.
See the Tutorial below in the Tutorial section for detailed instructions on how to glue in snow.
Glue in tiny baubles...
And add in the fresh flowers
Kalanchoe flowers are a bit of a Christmas miracle all on their own. Because they are succulents they last... and last... and last. No need for a water source! You can make this design well in advance.
I finished my design with a few tinsel curls... see the Tutorial below for how I curl copper wire it is exactly the same technique.
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Tutorials
When you glue a structure with hot glue there are always a few stray strands of glue stuck all over the design. Blow it away with a hairdryer.
Glue curved twig snippets to craft a delicate winter white Christmas tree
Artificial snow can be very "chemical" and flowers deteriorate quickly when exposed to it. It also dissolves in water. I use candle wax as "snow"
The wire spirals are supported on wire sections pressed into the wax
Kalanchoe flowers last weeks without a water source and is the perfect way to dress up a bark and silver bell sleigh
Glue tiny sections of pipe to the bark to fill as a water source for the fresh flower material
Reshape a vine wreath into smaller wreaths to combine as a pumpkin
Twist ivy vines around a cardboard shape to create a lace fine Christmas tree mobile.
The delicate Kalanchoe flowers last surprisingly well without a water source and is ideal for glue techniques
Use delicate sprigs of cypress or juniper, fir, pine, eucalyptus, ivy or a combination of them all to create a winter themed kissing bough
Favourite Flowers
Christmas Kalanchoe, Kalanchöe or Kalanchoë
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