Light as a kite wire spiked sunflower heart

14 July 2021
click to send Christine a smile

This week I share a special note about picking the sunflower to set the mood for the design in our weekly email. It is so important to consider that I wanted you to have the information before looking at the design so that you can clearly see how I added personality to my design. If you are not yet signed up the button is below this post.

Pick away the petals from a sunflower

Place the disk floret in a water filled vase.

Cut decorative wire to shape the armature.

Start shaping the wire by bending it at an angle.

Book readers: if you want to add a more personal touch to your design turn to page 37 for a whole lot of information. Also the trick I show you on page 37 works so well! Flawless wire- minimum effort!

Curve the wire to start shaping the heart and twist the ends to connect.

Shape the rest of the heart and twist the ends together to connect.

Split the wire open and spike it into the disk floret.

Fold the wire in at the bottom and again spike it into the disk floret.

Make sure the wire is not visible or poking through anywhere...

Design note: If you can see the wire simply remove it and spike it again this time guiding the wire to the back of the design.

to add support to the wire cut a twig at a sharp angle...

And spike it into the disk floret.

You can let the wire gently rest on the twig. Or...

Split the twig open and slip the wire into the slit

and/or...

Allow the wire to rest in a fork in the twig.

Position the twigs in the places you expect the wire might need a bit of help carrying the heavier floral details.

Add in the rosary vine and wind it around the wire.

Winding is part of our foundation techniques. Book readers turn to page 238 for a lot more details.

Follow the wire frame and wind the vines to create the heart shape.

Conceal the vine stem cuts deep in the disk floret...

And allow the vine tips to dangle freely down the heart shape.

For fun I added a last twig to complete the design... a bit of a hint to Cupid's bow.

This is a nice way to emphasize the main technique we use to create the design... a bit of an inside joke between us designers who are interested in the How and the Way when we look at floral designs.

Glue in water tubes so that they rest either on the wire or the twigs and are well supported.

Design note: I make tiny water tubes from drinking straws or tubes, See the Tutorial below for detailed instructions.

Fill the tube with water. See the Tutorial below for detailed instructions on how I make a syringe with a tube so that I can fill my tubes in even the most awkward gaps.

Also if you want more details on how to add a water tube, I have an entire section on that in my book.