DIY topiary is the next step after you have mastered book page flowers.
Basically, you will follow the directions from book page flowers and ornaments. Use a 3.9 or 4 inch styrofoam ball. For a bigger topiary cut paper into larger pieces. I used 2.5″x3.5″ pieces for this topiary, again just cut them free hand. Smaller sheets of paper equals smaller topiary. Instead of a stem or cord insert a sturdy dowel. Cut this with outdoor cutting shears and whittled it into a point.
Use any pot you like. Use a terra cotta pot and add some embellishments or paint to your taste.
Finally, when the “bloom” is done, glue a styrofoam block into the pot and insert the dowel. Add glue to the dowel as well, to secure it in the pot. Finally, glue spanish moss to the top or whatever you would like to simulate grass.
Ornaments made from book pages. I LOVE books and yes, these are made from book pages. An old dictionary was used for this, but I also have the old Readers Digest Condensed books. Estate sales are an excellent resource for books that may not be a treasured tome. The RD Condensed books, aren’t even the whole story!
Supplies for ornaments.
This ornament is made from a 2.4 inch styrofoam ball and painted book pages. Tempera paint is my “go to” paint. I call it 2nd grade paint because it is favored by teachers and is washable. Metallic or glitter versions of the paint make the pages feel softer. The regular tempera paint makes the pages feel like a chalk but the colors are brighter.
Tacky Glue works for me because I suck with a glue gun. Certainly, if you prefer to use a glue gun, use the low setting so you don’t melt the styrofoam ball. First, paint several pages (both sides) and let them dry. Next, cut them into 1×1 inch squares. Don’t measure – just cut free hand, it is ok if they are not exact.
Wrap paper around pen.
Glue to the ball (pen head retracted).
Continue to glue.
Create
Place the styrofoam ball on a small glass while gluing (I used champagne flute). For smaller ornaments I use the head of a retracted pen instead of a pencil to glue the paper. Turn the ball as you glue. After you have about half covered, thread the cord through the ball. I used a knitters darning needle and cut the eye so that I could get the cord out without cutting the loop in the cord. Flash! I just found online a darning needle with a latch hook eye! Gotta get one of these!
Thread cord through darning needle.
Pull cord through the ball.
Tie a knot
After knotting the cord and trimming the excess, add a little glue and pull the knot into the ball. Continue to add the paper until the ornament is complete. Sorry, I switched from blue to plain paper in the pix – same concept, I just painted the above paper with silver glitter paint and it is not really visible in the photo.
Book page flowers make beautiful bouquets. I LOVE books and yes, these are made from book pages. An old dictionary was used for this, but I also have the old Readers Digest Condensed books that I got at an estate sale for additional projects!
These flowers are made from a 3 inch styrofoam ball and painted book pages. Tempera paint is what I use to paint pages. I call it 2nd grade paint because it is favored by teachers and is washable. The metallic or glitter versions of the paint makes the pages feel softer. If you use the regular paint makes the pages feel like a chalk.
I also use Tacky Glue because I suck with a glue gun. If you decide to use a glue gun, make sure you use the low setting so you don’t melt the styrofoam ball. After painting several pages (both sides) and letting them dry, cut them into 2×2 inch squares. Don’t measure – just cut free hand, it is ok if they are not exact.
Wrap paper around eraser end of a pencil.
Glue paper to styrofoam ball.
When about half done insert florist wire to create stem, finish other side.
Place the styrofoam ball on a drinking glass while gluing. Turn the ball as you glue. After you have about half covered, put in the “stem” (a piece of florist stem wire) and complete the other side of the ball. Put the stem in the drinking glass and work on the rest of the ball.
Paint different colored tips on the flower for a unique look. Done! Beautiful!
