Pummeled with Pomanders

I am so ridiculously relaxed while on this vacation that I actually voluntarily opened up a medical textbook to read about liver disease in preparation for my first month as a senior resident.  More on that.....never.

Ok that was just a minor seepage of my work life into this blog---will never happen again I promise!

One of my most recent projects: flower pomanders made from silk flowers.  I had been obsessing over fresh flower pomanders and watched a million you tube videos about making them.  Then I thought... why not make them out of silk flowers and see?  I loved it so much I made four of them!!

Unfortunately, I don't have a nice pictorial tutorial.  In the crazed commotion of creating flower balls, I could not be bothered to take photos.

You will need (pictures and items courtesy of JoAnn Fabrics):

Friendly neighborhood wire cutters                 3-4 silk flower stems (6-8 flowers each)                       Several feet of ribbon                           

 A styrofoam ball

(mine was 4" diameter)

(it was a dry foam ball)

(when using fresh flowers, use a wet foam ball and soak it in water)

 Directions:
1.  Snip off all the flowers leaving a 3-4" stem.  I separated the leaves from mine because green is not welcome in my flower balls, but you can leave the green on.  I've seen adorable pomanders where the green is all located at the top of the ball so that it looks like an orange, but I can't find an example.

2.  measure out enough ribbon to tie around the ball and to make the handle.  Account for the length needed to tie a bow as well.  I used 40" for mine.

3. Tie ribbon around the ball, I just went around once though, some will suggest making two rounds, as though you are tying around the equator as well the meridian of Int'l Date Line/Greenwich Mean Time.  I should not pretend to understand geography.

4.  Now with your pre-cut flower stems, pierce them into the ball evenly until they fill out.  EASY PEASY GREASY BREEZY.

5.  Hang your newly created balls on banisters, hangers, lamps, shower curtain rods, regular curtain rods, chairs, ALL OVER THE HOUSE.

Ah, how satisfying.  I think pomanders (otherwise known as kissing balls) are so charming.  I squeal with delight (in my head) when I see pictures of them hanging at different lengths from arches.  I am going to hang them from the trellis that will stand behind us during the ceremony.  On the other hand, I also have a soft spot for them hanging on the chairs along the aisle.  Ah, decisions, decisions.