This attractive flower pot is actually a pen in disguise. Just pull out the flower, write your message and put it back for a lovely addition to your desk. Use any color you wish in order to compliment your home or office decor.
What You Need
3" clay flower pot
Spray can of white primer paint
Small sponge brush
Acrylic craft paints in white and 2 or 3 colors that coordinate with the silk flower
Sea sponge
Piece of 1/2" thick Styrofoam, slightly larger than the diameter of the flowerpot
Bic Classic Stic ball point pen
Green floral tape
Silk flower with leave, in color desired
24" long piece of chiffon ribbon or wire edged ribbon in color that coordinates with silk flower
Tacky glue
Handful of Spanish moss
Paring knife
snubnose pliers
wire cutters
glue gun
scissors
Spray outside and bottom of clay flowerpot with white primer paint; let dry. With sponge brush, brush outside and bottom of flowerpot with lightest of darkest acrylic paint color; let dry. Dip sea sponge into second acrylic paint color and, with a very light touch, dab paint on outside of pot, turning sponge to vary pattern; let dry. If using a third acrylic paint color, apply in same manner as second acrylic paint color; let dry. Use the sea sponge to lightly dab white acrylic paint over other colors to show through; let dry.
Note: Wash and squeeze dry the sea sponge before applying each new color of paint. Or tear off small pieces from the sea sponge and use a different piece for each color.
Turn flowerpot upside down on top of Styrofoam, then press pot into Styrofoam to make an impression of the diameter of the pot. With paring knife, cut circle from Styrofoam. Press circle into pot, keeping it even with top of pot. Using bottom of ball-point pen (end opposite the pen point), carefully push pen through the middle of the Styrofoam circle to create a holder for the pen; remove pen.
Remove and discard pen cap. With snubnose pliers, remove pen cartridge; set aside. Using edge of paring knife, remove and discard small cap at bottom of pen. Starting at bottom of pen sleeve, wrap floral tape tightly around pen sleeve, wrap floral tape tightly around pen sleeve, overlapping tape slightly as you work, until tape reaches top of sleeve. Tape will stretch slightly as you pull it when turning the pen; this helps tape adhere to pen.
Using wire cutters, cut stem of silk flower to 1" length. Insert stem into bottom of pen sleeve. Using glue gun, glue stem in place, holding stem until glue is dry. Insert pen cartridge into pen sleeve. Press pen point on hard surface to make sure pen cartridge is securely in place. Place ribbon around pen directly under leaves and tie in a bow, leaving 3"-4" long streamers. Cut streamers on a diagonal.
Apply a thin coat of tacky glue to top of Styrofoam. Glue Spanish moss to Styrofoam, covering Styrofoam completely. Insert flower pen into Styrofoam.
Note: Replace Bic refills as needed in flower pen.
About the Author: From Family Circle Weekend Crafts
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