Quick and easy gift for Mom

Mother's Day is coming up, and Thursday came too quickly, so nothing from the vault today.

I initially intended to make my mother-in-law a French beaded rose, but I don't have my bead spinner with me and the rose I chose to model the beaded flower after has three colors in its petals, so while the bead spinner would have helped the inner petals, the outers are going to take a while, and I just haven't got the time!

I went to my favorite need-a-gift-quick-for-a-wonderful-woman gift. This works well for grandmothers, aunts, mothers, mother-in-laws, secretaries, etc...

I give you flower pens!



Super simple to make, and they look great.




You will need:
Spray of flowers (or more than one)
when picking out the spray, remember that each stalk will become a pen, so if your spray has some roughage therein, you are going to have some leafy pens.

Floral tape
1/2" Ribbon
E6000 Glue or Goop Glue-Make sure your glue will work to permanently adhere ribbon to things
Bic Pens (I like Bic because they always write, and they last forever, you can use whatever you like, excepting felt tips-see note about pen caps further down)
Vase and vase filler -OR- terra cotta pot, floral half sphere (to fit the pot), and moss
Wire cutters-DON'T USE YOUR GOOD BEADING NIPPERS! THE WIRE IN THE SPRAY IS THICK AND CAN DAMAGE THEM. Use something you would cut a coat hanger wire with.

Nip all the flowers off your spray, leaving approximately 3" of stem

Using the floral tape, wrap the stem and pen together in a spiral down to the top of the point.

Next, apply a dab of glue where you ended the tape, and wrap up the pen, using the ribbon, making sure to cover the floral tape completely.(The floral tape is stcky and waxy and horrible, noone wants to write with a sticky pen.) Trim the ribbon to a point to prevent fraying, then secure with another dab of glue. I learned the hard way not to glue, then trim.

*Note-your pen caps may no longer fit. If that is the case and using the vase/filler, no biggie. If you are using the foam in a pot, you might try securing the caps in the foam and sitting your pens in that.

Repeat until you run out of flowers or pens, or, if you've planned well, both!

Allow your flower pens to dry for a few hours.

While you wait, you can decorate your vessel, paint your pot, add a pretty ribbon, etc. You then add your vase filler. If using a pot, secure your foam to the bottom of the pot with glue, hot glue, or whatever will keep it in there.

Finally, arrange your flowers in the vase/pot, add moss if you deem it necessary, and gift!



Sometimes, people need you to tell them that it is a pot full of pens. Example-My grandma's lives on her porch, which is great if you need a pen on the porch...