Summer Topiaries ~ Tutorial

I have several recitals and parties to cater in the next 3-4 weeks,
so I made these topiaries for table decorations.

You will need:
a clay pot
a medium Styrofoam ball
a smaller Styrofoam ball to fit down in the pot
PRETTY silk flowers
hot glue
small branches from a bush
small amount of Spanish Moss

First paint your clay pot and let dry.
Cut a small branch from a bush, make sure it is straight.
I like a small branch rather than a doll rod so it looks more natural.
Stick the branch about 1/2 into the ball.

I used some silk hydrangeas flowers that I bought 1/2 price at Michaels.
First hot glue some leaves to the bottom of the ball and on to the branch.
I used 3 here.

Glue a small amount of Spanish moss to the ball, this step could be skipped if you wanted to.

Pop all the silk flowers off from their stem. These flowers had larger ones and smaller ones. I glued the larger ones on first with hot glue and stuck the hard base (green here) of the flower into the ball at the same time. Then go through and fill in the spaces with the smaller flowers.Cut the smaller foam ball in half and place the wide side down in the pot.
Hot glue it in, then stick the branch/ball in the center, make sure it is straight.
Run a little hot glue around the base of the branch where it
meets the foam ball for added support.

Fill with some loose gravel and use white glue or hot glue to make the stones stick together.

You really need these for weight. Leave an inch or so from the top of the pot.

Glue in a little Spanish Moss to hide the gravel.

Here are 4 that I finished!

I may place one on this shelf after recital/party season.

Or I may place one on the piano. ???? Not sure yet.
These pictures are the wedding pictures of my grandparents and great-grandparents,
I just love them!!!