Crafting with Brown Bag: Flower Cones

There is a charming old tradition of going around to neighbors’ houses early in the morning on May Day, leaving a tiny basket of fresh spring flowers hung on the door knob. These elegant little cone shaped baskets are perfect for this. You don’t have to use these cones just for flowers, however; they make wonderful baskets for hard candies, potpourri or dried flowers, as well.

You will need:

  • package of paper making linter purchased from a crafts store
  • Brown Bag Cookie Art ceramic
  • shortbread pan – Wildflower, Hearts and Flowers or Thistle
  • Sieve
  • Sponge
  • Kitchen Towel
  • Hot glue
  • 30″ satin ribbon, 1/4″ wide
  • Scissors
  • Lace
  • Paints
  • Glitter and white glue
    1. Make up a batch of paper pulp. Pour about 2 cups of pulp into a sieve to drain for about thirty seconds.
    2. Pour the pulp into a round or octagonal Brown Bag Cookie Art ceramic shortbread pan. Pan it out with your finger tips so that it evenly covers the bottom of the pan. Be sure the edges are nice and even.
    3. Sop out as much water as you can, pressing on the pulp with your sponge. Take a folded kitchen towel and press the pulp into the mold. This will absorb still more water and will assure that the paper picks up all the detail.
    4. Allow the paper to dry in the pan. Leave the pan on the counter overnight or put it in the oven set at 150° for about four hours. Do not use a microwave.
    5. When the paper is completely dry, carefully peel it out of the shortbread pan. You might need to loosen one edge with the point of a sharp knife to get it started.
    6. Trim the edges of the paper casting, then cut it in half. Paint and decorate as you like.
    7. Crease the paper casting along the score lines and fold it together to form a cone. Run a bead of hot glue down one edge and glue the cone together.
    8. If you want to trim the top of your cone with lace, now is the time. You can use real lace or paper lace trimmed from the edge of a doily. Starting with the seam where the cone was glued together, place a line of hot glue along the inside top edge of one section. Press lace into the glue, being careful not to burn your fingers. Continue gluing on the lace neatly until you reach the place where you started.
    9. Glue on the ribbon. The ribbon serves two functions; first, it hides the seam where you glued the cone together, and second, it forms a decorative handle. Fold the ribbon in half. Place a dot of hot glue on the tip of the cone and attach the mid-point of the ribbon to it. Now run a line of hot glue up the seam where the cone was joined together and press the ribbon over it. Glue the other half of the ribbon on the opposite side of the cone. Firmly tie the two ribbons together with a square knot to form a looped handle over the cone. Tie a bow on top of the square knot. If you have hot glued the seam of the cone neatly, you can simply place a dab of glue inside two opposite corners of the top edge of the cone and attach two shorter sections of ribbon. Tie as above. Your cone is now ready to be filled with whatever goodies you want.
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