How to Make Sunflower Decorations

How to Make Sunflower Decorations

I have had this crazy obsession with sunflowers since I got to view the amazing fields of sunflowers in Italy.  I decided that a sunflower themed tablescape was in store.   For my Rome inspired table I used a vase of fresh sunflowers, but this time I decided to make a variety of sunflower decorations.

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Project One – Sunflower balls:

I began the first project with a pair of 4 inch styrofoam balls and one 6 inch ball.  It doesn’t matter if the styrofoam is the rough finish or the smooth, I will show you how to use both of them.  All you need for this project is right here! Some artificial sunflowers, styrofoam balls and wire cutters.  The following instructions are for the ‘rough’ surface or ‘soft’ styrofoam balls.

Cut the blooms off of the sunflower bush and leave about one inch of stem.

Push each bloom into the styrofoam ball. 

Continue to push the bloom in until it lies snug against the ball.  Continue to add blooms close enough together that none of the styrofoam ball shows. When using these on a table top like I did, you don’t have to cover the bottom, just use that surface to rest the balls on your table.  If you want to hang these, continue to cover the entire ball.

Method 2 – “smooth” or “hard” styrofoam

Using the smooth or hard styrofoam, it is more difficult to stick the stems into the ball.  In this case, you will want to cut the blooms off of the bushes all the way to the back of the bloom.  The photo above shows the smooth, more dense surface of this ball.  Use a glue gun set on LOW heat to glue the blooms onto this kind of foam ball. 

Project Two – Sunflower ‘Topiaries’

I wanted to give some height to the ends of my table, so I wanted to create some ‘topiaries’. 

Begin this with a standard terra cotta flower pot.  I used and 8.3″ pot and get a chunk of styrofoam that can be wedged firmly into the pots.  Take 5 stems of large sunflowers and secure the stems together with pipe cleaners in 2 places along the length of the stems.Cut a hole in the middle of the foam so that the thick stems can be wedged down into it.  You can add a little bit of low temperature glue from a glue gun into the hole should you feel it is necessary.

This is what you will have at this point.  It may not yet look like a pretty sunflower decoration, but it is coming!!
Wedge additional styrofoam into the pot to fill it completely.  Take an “s” pin or greening pin and secure a piece of brown ribbon at the base of the stem.  Wrap the brown ribbon up the stems.  Then repeat with yellow ribbon. 

This is what you should have at this point.  As you secure the stems with the ribbons, you can remove the pipe cleaners.  Fill the top of the pot with gravel or top with moss and your pots are ready to display!  
h3>Project Three – Sunflower Flowerpots

I wanted some more sunflowers on my table, so I selected some tiny flower pots and some large sunflower blooms.  Cut the stems off of the sunflower blooms, cut two leaves off of the sunflower leaves.  Use a glue gun to attach two leaves to the back of each bloom.  Set each bloom with the leaves on top of a pot and your are done!  If you want to use these for place cards, you can add a ribbon with each guests’ name on it or write their names on the flower pots.  You can see how I made my sunflower napkin rings at DIY Napkin Rings!

These sunflower decorations will add a punch of color to your home or a festive touch to your late summer table!