Friday, December 18, 2015

DIY : Semi quilled flowers


Hello friends, what are you up to?
My online window shopping has become so compulsive that my data pack gets over in no time. I am sure there would be many people like me around this world who are into this addiction. I have made a strict resolution of limiting my browsing the e-commerce sites. My attention now is on few saved pins that I thought I should try in my lifetime. This one DIY which is quite easy but bit wearing.Hope you like it and give it a try.

Semi quilled flowers

So here I go with the steps.

Things you need.
Semi quilled flowers


I chose blue colored strips because it went well with my vase. Since the blue color was monotonous I also made few white colored ones(I did not have the white quilling strips, so I ended us making them but cutting the white colored A4 sheets).

Initially cut a quilling strip into strips each of length 9 cm. You require about 12-25 strips of this size for the base. Keep decreasing the length and the number of strips for each layer.

Semi quilled flowers

Fold the strips at the center and using the quilling needle curl the end of the strips slightly.


Start laying each strip over the other gluing at the center with a glue dot.

Semi quilled flowers

Semi quilled flowers


 Take the floral wire and wrap it with the floral tape.

 
Make a small tight rolled coil of the same colored strip and attach it to the base of the flower.
 







After it has completely dried attach the floral wire to the coil at the base with a bit of glue.

Semi quilled flowers
 
Adding this to Welcome Back To Craft Schooling Sunday Jan 09 2016

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Indoor Plants : Growing Arrowhead Plants



Arrowhead plants
 
Today I am going to show case a plant which is abundant inside as well outside of my house. This is so because it's very easy to grow, easily adapts to the environment, easy on care. Yes, what I am talking about is the Arrowhead plant( Syngonium podophyllum).

The arrowhead plant is a great container plant for shady balcony gardens and a plant which does better indoors.
Leaves initially are heart shaped and later as they mature, develop into arrowhead shape. They are generally green in color with silvery white or cream variegation. There are many varieties that include variegated leaves of differing shades. Green varieties requires average light and variegated ones requires more light. I have tried growing a sapling picked up from my mothers place which has a different shade initially but when it grows in my house it turns into normal green one. Then I realized that it is due to the light exposure.
Avoid keeping them exposed to direct sunlight as the leaves may have a burnt look. As it grows it tends to climb up with support sticks. You can see tiny aerial roots along the stems. You can also prune the plant to keep the bush like appearance or support it using the moss stick.

Arrowhead plants


It grows well in the moist soil. Keep them well watered in summer and less watered in the winters( I water it once in 3-4 days). You can use potting mixture, always remember to use a well drained container.

Propagation is by stem cuttings, or by division. Cut at a node where there is slight root protrusion. Keep in water for few days till roots develop and then it is ready to be potted. Propagation can also be done by division.

I have also tried them growing in water, changing water for every two weeks. For obvious reasons the number of leaves are less but they do add on to your décor quotient.


Arrowhead plants