| Stuck for an idea for a baby shower or new baby | | | | thirds of the leaf protrudes above the rest of the |
| gift? Want something stunning but that you can make | | | | flower buds. Do this for each of the items of clothing |
| yourself? Try following my instructions on how to | | | | you have. |
| make a baby clothing bouquet. The finished item looks | | | | Now you will need to wrap each clothing bud with |
| like a gorgeous bouquet of flowers but is in fact made | | | | the florist tape. Start a cm or two below the top of the |
| up from baby clothing. This really is a 2-in-1 gift - | | | | bud and wrap the tape over the top of the elastic |
| flowers for mum and clothing for baby! | | | | band and then all the way down to the bottom of the |
| You are going to need: | | | | clothing item. You should find that you still have some |
| Selection of new baby clothing - items that work | | | | of the stem from the full size artificial flower protruding |
| well are little bodysuits, hats, bibs & socks. Check out | | | | from the bottom. |
| ranges from supermarkets for some really trendy | | | | Once they are all wrapped you will need to |
| pieces that won't break the bank | | | | arrange them all together. Play around with the best |
| Artificial Flowers (full size & miniature) and Foliage - | | | | combination of flower placement. You can twist |
| you can find these in craft type shops such as | | | | together the protruding stems from the artificial flowers |
| Hobbycraft or even in shops such as Wilkinsons. I find | | | | at the bottom to make more secure and also use |
| that foam roses are the most realistic but you could | | | | another elastic band around the whole bouquet about |
| choose whatever you wanted. | | | | a cm or two below the top of the bouquet to keep it |
| Rubber bands - these are to secure each clothing | | | | nice and tight. You can then wrap more florist tape |
| item once rolled | | | | around the elastic band to cover it and bind the |
| Florist tape - to wrap around the clothing 'buds' and | | | | bouquet together. |
| to help secure the whole bouquet together | | | | Now you need to wrap with the tissue paper. |
| Tissue paper | | | | Coordinating & contrasting colours always look nice, so |
| Vase - get down to Ikea for really cheap glass | | | | for example if you are making a bouquet for a girl you |
| vases or again try your local Wilkinsons or | | | | could use pinks, purple & white tissue paper. |
| Supermarket range. I also like the cardboard 'living' | | | | Co-ordinate with the colours of the artificial flowers & |
| vases which come flat packed although it may be | | | | clothing that you have chosen. I like to start by folding |
| harder to source these on an individual basis. | | | | a sheet of tissue paper in half, then take the bottom |
| Making the bouquet: | | | | left hand corner and bring it over to about 10cm above |
| Firstly take each item of baby clothing in turn and | | | | the top of the sheet, in the middle. This gives a kind of |
| roll them up. The larger items will need folding in half | | | | point jutting out. Take the bouquet and lay it down |
| and possibly in half again before rolling up the length of | | | | towards the left hand side of the folded tissue paper |
| the item. Secure each roll with an elastic band. This will | | | | sheet so that it lies about 5 cm or so below the jutting |
| give you your flower 'buds'. | | | | out point. Then wrap the sheet around the bouquet |
| Take an artificial flower stem (cut it off the main | | | | and fix with a piece of sellotape. Do this with each |
| stem if you have purchased flowers all attached to a | | | | sheet of tissue paper in turn. |
| main stem) and insert it underneath the rubber band of | | | | Now you are ready to pop the bouquet into the |
| one of the flower buds so that the flower comes to | | | | vase that you've chosen. |
| rest at the same height as the top of the flower bud | | | | These baby bouquets make a really stunning |
| roll. If you have also purchased any mini flowers you | | | | centrepiece to a baby shower party and then mum |
| can pop one of these underneath the rubber band also | | | | can appreciate it's beauty for a while before the baby |
| slightly further away than the full size flower. If you | | | | arrives and she has to take it apart to get the clothing |
| also have artificial leaves you can secure one of two | | | | out for the baby! |
| of them under the rubber band also so that about two | | | | |