Allison: "Gardening" according to Allison

Hello again!  If I can get my drooling under control after seeing Lisa's amazing zucchini bread, I'll start my post.  Okay... I'm good.

As Lisa mentioned, this week we're gardening!!  She also mentioned that my parents have an amazing garden.  I have always loved our backyard, but especially during Spring and Summer.  I have taken many pictures over the years of its beauty, and love the serenity that can be found there.  Since I can remember, we've had a HUGE vegetable garden.  I have many memories of weeding and watching my parents care for this space.  After a few years, they converted a large portion of this area into a flower garden.  I appreciate the time and energy that my parents have put into making their yard a place of beauty.

Courtesy of Melissa Gallo

But like Lisa confessed, I did not get this gardening gene passed on to me either.  I seem to kill everything living that enters my home.  I can look up right now and see a Mother's Day plant that has been struggling for its life near the sink, and fear for the survival of the orchid plant my husband gave me the same day.  It's okay... I accept this flaw about myself.  That being said, I thought my take on this week's theme was a little sneaky, and is probably considered cheating.  So be it.

A few years ago, I found these adorable little fabric flowers online.  I had seen them on multiple sites, but had never seen a tutorial on how to assemble them.  I figured it out, and thought I'd pass that process on to all of you.  The flower pictured is actually from a baby shower I organized last year, and only shows the four-petaled version.  I will be making a flower with five petals.  The process is so easy.  Here is what you'll need:

The basic supplies include: scissors, scrap fabric, marker/pen, yo-yo maker (optional), needle and thread and stuffing (which I forgot in the picture, but is VERY important).

If you'd like to put your flower in a pot (as pictured above), you'll need floral moss, tape and styrofoam (I found all of those at The Dollar Tree), wooden dowels (the size depends on the size flower you make), and a pot (not pictured).

These can be as basic or as complex as you want to make them.  I almost always go for basic.  Here are the steps:

Step #1- Trace 5 circles from one fabric type (for each petal), and 1 circle from a contrasting fabric (for the center of the flower).

Step #2a- If using a yo-yo maker, skip step one and cut around yo-yo maker and begin stitching.  Otherwise, begin a basic basting stitch around the edge of the circle.

Step #2b- This is how your fabric should look after stitching around the edge.

Step #3- Insert enough stuffing to cause a little resistance when thread is pulled tight.  Secure thread by stitching through the center multiple times.  Tie a knot to complete petal.

Step #4- Thread the five petals together by stitching through the middle of each ball.

Step #5- I'm a big fan of the glue gun, so I glued the middle ball to the 5 petals.  It can also be stitched in.  Cover a 1/8" wooden dowel by placing a small amount of glue on the tip, and wrapping floral tape from top to bottom (securing with more hot glue).  Finally, secure the dowel to the flower by gluing the tip and inserting it between two petals.

That's it!  Pretty easy, right?  I've also made larger flowers and used a 1/4" dowel (found these at Joann's).  I love mixing smaller flowers with bigger flowers in the same pot.  So fun!

I hope you've enjoyed my type of gardening.  Can't wait to see what Sara has in store for us tomorrow!  She actually knows how to keep plants alive.  See you next week!!

Allison