flower frogs
If you like to gather flowers and ornamental cuttings from your own yard to brighten up indoor spaces, you need this useful little tool with the funny name. Flower frogs keep delicate stems upright and easy to arrange. These little wonders are inexpensive and so bloomin’ easy to make!
Materials + Tools
1 block of Air-dry polymer clay, available at craft stores and online
Mod Podge + paint brush
Craft paint, colors of your choice (optional)
Items for imprinting a pattern:
Scraps of lace
Leaves, fresh or artificial
Clay texture sheets (I found mine here)
Parchment or wax paper
Cutting board + rolling pin
Cookie cutters
Plastic straws
Plastic or Xacto knife, optional
Small vases, jars, spice/seasoning bottles, glasses
How To
- Use a cutting board or protect your work surface with parchment or wax paper. Knead a portion of clay and shape it into a ball about the size of your fist. Roll out as evenly as you can to a thickness of about 1/8 inch.
- Lay your pattern on the clay; roll over it firmly enough to leave an imprint. Peel away the pattern to see what you have; if you’re unhappy with your first try, you can easily roll the clay back into a ball and start again.
- Play with different patterns! I used lace, a texture sheet, and a snip of artificial leaf.
- Use cookie cutters or a sharp knife to cut out the desired shapes and sizes you want. Pull away the excess clay and smoothen the edges (you may need to dip your finger in water if the clay feels dry).
- Decide how many holes you’d like. Use a regular straw for smaller holes and a jumbo straw for larger ones.
- Let the clay discs air dry on a cookie sheet for 1-3 days, turning occasionally so they dry on both sides. After they’re completely dried, you can use an emery board to soften rough edges, but keeping it rustic is pretty too! Use acrylic craft paint to add a bit of color if you like or keep it natural. Seal with mod podge.
These look so pretty with a variety of sizes clustered together. Fill bottles with water, top it with a frog and add your flowers. I especially love being able to add extremely delicate but oh-so-fragrant Star Jasmine blooms to the mix!
3 comments
Debra Belger | July 11, 2024
What a clever idea. Thank you for sharing.
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Trudy | July 12, 2024
Love this Leah!
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Linda Colcord | July 14, 2024
So clever, I love it. I will share with my craft buddies
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