When visual arts teacher and crafter-lover Cheryl Kwan settled on a cherry blossom theme for her upcoming wedding, she decided to keep to theme for her thank you gifts.
A quick DIY project later and she had created a stunning cherry blossom family tree, made from clay, twigs, fairy lights and displayed in a $6 Kmart dome.
Better Homes and Gardens Online caught up with Cheryl to find out all the details.
What inspired your project?
Over the last few months, I have been planning a cherry blossom-theme wedding and part of our wedding rundown includes gifting our parents a present. It was hard finding anything personalised online, so I decided to create my own cherry blossom sculpture along with the Chinese character ‘family’.
Besides fitting the theme, the branch acts as a family tree. Each flower represents a family member and the buds represent our fluffy babies.
Have you made many things before?
I am a visual arts high school teacher by day and a crafter at night. Before this year I hardly sat down to give myself time to ‘create’, but I recently purchased a Cricut maker (vinyl cutting machine).
Ever since I’ve been pumping out DIY projects for my wedding theme as well as my Alice in Wonderland-themed bridal shower. I also enjoy using polymer clay to make earrings, brooches, beads and mini sculptures.
What kind of look were you after?
Mulan version of the Beauty and the Beast rose.
Biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge was finding a dome that properly encapsulated the idea and the cherry blossom branch.
Talk us through the process
1) Roll the polymer clay out on a flat surface.
2) For each cherry blossom flower, use a scalpel knife to carefully carve and cut five ‘flat’ raindrop looking petals.
3) Slowly overlap the five petals in a circular motion until it forms a flower shape.
4) Using a pair of sharp scissors, cut a ‘V’ shape at the end of each raindrop petal.
5) Repeat the first four steps until you have the desired number of cherry blossom flowers.
6) To make the cherry blossom bud: roll the polymer clay in the palm of your hands and create a 3-dimensional looking raindrop.
7) Cut two ‘flat’ raindrop petals and gently attach it to the side of the buds and gently pat down. Repeat this step based on how the desired number of buds.
8) Bake the polymer clay in your oven based on the instructions on the oven baked packet. Remember to reheat your oven first at 130 degrees for 15 mins. Tip: put a layer of foil over your goodies so it does not burn them.
9) Grab a small branch from your backyard.
10) Using a strong glue like UHU All plastic adhesive, gently attach the baked cherry blossoms and buds onto the branch.
11) Place the cherry blossom branch into a dome. I used a $6 Kmart glass canister. Tip: turn it upside down.
12) Feel free to add designs by using washi tape or a Cricut maker. Add fairy lights, ribbons – the choice is yours.
Budget Breakdown
1 x packet of Sculpey branded clay $5.50 from Spotlight.
2 x large glass canisters $12 all up from Kmart.
1 x 3m roll of Self-Adhesive Book cover. $3 for a 2m roll from Kmart.
Washi tape from Rozelle second hand markets $5 for a packet of 5.
1 x UHU All plastics glue $11 from Spotlight.
Total cost = $36.50 to make TWO Cherry Blossom domes.
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