Luscious Lilies

My husband and I tend to acknowledge Valentine's day with an exchange of handmade cards instead of buying from florists because some are associated with negative impacts on the environment and unfair labor practices. 

One World Flowers provides an environmentally-friendly, fair trade option for ordering flowers http://www.oneworldflowers.org/news-events/tag/wholesale-fair-trade-flowers/

Last Sunday, I was completely, yet pleasantly, surprised when he presented me with a bouquet of red day lilies. He had creatively turned magazine pages, bamboo skewers and an old compact disc into an exquisite bouquet. 

Technique:  For each flower, use a pen to trace the outline of your hand on a piece of paper. Color the flower and the skewer using markers or acrylic paint. Cut out along the lines.  To get the soft bend in the flowers, roll each "finger" around a pencil or pen.  Wrap the portion representing the bottom of your hand around the top of a skewer. Adhere the flower to the skewer with hot glue or tape.  Arrange several in a glass to create your own truly handmade bouquet.