My Completed Plastic Spoon Flowers

17 years ago

I had to do it...I've made 3 so far. I used green spoons to make the leaves so they would be outdoor friendly and waterproof

I followed the same basic instructions as the site Kirk linked to, minus using the plastic disc as a base.

I pulled 12 spoons of the same color and heated each one over a candle open side up. When the plastic started to sag, I held the spoon, pulled it, shaped it, and then kept it in place for a few seconds to cool. If it didnt look quite right, i'd reheat and shape differently. Once I did that for all 12 spoons, I used a pair of garden/rose clippers to just snip the handle off of each one. I then took 5 "petals and arranged them in a circle and used a bit of GE Silicone II right where each petal touched each other to hold it together. There will be a hole in the middle but that comes in handy later. After a few minutes, I added a layer of 4 more "petals". I used the leftover spoon handles to prop the petals up so the flower was more 3-dimensional. Then i added the final layer of 3 petals and did the same thing.

Once everything was dry, I attached a big bead to the center of the flower to cover the hole and finish the look. I also took a green spoon and created a leaf the same way i created the petals. If you're making them to sit flat on the table or a project, that would be all you need to do. Because the back side would be covered.

If you want to use them in a way where the back may be seen, then I'd take the extra step and add a stem. I just used the leftover spoon handle (waste not, want not!) and heated it, pulled and twisted it, and held it in place for a moment for it to cool. I also created another green "leaf" to attach to the back of the flower and put a hole through it with a heated x-acto knife so i could slip the stem through it and into the hole between the petals

Finally, VOILA!

Here is a link that might be useful: My indoor and yard art albums

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (16)

backyardmom
17 years ago
Very Very nice......How long did it take you to do one?
I've been wanting to do one,wating for the weather to get nice out so i can do it out side...
nonacook
17 years ago
The flowers are great! As I said in the first post
I had seen these a long time ago. I had forgotten
just how pretty they were!
Related Professionals
Richmond Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Portsmouth Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Kalamazoo Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · New York City Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Brattleboro Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Madison Landscape Contractors · Fayetteville Landscape Contractors · Keene Landscape Contractors · Jackson Stone, Pavers & Concrete · Danville Stone, Pavers & Concrete · Clarksburg Stone, Pavers & Concrete · Fall River Stone, Pavers & Concrete · Lawrence Stone, Pavers & Concrete · Fresno Stone, Pavers & Concrete · Cheyenne Stone, Pavers & Concrete
souperwoman
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks!

Backyardmom--i'd say they took me about 30 minutes each to shape the petals and such--the longest part of the process was waiting a few minutes for the glue to set before doing each subsequent layer.

I actually did them in the house--there's no burning plastic smell as I was just warming and softening the plastic, not letting it burn. If you do them outside, be sure to do it in a sheltered area away from the wind, as the wind will not only mess with the candle flame but may also make the plastic cool too quickly
dkline_2008
17 years ago
Those turned out very nice. You really did a wonderful job with them.
Deb
katishooked
17 years ago
Wonderful job. Wowser wowser wowser. LOve em.
jeannespines
17 years ago
souper...can't believe those are plastic spoons! Souper job...and great instructions & pics! Jeanne S.
luna_llena_feliz
17 years ago
Awesome flowers! And who would guess they are made from plastic spoons? Makes me want to run out to the nearest party supply store and get me some spoons! But why do I think if I tried it, mine wouldn't turn out so nicely? he-he Great job on both the flowers and the instructions!
justlinda
17 years ago
Wow, very pretty. Would look great floating on water in a rosebowl. Thanks for sharing the instructions also.
Dottie B.
17 years ago
Those came out great! Very professional looking and they look so much like magnolias that I will just have to make some. Beautiful!
Marlene Kindred
17 years ago
They turned out just great! The white ones look like a magnolia blossom! VERY pretty!
fldirt
17 years ago
Those are very nice & you did a really good job. thanks for sharing. Also I saw your flower plates..they were lovely as well. Would you share how those are made?
concretenprimroses
17 years ago
Good job! how do you plan to use them?
It was fun to look at your yard and garden art again too.
kathy
luvs2click
17 years ago
Awesome - those turned out great!
Arlene
souperwoman
Original Author
17 years ago
Just a quick update--I've found a MUCH easier way to put these together...rather than using silicone or glue, i just leave a *tiny* itty bitty bit of the handle left on the spoon, warm it in the candle flame, and then attach it to another petal. They cool and set instantly and no more visible glue (no more glue period!)

fldirt---i'll be sure to post a tutorial with photos next time i work on plate flowers.. one tip--i do all of my connections (plate to plate, plate to pipe, etc) with GE Silicone II..i LOVE that stuff!
concretenprimroses
17 years ago
I wonder what kind of flowers my plastic soup spoons would make. Have a box of those cuz dh likes to eat cereal on his commute in the morning. I have plenty cuz he tries to save them for washing and reuse. Great idea to use the handle souperwoman thanks for the update.

fldirt I think if you do a search on plate flowers aththe bottom of the gardn junk page you'll turn up instructions from different folks.
Here is a link to my plate flower album. I used pipe fittings with a washer glued to it. I discovered that I had to put a big blob of ge II inside the fitting up against the back of the washer or the washer would break off (leaving the plate witht the washer securely glued on). Now I'm wondering if there is a better way. GE II requires moisture to cure so sometimes blobs don't cure, so I dipped my finger into soapy water and squished it around. Others may have better ways. But mine have held up in the garden all winter.
I have also heard of someone gluing a hockey puck to the back after first drilling a hole in it for the stem. I'm intrigued by that as it sounds easy.
kathy

Here is a link that might be useful:
tennesseetrash
17 years ago
Oh how crafty you are! Those are really pretty! ~tenderlee