Spring bouquet sprouts pom-pom ‘blooms’

#Middlebury #Spring

The first signs of spring are everywhere. Maybe you are noting them on your family calendar with your kids. Crocuses and daffodils are poking up through dry leaves, and returning birds are singing. Even in places where there aren’t mittens and woolen hats to put away, the first, fresh spring breezes and longer days of sunshine trigger an upsurge in spirit.

While you might not yet have blossoms on tree branches or forsythia in bloom, you can still enjoy creating a whimsical spring “branch” bouquet bursting with colorful pom-pom “blooms.” All ages, including preschoolers, love to collect sticks and fallen branches while outdoors for a walk this time of year. Bring them home for the basics of this easy and fun do-together activity.

You’ll also want to purchase a bag of inexpensive colorful pom-poms at your dollar or craft store, grab a bottle of squeezable household white glue from your cupboard, and a container for arranging the sticks inside, and you’re ready to create an eye-catching centerpiece that says “Spring!”

(Submitted photo)

Here’s the stuff you’ll need:

• 5 branches about 20 inches long, preferably with short branches that fork half way.
• garden shears for trimming the branches (optional).
• vase or clean jar with labels removed, 6-8 inches tall.
• chunk of floral foam to fit snugly inside the container (optional).
• package of craft pom-poms in assorted colors (available in quantities of 80-100 at craft and dollar stores).
• white household glue in a squeeze bottle.

Here’s the fun:

1. An adult may trim the branches for a balanced arrangement when placed in the container. Depending on the branches you use, you may wish to set a chunk of floral foam in the base of your container before arranging, to stabilize the branches.
2. Squeeze glue onto the outer tip of a branch. Lightly pinch a pom-pom onto the glue, and hold for a few seconds to set. Continue gluing pom-poms on all the tips, using a variety of colors, and then add more randomly – a pink one here and yellow one there. Note how they cluster snugly where buds are developing. Let glue dry.
3. Set on a table or mantel for a cheery spring bouquet.

TIP: For a contemporary decorator look, paint the branches white or gray, and let dry before arranging and gluing on pom-poms.

Extra Idea: Make a pom-pom “floral” style bouquet for a friend. Collect seven thin 10-inch sticks. Glue one large pom-pom at the end of each one. Bundle and tie together with twine and a gift tag.

Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”

© 2020 Donna Erickson
Distributed by King Features Synd.