Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Floating Foam Lotus Flower

The lotus is an amazing flower - it may look delicate and beautiful but it has the quality and meaning of being resistant and strong - rising out of mud and murky waters to form a beautiful flower, symbolizing strength and growth. 

What a lovely way to accent your outdoor water features or decor with a handcrafted beautiful floating lotus flower! You often see them in ponds and pools and in festive outdoor celebrations including weddings! They're also stunning indoors, floating in a large bowl or as an accent piece on furniture, too!  Want to learn how to make one of these beauties? Here's an easy to follow tutorial that I'm also sharing at our 2019 Summer Fun Link Party

Materials needed:
Printer paper or cardstock to make a template
Scissors
Craft skewer stick
Foam sheets
Soft Pastels (powdered pigments)
Paper towel
Iron/parchment paper 
DAP - all purpose adhesive 

Instructions:
Make a template of petals by folding paper or cardstock and drawing a line in the shape of a half petal and cut out. 
Next, use a skewer stick to outline petals on foam sheet and cut out. Petals can also be made smaller by cutting the foam around the bottom edge for different sizes. 


To shape and soften foam petals without hear, twist and pull foam in different directions.

And then add color to petals but using a small piece of paper towel to rub over the pastels, blending in the colors onto the petals. After coloring, sandwiched petals between two sheets of parchment paper, heating with an iron to set, and pulling the petals to lengthen and shape.
Next, form the lotus flower by cutting out a circle from the foam sheet and begin gluing on the petals in clockwise positions (3 & 9) using an all purpose adhesive that's quick dry, waterproof and dries clear like DAP all purpose adhesive.  I would not recommend using hot glue since it's not water resistant and may melt from the heat of the sun. 
Continue gluing petals on clockwise (6 & 12) .  .  .
and in-between .  .  .
adding shorter petals as you get closer to the center.
Curl the center petals by heating with an iron and rolling the foam petals together.
To make the stamen, cut a strip of yellow foam sheet about 1/2" wide and fringe the edges leaving a border.  
For the lily pad, and for a more realistic look, cut off the stem and round off the pointed edges of a large faux anthurium leaf into the shape of a pad. Or you can cut out a large circle from a green foam sheet, making wavy edges as you cut around.
Once the foam strip is fringed, roll it together, gluing in place every few inches. Add additional glue to base and apply in center of lotus flower. Attach the completed lotus flower to pad with glue placed in the center.
And yes, it really floats! 


Want to be inspired with more Summer Fun Ideas? Be sure to stop by and join in the fun at our 

Thanks for stopping by
and take a little time to enjoy,
Happy Crafting!

10 comments:

  1. This is lovely, Gail. It's so intricate. You always make such wonderful projects using foam!

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  2. Beautiful flower! You made it look so realistic!

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  3. I'm always amazed at the pretty flowers you make. This is a nice way to decorate a water feature if you want low maintenance decor.

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  4. Oh my goodness; that is beautiful and you make it look so easy too. Love it.

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  5. This flower is absolutely beautiful Gail! I love all the details - it makes it look so realistic!

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  6. This is a total win. What a beauty. Sharing on my FB page and pinned to my summer and garden board.

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  7. The flower is beautiful and it reminds me of the lily flowers on the pond. What a great idea to make the water feature even better. I love it!

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  8. Oh, wow! I'm always inspired by your creations! This lotus flower is no exception! pinning for later -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

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  9. These are stunning! I never would have realized it was made from craft foam!!!! Pinning

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  10. Gail, yours looks so much nicer than the ones I've seen in the stores! My bird bath needs one of these.

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