Rosebud Topiary Tutorial
January 26, 2012 in Made by Mom
This post has been featured!
Last week, I shared pictures from our Baby Dedication Backyard Party and promised a tutorial for how to make these rosebud topiaries.
Here it is!
What you’ll need:
-Several rolls of crepe paper for the roses (I used pink…but I think white, red, or yellow rosebuds would be pretty, too). I used about a roll per topiary, but the amount you need really depends on the size of the rolls you buy more than anything else.
- styrofoam balls…or scratch paper and masking tape if you are cheap frugal like me.
- 12 inch dowels (one per topiary)
- ribbon (to wrap dowels and for bow…the amount you need depends on the size of ribbon)
- small pots (one per topiary)
- flower arranging foam and peet moss (or something else decorative to cover the foam)
- spray paint if you want to paint the pots
- hot glue gun and several sticks of glue
Step One: Paint the Pots.
I used this primer:
and this paint: (but you can use whatever you have on hand or pick out whatever suits your fancy. You might also choose just to keep them as they are.)
Step Two: Wrap the dowels in ribbon by securing one side with a dab of hot glue and then wrapping the ribbon around and around. Cut the end and secure it with a dab of hot glue, too.
Step Three: Make your rosebud balls. I got this idea from House of Smiths…where they were made in multiple colors and sizes and hung from the ceiling. Shelley, of House of Smiths, put together a fabulous tutorial…so there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Check out this tutorial for making the rosebuds out of crepe paper…including the tip/disclosure that your fingertips WILL get burned in the process.
Shelley used styrofoam balls…but styrofoam balls are surprisingly expensive for what they are if you ask me. Since you can’t see them once you are finished anyway, I substituted paper wads for styrofoam balls. If you choose to do this, just remember that you will need to insert the stick for your topiary BEFORE you cover it in rosebuds since you have to stick it in at certain places (whereas you can poke a hole anywhere you please with styrofoam and can therefore wait until you are finished if you want to). I put a dot of hot glue on the end of the dowel so that it would stay put better.
I decided that 5 sheets of 8.5×11 inch paper made the right size ball.
The one on the left was made with 6 sheets of paper, and I think it was too big, the one on the right…perfect 5 sheet paper wad size 
It takes a long time to “roll” all those roses…so pop in a movie. Or two.
Step Four: Put it all together. By the time you are finished with your rosebuds, your pots should be plenty dry enough to construct your topiaries, but feel free to give it the full 24 hours to cure if you want to… the rest of the process will go very quickly.
Cut a piece of green floral foam the size of your pot and cover it with peet moss (or decorative rocks…or paper shreds…if you are making this for valentines day, conversation hearts or red hots might actually be real cute…)
Stick one end of the dowel in the pot and the other in the rosebud ball. For a finishing touch, tie a little bow under the rosebud ball.
Viola! Fancy-shmancy centerpieces at paper wad and crepe paper prices Make a few! I love how they look all lined up 
For the Baby Dedication Party, I put them on each side of the cake and on each of the other tables.
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I’m linking up:
A Valentine’s Day Party @ cheapcraftymama.com
Imagine the Impossibilities Party
Related posts:
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Pink Rosebud Wedding Inspiration | Bridesmaids and Weddings
on April 4, 2012
Liz
Alisha
Do you believe in old wives tales? -
Megan
Katie @ Little Becky Homecky
What a great decoration! Very classy. I love that we are both too cheap to buy styrofoam balls at the craft store…
So cute!! I love the way they came out!! Awesome job!
These look fantastic! I’m going to pin them for a party idea!
Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a fabulous week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/
These are beautiful! Please come share at my party!
http://herecomesthesun-kelly.blogspot.com/2012/01/fabulous-friday-10.html
And I would love it if you could tell me how you got all your link party buttons lined up so neat and tidy. I’ve been trying to do that forever.
Thanks for noticing the buttons all neatly lined up…I have been working on that for a while, now, too
Here is what I did: I have a word document with all the button codes copied and pasted. I deleted all the code fragments that said things like …div, br, align center… these are parts of the code that require that the button have its own line or be centered. But you have to delete everything in a <> section at once. Then I resized the images in the visual setting after entering the code so that they were all 100 px tall. This changes the code…so I updated the codes in my word document so I don’t have to do the resizing every time I go the that party. Hope that helps…
I would love to join in on your party this week, too. Thanks for the invite!
-Alisha @ SnugasaBugBaby.com
Adorable! I love your tablescape! I would love it if you would link up to my Valentines Party @ http://www.cheapcraftymama.com!
Love this project! I’m so glad you shared this! I shared it on my FB page this morning too!
Thank you so much for the darling tutorial. I love this! So cute for any party or just to have in the home.
So cute!
Jenny
http://www.simcoestreet.blogspot.com
PS. I’m having a great giveaway from Cutting Edge Stencils and would love it if you came by and entered
I love that you used crumbled paper for the center. so smart! love these! I am having a Valentine’s Day Linky Carnival and I would love for you to link this up:>
http://blissfulanddomestic.blogspot.com/2012/02/valentines-day-countdown-linky-party.html
What a great idea for crumpling up paper as your ball! They are expensive little buggers, so thanks for the tips!
Adorable! I love these, they are so cute next to that perfect little cake. Great job!
your topiary (and cake setting) are beautiful! I wish I loved to craft.
great job alisha!
gail
ps thanks for linking up and linking back to catch as catch can!
loved this whole party post and these topiaries are the best. Such a creative way to add color, texture and design. Thanks so much for sharing them on Motivated Monday.
Pam
Great project. It’s been featured today at Craftastic Monday’s link party (and on Sew Can Do’s Pinterest). Stop by & grab a Featured On button. Thanks for linking & can’t wait to see what you link up next:)
Those topiaries are awesome, and look so perfect with your garden table display!
Thanks so much for linking up to the challenge!
Karah
[...] Topiary: includes a DIY tutorial that will help you make these adorable rosebud topiaries. You can customize the color of the rosebuds, and they’ll make perfect centerpieces, or even [...]