Red
Waratah
by
Lexie Picken of Australia
Layout
and Editing by Diane Shavkin of New York
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This flower
is spectacular on its own
or with red
holly berries, glossy green
holly leaves
and gold ivy. These
flowers are
also very striking made in
white. |
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Colour paste
with pillar box red food colouring. Put a small hook in the top of a 9cm
length of 20 gauge wire.
Mould a ball
of paste the size of the small pinhead into an oval shape as shown over
the wire. Make 5 more about 7 mm long, and place around and slightly lower
than centre shape. Place a second row of 10 shapes, about I cm long around
centre, again making the tops slightly lower than the previous row.
Roll another
12-14 shapes, with balls the size of the medium pinhead, rolling between
fingers to form a small bulb at the top. These should be about 1.5 cm long.
Place around centre, slightly lower than the previous row. Roll about 30
more balls the same size on the fine hooked wire, rolling between fingers
to form a small bulb at the top of a 1.8 cm long shape. Place on to flower
as before but turn in slightly towards the centre. Allow to dry. To colour,
paint with 1 part each of pillar box red and rose pink food colouring with
6 parts spirits. |
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Roll 20 narrow
pieces of paste from balls the size of the small pinhead, on to fine hooked
wire 5 cm long. Form a bulb at the top and bend slightly to dry. Cut 20
small heart shapes and flute with fingers around top edge to make petals
finer. Moisten base of petal and wrap around wired shape with pointed end
of heart pointing upward. Allow to dry. To colour, paint with same red
and pink mixture as above. Place around flower slightly lower than previous
row. |
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Place a ball
of paste the size of the medium pinhead over a piece of fine wire. Roll
and cut 7 petals with the small water lily cutter, vein with lily veiner
or corn husk and dry with a slight bend on its side. Curl sides in slightly.
Repeat, making another 7 petals with the medium water lily cutter. Allow
to dry.
To colour,
paint with the same mixture as before. Place the small petals around the
flower, then the larger petals. Cover wires with stem wrap. Brush top of
flower with a touch of leaf green chalk. |
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Leaves are
long and serrated. Place a ball of green paste the size of the large pinhead
over medium wire 5 cm long. Roll, cut to shape shown, vein and bend slightly
to dry. To colour, paint with 2 parts leaf green and 1 part caramel
brown liquid food colouring with 8 parts spirits. Place 5 leaves on stem
with flower. Secure with stem wrap. |
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