Create Fun Garden Jewelry

Create Fun Garden Jewelry

Children love jewelry. If you've ever been to Hawaii and given a lei you know how fun flower jewelry can be. Gather some flower seeds, grab the kids (at least the little girls) and let's go on a journey to create some fabulous garden jewelry.



Choose Larger Sized Flowers



Orchids, roses, daisies, poppies, mums, plumeria and other larger sized flowers are ideal for making jewelry out of. Of course, if all that is available is the good old fashioned die hard dandelion, that works too.



Plant Your Flowers



Help your children plant your flowers and wait patiently for them to grow. While they're growing you can gather your other supplies to have ready for your jewelry projects. Be patient, you don't want to rush your flowers. Water them and keep them weeded while you wait.



Materials You'll Need



You'll want approximately 40 to 50 medium to large sized flowers for a necklace. You'll also need a length of cotton string. We like the crochet thread that is fine yet durable. If you don't have access to a "lei" needle (a steel needle approximately 12 to 18 inches long), use a sturdy long needle such as a quilting needle.



While You Wait



While you wait for your flowers to grow children can explore ideas online for their jewelry. They can find necklaces, bracelets, barettes and other hair accessories. They can even create boutonnière’s and corsages. Hair halos are great fun too.



Picking Flowers



Choose flowers that are well developed but not falling apart. Be very careful when picking so as not to damage the base of the flower.



Beginning Your Necklace



Cut your cotton string about 100 inches in length. Thread your string on your needle and bring the two open ends together. Tie a strong knot with the two open ends. You now have a foundation to string your flowers on.



Threading Your Flowers



Facing your flowers all the same direction will give you one look, alternating how your flowers face will give you another. Decide how you wish to thread your flowers and begin your necklace. Thread the flowers (base only) on your string with the needle. Gently move flowers to the bottom of the string and continue threading until you reach the desired length.



Finishing Your Necklace



When you reach the desired length, take the needle and wrap it back through the original knot. Knot it back and forth a few times to secure it and using scissors clip it off. You now have a beautiful necklace to wear for the day.



Alternatives



Make bracelets instead of necklaces. This is great fun for a girls birthday party idea. Tween girls love to create things and this will keep them occupied.



Flower gardening can be fun and profitable and children love to use flowers in may other projects too. When children are gardening they can learn many uses for flowers to decorate, design and create their own jewelry. Don't let your child miss out on this fun and exciting gardening adventure.