Ikebana Using Kusudama Paper Flowers and Leaves

Recently a friend shared a photo of Kusudama paper flowers that her mother had made from old sheet music. She didn't know that's what they are called, but I researched and discovered them on an Origami site. I made such a fuss over them she sent me a couple.

I decided to make a bunch of flowers and use them to create a unique arrangement. I'm calling my arrangement Ikebana, but some purists of the Japanese art of flower arrangement might give me a little bit of grief over making that claim. In any case, here are the instructions for making this project. This is just Robin babbling on this one; Wildcat Man is busy with other projects we'll soon share!

Step 1: Gather Supplies

I did not have any sheet music, so I purchased some interesting origami paper. In addition to paper (five sheets per flower + leaves) you will need:

Glue - I used a glue stick, but Elmer's glue is also good, applied with a stick or cotton swab. Elmers is used to glue the flowers and leaves to the stick.

Branch - for the arrangement I visualized, a branch pruned from an apple tree had just the right look.

Props - once you start assembling your flower arrangement, use whatever works to keep the flowers in place while the glue dries, i.e. cans, medicine bottles, books, etc.

Base - a vessel to hold your arrangement, plus a frog or other means to secure it into place.

You do not need:

A cat, who might discover your project while it is drying and wreak havoc! So be sure to keep your project a secret from the cat. Be aware that they can hide and spy on you.

Step 2: Make Some Kusudama Flowers

I decided to make flowers with five petals, so for a total of seven flowers, I needed 35 petals. Here is a splendid YouTube you can follow along with to learn how to make these flowers:

I found it easier to attach the five petals and wait a bit before looping them around to meet for the final glue joint. Press carefully with your clean fingers for 10 or 15 seconds then set in a safe, cat-proof place and let each flower dry completely before proceeding.

Step 3: Make Some Leaves

There are a few options for paper leaves. I turned to YouTube again to pick an easy design:

Step 4: The Assembly

The last step is gluing the flowers and leaves to the branch. It can take some time, as you have to leave things to dry before you can turn the stick about to place additional flowers and leaves. I like that it was a slow process, as it gave me more time to consider how my flower arrangement would look when finished. I found the process to be very relaxing.

Step 5: Final Arrangement

The last step is setting the stick with the Kusudama flowers and leaves into a base. I had a glass "frog" that worked well with some shimming, but foam or other material could work as well to hold it in place.

Isn't it fun how a simple post on social media can spark an idea for a new project? I posted a photo of my Ikebana and my friend was pleased to have inspired it. I hope my post inspires you as well!