Blooming Gift Bows

This pretty package bursts into bloom when you tuck a vial of fresh flowers beneath its ribbon bow.

From the magazine, Simply Handmade Fall 2002

What You Need:

Excite friends and family with
gifts before they open the box.

1 fresh flower
Scissors
Water tube
Floral tape
Dimensional paint
Paper plate
Micro-cut crafts glitter
Wrapped gift
Wire-edge ribbon
Baby's breath and fresh greenery
Hot-glue gun and hotmelt adhesive

Instructions:

1. Cut the flower stem to the desired length. Fill the water tube 3/4 full with water and insert the flower stem. Wrap the tube opening with floral tape to prevent leakage. 2. Squeeze a quarter-size puddle of dimensional paint onto a paper plate. Dip the tips of the flower petals in the paint and immediately sprinkle them with glitter. Let the petals dry for at least 4 hours. 3. Tie the gift with a ribbon bow, securing the fresh flower and greenery into the bow. If necessary, hide the water tube with additional greenery, hot-gluing it in place.

More Ideas:

Tip the petals of several blossoms with glitter and arrange them in a vase for a sparkling spring bouquet.
Add glitter to the blossoms of a corsage for Mother's Day.