Today it is becoming very popular to give not classic bouquets of flowers, but in the form of original and unusual animals. Any girl will be simply delighted with such a gift, and the most important thing is that animals from flowers can be created independently with almost no difficulty, materials for them are not at all difficult to find. Let's take a closer look at how and what they are made of, and consider a detailed master class on creating one such toy.
Where to start creating a hedgehog
It is worth recalling the image of the animal from a photo of handmade hedgehogs based on the creations of masters. In general, this is a simple craft option, since it involves creating no more parts. The product consists mainly of needles; all that remains is to modify the paws and muzzle as desired.
But don’t forget about the possibility of decorating needles with various forest gifts.
On the back of a hedgehog they look harmonious:
- Mushrooms,
- Apples,
- Berries
- And cones.
This increases the application width:
- As a garden figurine. Usually made from ceramics and building alabaster, gypsum is often used, but this craft is mainly used in residential areas, since the material is not stable and is subject to rapid destruction under the influence of sun, rain and temperature changes.
- For decorating a kindergarten or a corresponding corner in a shopping center or store.
- Inside the living space to highlight the rustic style of the interior.
The main thing is that the craft is of high quality, made of pure material and has a long service life.
Materials for creating a hedgehog
In the process of creating crafts for a living space, it is worth relying on environmentally friendly materials. Therefore, ideas on what to make a hedgehog from are based on this basis. In addition, children are involved in the manufacturing process.
Let's consider suitable materials:
- Clay. Not the most accessible material. However, thanks to its use, children, adolescents and adults will be able to develop various useful skills: accuracy, fine motor skills, discipline, attentiveness.
- Plasticine. Widely available and inexpensive material. Thanks to sculpting, it is easy to create any version of an animal, even one similar to the cartoon character “Hedgehog in the Fog.” Children love to work with plasticine, but it is necessary to explain the nuances of use and safety.
- Colored paper. Thanks to the material, you can use several options for solving the problem. The hedgehog is laid out in the form of an applique on paper, a three-dimensional work is made from a cardboard base and covered with colored paper.
Don't forget about other continents: dried pine cones, cotton wool, beads, embroidery. They are also in demand and suitable for teaching children.
Floral sponge - how to use?
Many people are concerned about this question, but the answer is simple. This is a synthetic porous material that can absorb moisture in any volume required by the florist.
The last thing is worth considering before starting work. Having absorbed moisture, the material becomes heavier.
Once this foundation has been purchased:
- If necessary, cut to the desired size and shape;
- If the raw material is needed to work with artificial or dry plants, it should be placed in a container for subsequent work with fastening the composition items;
- If it is intended for freshly picked plants, it is recommended not to let it dry out. To do this, you should wrap the material in foil or a bag to retain moisture. In addition, it is worth systematically additionally moisturizing the sponge.
The process of preparing for work is extremely simple. Even for novice florists, working with this raw material will not be particularly difficult, although it requires attention and precision.
Hedgehog made of polymer clay
Basically, instructions on how to make a hedgehog with your own hands are necessary for children's creativity. Therefore, polymer clay is ideal. The material has plastic qualities and hardens quickly. It is in many ways similar to plasticine, but guarantees the durability and durability of the product.
What we use:
- Required amount of polymer clay;
- A sharp stick for highlighting details;
- Primer;
- Acrylic paint, gouache, brush.
How to make a hedgehog:
- Take a piece of material and knead it with your hands. This is necessary to get rid of internal air voids.
- We divide it into 2 parts to make the body of a hedgehog and a mushroom for decoration.
- The hedgehog's face stretches out. It is created in an authentic cone shape.
- Roll into 3 small balls. They are needed to highlight the animal’s 2 eyes and nose. Attach to the appropriate places on the workpiece.
- Thanks to a brush soaked in water, uneven parts of the surface of the workpiece are leveled.
- Thanks to a stack or stick, the needle-like covering of the animal’s body is squeezed out.
- We fashion a beautiful mushroom to place on the hedgehog’s back.
- We are looking for a suitable place on the body to add the mushroom. And we connect two elements of the craft.
- Any uneven areas must be smoothed out with a brush.
- The product is left to dry. If possible, it is fired in an appropriate spiral kiln for ceramic or clay products. But with polymer clay you can do without this step, since it hardens well.
- The hedgehog can be painted in appropriate colors. The entire craft is ready for use.
This method is not the easiest. But for the older group of schoolchildren it is suitable for general development.
Forms and types of piaflora
The material for creating flower arrangements is called differently:
Floral foam is a synthetic material that can absorb and retain water for a long time; it can be impregnated with a special composition to preserve plants. Thanks to this property, cut flowers have a fresh look much longer than a bouquet placed in a vase with water.
Piaflor can be used not only for cut plants, but also for making compositions from dried or artificial flowers. Therefore, there are sponges for different purposes:
- green sponge - used for freshly cut flowers that need abundant watering;
- gray and brown sponges - needed for working with artificial flowers;
- Multi-colored sponges are universal.
For the desired composition, you can select the foam of the required configuration. Manufacturers offer a classic look that looks like a rectangular block reminiscent of a brick. You can cut a shape from such a block yourself. The foam is easy to cut with a knife. Florist shops also sell geometric foam blanks (ball, cone, cross, etc.). Many blanks are equipped with special fasteners and such forms can be used without a container. Flower arrangements are attached directly to walls or other surfaces.
Plasticine hedgehog
Plasticine is considered a great answer to how to easily make a hedgehog for beginners using available materials. Even the little ones will enjoy sculpting a charming animal with needles, since they could see it many times in its natural environment.
What to prepare for the lesson:
- Set of soft children's plasticine;
- Scissors with sharp ends;
- Specialized knife;
- Board for plasticine;
- Skewer.
Important: Usually the necessary tools are offered in a children's plasticine set for creativity for preschoolers and elementary school children.
Manufacturing stages:
- We start by creating the muzzle. We use a light shade of plasticine. The ball rolls off. A cone shape is created. The workpiece is set aside.
- Create the body of a hedgehog. Dark color is used. The material is kneaded to form a ball. It is pressed on the sides to form an oval.
- We connect the face with the body of the hedgehog. Brown plasticine is added along the joint.
- Let's add details: ears and paws made of brown plasticine.
- Using scissors we form spines. A skewer is needed to press the middle part between the spines to create the volume of these elements of the craft.
- Let's complete the muzzle. Use a stack to create a recess to highlight the contour of the eyes. Use a small ball to form a nose. It is added to the muzzle. The mouth is formed with scissors.
To make the crafts more beautiful, needles can be decorated with leaves, a mushroom, an apple, or a pear made from the appropriate color of plasticine.
Other options
In specialized stores, new materials that are indispensable for composing compositions are constantly appearing. For example:
— A gel that looks very impressive in transparent vessels. It is quite dense, and therefore it is easy to give the plants the desired position. The material absorbs water and fertilizers well, and then gradually releases them. In addition, it can be given any color using food coloring.
— A porta bouquet is a kind of plastic tube into which a sponge soaked in water is inserted.
— Polyethylene tubes with loops (and a damp sponge) for flower garlands.
A floral sponge is one of the main components of a flower arrangement. The functions of the sponge include: fixing artificial flowers and maintaining the life of freshly cut, living plants.
The material impregnated with a special solution prevents the growth of bacteria, which makes it possible to extend the life and freshness of flowers.
Let's make a paper hedgehog
To create a toy or decorative hedgehog, it is beneficial to use paper. To do this, we will make the body in the form of an accordion, since it will add volume and increase the attractiveness of the craft.
We will need:
- Brown paper with light and dark shades;
- Pieces of red, green, yellow paper;
- Black marker;
- Glue stick.
Stages of work:
- We start by using dark brown paper. We use half the sheet. Folds using the transverse method.
- A narrow strip should form. This is necessary to create bends. They will allow you to form an accordion.
- We cut off the edges of the workpiece at an angle. The accordion folds in half. The bends are lubricated with glue.
- Draw a hedgehog's face on light brown paper.
- The workpiece is cut with scissors. We leave a margin on the right side. This is necessary for applying glue and connecting to the body in the form of an accordion.
- Create a decoration in the shape of an apple and a pear. They are made from red, green, yellow paper.
- The fruits are glued to the product. The entire craft is ready for use.
This is the simplest of the options considered. It is suitable for very young children. The instructions will help kindergarten teachers.
Now we understand how to make a hedgehog in various simple ways accessible to specific age groups. But we looked at simple examples available to children without experience who have just begun to explore the wonderful world of hand made. In the future, after gaining experience, you can move on to more complex ways of creating this craft.
DIY artificial flower compositions: ideas with photos
To create figures from artificial flowers, foam plastic is used for the shape and flowers from foamiran are used for decoration. Just like with fresh flowers, you can create any animals: a dog, a bear, a bunny, a cat and any other figure that your imagination suggests.
