Plate flowers

 

Many years ago my sister Lynn, not her first name, bought a few plate flowers at a craft bazaar. She has them by her back patio at her home in Ohio. I have always been crazy about them, and have never seen them in Texas to purchase. So, I decided to make my own. The flower above was made using some of my most expensive dishes. A large ceramic dinner plate, an ivy covered salad plate, a cabbage bowl and a flower topped ceramic salt shaker. I have this flower in a potted plant in my craft room currently.

Picture disclaimer: I have to apologize on the quality of my pictures, especially placement and background. These pictures were originally taken to send to my sisters and I had not planned on posting them. Then years and months later when I decided to blog about them, I had given the flowers away and these were the only pictures I had of them. Lesson learned: Always take a picture like you are going to publish it.

Lynn's plate flowers

Lynn sent me some pictures of the plate flowers in her yard, and pictures of the plate flower's front and back sides. I looked them over and made a list of the supplies I would need to make my own flowers.

The fronts of Lynn's flowers. 

The back of Lynn's Flowers.

 First I needed to do some antique shopping for tableware and other glass items. I put price limits on my purchases, based on the size of the item. It takes a good eye and a lot of shopping to find the items that will work well and not cost a lot of money. Items I looked for were dinner plates, salad plates, small bowls, cups and saucers, punch cups, glass coasters, candy dishes, candle holders and salt & pepper shakers, to name a few😉. 

My currant stock pile in my craft room hording closet.

My next stop was Lowes. I needed PVC pipe & caps and clear silicone caulking. Then, I went online and bought tomato plant stakes that were metal and coated with green plastic. The diameter of the pipe is determined by the diameter of the stake.  You want the pipe to fit snuggly onto the plant stake. My sister's plate flowers are hanging on a piece of rebar. I tried to find rebar that I could use, but between the rust and there being no easy way to cut them, I went the plant stake route.

The plant stakes I use for the stems of my flowers.

This is the original size of pipe and cap I used. 

This is a picture of the original pipe size on the left and the new pipe on the right. The original pipe's opening was 3/4 inch in diameter, and the new pipe's opening is 1/2 inch. 

The new size pipe with the cap.

This is one of the brands of Silicone I use for the plate flowers. 

This is what the plate looks like on the stake. The silicone is a bit messy on this one.

Over the last few years I have collected a stock pile of tableware. I have made plate flowers for friends, family and I have also sold a few, so the stockpile has been refurbished a few times. The best part of the process is picking the tableware combinations to put the flowers together. I put all the items on my dinning room table, and then I start matching colors, sizes, shapes and textures to build some pretty cool flowers. I found some plates that were shaped like sunflowers and pansies on sale and I think they are some of my favorite plates.

To put the flowers together, I start at the bottom, put a large amount of silicone on the bottom of the second plate and put in down in the middle of the bottom plate. Then you continue on until you get to the center piece. I let the plate sit for 24 to 36 hours to dry. I cut the pipe into 3 to 4 inch pieces, put the cap on it, and using a large amount of silicone on the back of the largest plate, I push the pipe and cap onto the silicone. I sit the flower on its face, pipe side up, to dry for another 24 to 36 hours. The plant stakes can be cut to what ever height you want. I use a pipe cutter and score the stake then just snap it at the score mark.

If you want to add some color in the middle of you flower you can add a broach, button, stone or mosaic glass gems in the center. Just be creative.

I do suggest, especially in Texas, that you take the flowers in during high winds, ice or hail. Oh, and maybe anyone with a weedwhacker, speaking from experience.  

Happy flower making!

Wreaths Across America

 My Father In-law was buried in the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery in 2020. We had just moved into our new house a few month earlier, and when talking to one of our new neighbors, a Veteran, he told us about Wreaths Across America. He told us that we could volunteer to help lay wreaths on the graves in the National Cemetery. I was too late for 2020, but we volunteered for 2021.

Waiting during the ceremony.

My husband and I, along with our daughter and grandkids, were going to go out to the cemetery on December 18, 2021 to volunteer for the event. As with everything in our lives, it just wasn't going to be that simple. I broke my foot and was in a boot, so I was not able to attend and my granddaughter could not attend. So, my husband, daughter and grandson ventured off early on a cold, windy Texas day to volunteer.

Having never attended this special day, a lot was learned on this first visit. First, thousands of people volunteer for this event to lay 48,000 plus wreaths. Parking was crazy. My family had to park in the median of the 4 lane road outside of the cemetery and walk a few miles to just get into the property. Then there was a lot of waiting. Waiting in high cold winds without shelter several miles from the car.

The street where the car was parked and everyone walking to the entrance.

The organizers hold a ceremony first full of pomp and circumstance including a military fly over. Then boxes with the wreaths were positioned on the roads around the property for each section of this very large cemetery. The volunteers are given the wreaths and instruction. When they lay the wreath on the grave, they say the name of the Veteran on the headstone. They can also say a thank you for their service if they want. My Grandson asked his Papa if he could lay the wreath on his Great Grandfather's grave. Obviously the answer was yes, and my husband said it was very emotional and special. Our grandson laid the wreath, kneeled down in front of the headstone, and fluffed and straightened the bow. Our Grandson was very proud of his Great Grandfather's Service and even wrote about him during last years Veterans Day celebration at school.

My family continued laying wreaths, saying the names of the Veterans and thanking them for their service. Although it was a long wait to get started, and because there were so many people participating, each person only had to lay about a dozen wreaths a piece. This event left a huge impact on our family.

My Father In-law's section was complete.

The definition of a wreath is a band of intertwined flowers or leaves worn as a mark of honor or victory. As a country our leaders lay wreaths on many military tombs, and this event is no different. This is not a religious or a holiday event, it is a Patriotic event to honor the service of our Veterans. 

Our visit on January 12, 2022

My husband and I went back to the Cemetery before the wreaths were removed. Even after a month of unseasonably warm weather and no rain, the wreaths were a bit brown and worn, but still gave us such a feeling of pride. It is a wonderful way to recognize the service of these Patriots during a time of year when people are so self absorbed. What better time of the year than December, the end of the year, to thank these selfless Men and Women who risked their lives for another year of our freedom.