Chocolate and flowers – what woman doesn’t love ’em? What guy doesn’t love ’em? Think a guy will munch the chocolates and sling the flowers? Think again! When the chocolates and the flowers are the same thing there’s barely a guy, woman or even a child who wouldn’t love to have one! It doesn’t have to be a special occasion to present someone you love with a chocolate flower. You don’t need much money, either. You can easily create an entire vase full of chocolate flowers for a couple bucks or so. Create thank-you gifts for individuals by making single chocolate flowers or make a huge vase full to serve as a centerpiece for a party.
Hershey’s Kisses are one of those rare candies that are perfect for any special occasion as well as any ordinary day. With their silver foil wrapper they look elegant enough to dish out on even the most elaborate holiday. But, with their simple chocolate chunk inside the candy is also ideal for snacking or for treating a friend. Since a bagful costs only two or three bucks you’ll spend little whether you want to gift a bunch of people or just one. You’ll need six Hershey Kisses for each flower you make. Along with the candy you’ll need a few inexpensive craft supplies to complete the project.
Purchase wooden dowels that will help you make the stems for the flowers. The dowels should be different lengths if making a vase full, should be small in diameter, and should be at least a couple of inches taller than the vase you intend to use. If you’ll be giving the flowers out individually you can select the length of the dowel rods you want. Paint the dowels green by using paint or even a marker. You’ll also need thin cardboard or thick paper circles in colors of your own choice. You can sometimes purchase the circles already cut or you can make them yourself. By cutting the circles yourself you can choose scrapbook themes and similar designs that give you all sorts of options for how the finished flowers will look. Cut the circles to be approximately three inches each. You’ll need two circles for each flower you want to make. In addition, you’ll need a colored pom-pom for each flower.
Start by deciding if you want a lace border on the flowers. The border can make the flowers look much larger and more substantial. To make the border glue a narrow lace strip around the edges of one of the circles, on the backside. Now glue one end of the dowel rod to the center, backside, of the same circle. Glue the second circle over the first, placing them so that wrong sides face each other, and trapping the stick and lace between them. Lay the circles with stick on a flat surface to begin adding the Hershey’s Kisses.
Pull the paper flag out of the top of each candy or cut it off even with the point of the candy. Use glue or double-sided tape to affix the six Hershey Kisses to one of the circles. Place them side-by-side, around the circle, and lay them on their sides with their points facing the center of the circle. Position them so that the flat bottom edge of each kiss is right next to the very edge of the circle (not counting the lace). So, lay the circle and stick arrangement in front of you and attach the first candy. The flat bottom of the candy should be facing you. Slightly turn the circle, position the next candy, and continue on. After all the candies are in place glue a pom-pom to the middle. The points of the candies should barely be covered by the pom-pom. You can make each flower look slightly different by the size and/or color of the pom-pom you choose. Instead of a pom-pom you can also use a shank button, a marble or similar items for the center piece of the flower.
Enhance the flowers by adding leaves to each stem. The leaves can be silk ones from a craft store or even ones you cut out from flat foam. Glue or tape a leaf or two to each of the finished flowers and place them in a vase. Add even more interest to the vase by creating similar flowers from other individually wrapped candies, if you want. Since the Hershey Kisses come in special holiday themes of red, green or other colors, it’s easy to make special holiday chocolate flowers. No matter who the recipient is he or she will be thrilled to receive one – or a vase full – of the chocolate flowers you make with ease!
Reference:
- Purchase individually wrapped candies here: www.orientaltrading.com
