Flower Power Crafts

Duct tape blossoms brighten an umbrella on a rainy day.

Draw flower, leaf, stem, and grass shapes on the paper side of a duct tape sheet (available at craft stores and online). Cut out the shapes, then adhere them to a clear plastic umbrella.

For duct tape sheets in a variety of colors, try tapebrothers.com. The Totes bubble umbrella is available at major retailers, such as Target and Walmart.

Originally published in the May 2014 issue of FamilyFun magazine.

These little vessels look like they came off a potter's wheel but are actually hand-rolled from clay.

1. Use a large marker or any smooth cylinder to roll softened polymer clay (such as Fimo or Sculpey) into a slab that's about 1/8 inch thick.

2. Press a second color of clay onto the slab, if you like. Use small balls or snakes of clay for dots and stripes. Roll the slab smooth again.

3. Use a clay tool or plastic knife to cut a rectangle about 2 inches by 2 1/2 inches from the slab. Loosely wrap the rectangle around a finger and smooth the seam closed to form a cylinder.

4. Form a base by placing the cylinder on a 1/8-inch-thick remnant of clay and cutting around it. Smooth the edges of the base to the cylinder, and seal up any holes. Press and smooth the clay walls to shape the vase as desired.

5. Bake the vase according to the clay package directions.

Originally published in the May 2014 issue of FamilyFun magazine.

Regift a pretty card by turning it into a flower pendant or pin for someone special.

Set this outdoor flower vase in your backyard, and you can display fresh blooms all summer long.

To make one, you need 4 to 6 wide rubber bands large, a clean jar (we used a quart-size jar), and a sturdy stick at least 3 feet high. Use garden shears to trim a point at the stick's bottom end, then push it into ground.

Make these nibble-worthy spring treats with your favorite cookie monster.

You will need:

• Flour
• Sugar cookie dough
• 3-inch flower cookie cutter
• Apple corer or plastic bottle cap
• Parchment paper
• 6-inch lollipop sticks (available at craft stores)
• Life Savers (hard, not gummy)

1. Heat the oven to 350?. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness.

2. Cut the flowers, then cut and remove center circles with the apple corer or bottle cap.

3. On a parchment-lined cookie sheet, lay out the lollipop sticks about 5 inches apart. Place a flower on each stick so that the stick's end is visible in the hole. Set a candy in each hole.

4. Bake the cookies until they are lightly browned. Let them cool completely before removing them from the cookie sheet.

Who knew that fabric salvaged from an old tee could be transformed into something so pretty? The sewing required here is very basic -- one simple X-stitch does it all.

When all the supplies are stashed in this sweet holder, stitching stray buttons or a quick hem becomes a lot more fun. This kit makes a thoughtful gift for teachers, grandmothers, or anyone who deserves a little handmade love.

You will need:

• Cotton fabric
• Half-pint canning jar with lid ring and lid center
• Fiberfill
• Tacky glue
• Flower template
• Stiff and regular felt
• Sewing supplies

1. Lay the fabric wrong side up and place the lid ring on top of it. Mark a circle 1 inch wider than the ring, then cut it out.

2. Stack the lid elements as shown at left. Push the lid center down so that it fits into the ring. Glue the excess fabric taut to the lid center's underside.

3. Trace the flower template onto the stiff felt, then cut out the shape. Slip the flower over the lid ring, letting it rest on the ring's rolled metal lip.

4. Cut a 3/8- by 9 1/4-inch strip of regular felt. Run a line of glue onto the strip, then press it into place on the lid ring. Let it dry, then fill the jar with sewing supplies and screw on the lid.

Originally published in the May 2012 issue of FamilyFun magazine.