Creating your Dried Flower Bird's Nest
Gather your supplies...and get ready for an opportunity to relax and create something beautiful from nature! You will need your Bird's Nest Craft Kit, a pair of sharp scissors, and some craft glue. While you may use hot glue if you prefer, I find that pulling all the little hot glue "strings" off of moss and dried flowers is not worth the drying time not glue saves...and it is also not as eco-friendly as plain old craft glue! Work on a surface that can be cleaned easily, as dried flowers and moss can be a bit messy.
To keep your craft glue ready when you need it, I suggest that you prop it upside-down. I use an old clay pot, but a heavy mug or vase would work just as well.
You will begin by applying a generous amount of glue to 1/3 of the rim of the nest, and then set the green moss into the glue. This will provide a layer for your floral design.
Once the green moss is added, glue the brown Spanish moss to random places around the nest, similar to how a bird would construct a nest, so it looks natural.
Untie your dried flower bouquet and greenery and lay them out on your table. The larger flowers will need their stems removed. Use your scissors and snip the them off just below the flower head. The smaller flowers on stems, such as the feverfew at the bottom of the photo, can stay on their stems for now.
All floral design has flowers that take "center stage" called focal flowers. Choose 3 larger blooms and glue them in a cluster at the center of your green moss. Don't be afraid to use a good amount of glue. Let the flowers set for 5-10 minutes...this may be a good time to refill your coffee!
Now you will take some smaller blooms and fill in around the focal flowers. There is no right or wrong way to do this...tuck them in where you think they look good! Your design will look more natural if it is not too symmetrical.
Once you have most of your large and medium-sized flowers placed, you can add stems of greenery and also sprays of flowers on stems to stick out from the design. Simply add glue to the base of the stem and push it into the wreath itself.
Once you have used most of your florals, stand back and look at your design. If there are gaps, you can squirt glue into them and tuck in a bit more moss or greenery. If the moss is too unruly, you can trim off a bit with your scissors.
Remove the wood eggs from the cotton bag. You will be using my own beeswax wood finish to stain them a warm honey color. You will need an old rag or a paper towel for this step.
With your cloth or paper towel, scoop out some beeswax finish and rub it into the egg, buffing it almost dry to the touch. This finish is made from beeswax, coconut oil and a natural pigment, so it is completely non-toxic...no worries if it gets on your hands while you are working. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
Your project is done! Place the eggs in the nest along with the beeswax candle, if you purchased one, and display your nest as part of a spring centerpiece, set in a wood bowl on a shelf or end table, or on a pretty pedestal. When you are ready to put it away for the season, place it in a box with tissue paper and store it in a dry place. You should be able to enjoy your botanical creation for many years to come!
