Sabbats Almanac: Samhain to Mabon - Kristoffer Hughes 2018

Crafty Crafts by Natalie Zaman
Litha

I WAS THRILLED WHEN the Powers-That-Be at the New York Botanical Garden decided to host a display of Frida Kahlo’s work. (It’s a lot easier for me to get to Brooklyn than Mexico City!) I left the exhibit with a new understanding of just how much Frida loved plants. Her house and studio, partially recreated for the exhibit, was filled with native herbs, flowers, and cacti. Her extensive wardrobe, which I read about obsessively later, contained many botanical themed pieces.

Frida (Kahlo)’s Fantastic Flower Crown

Several images of Frida—photographs and portraits—feature her wearing a crown of flowers in her hair. Many of the plants she wore and painted have symbolic value; fertility was a favorite theme. In much of her art, Frida Kahlo expressed the precept that life is organic, changing and impermanent, as is this crown of living plants. Wear them to celebrate her spirit, the summer season and connect to the creative power of nature.

Time Lavished: Assembling the flower crown won’t take long, perhaps half an hour. That said, allow time to gather the flowers that you’ll be using. Obtaining crafting materials is more than a trip to the store or a rifle through the pantry. Every step is important and can be an enlightening and enriching experience. Consider wild harvesting rather than buying the flowers and herbs you will use for this craft. Besides the idea that acquiring your materials is just as important as the making itself (see Beltane’s “Crafty Craft,” page182), flowers and herbs in bloom now embody the spirit of the season.

Coinage Required : You can buy flowers, but why not be a locavore? Wild harvest your flowers (and other plants and herbs). After that, all you need is some stem wire (wrapped floral wire) and a roll of floral tape, which all told comes to less than ten dollars. (And that allows for a little glitter, too!)

Supplies

Wrapped floral wire (stem wire). You can use a regular headband, but floral wire is considerably lighter, and the fact that it does not lie close to the head on it s own allows more room for the plants and floral tape you’ll be attaching to it.

Floral tape (or clear scotch tape in a pinch)

Spray bottle with glycerin and water

Seasonal flowers and herbs.

Glitter (Is it really optional?)

I used rosemary, honeysuckle, and lavender to make my crown, but they can be substituted with any combination of flowers and herbs. Try to use the plants as soon as possible after they’ve been picked. Otherwise, keep them in water and refrigerated to keep them fresh for your crafting session. Note that the crown and accompanying projects can be made with flowers or with silk flowers and greens, but one of the things that I love about summer is the fragrance—not just of the blooms, but the abundance of herbs that overflow in my garden. Look to all the plants of summer when crafting your crown.

Rosemary, honeysuckle, and lavender are summer plants that can be found throughout my home area, the northeastern United States. Visit https://www.americanmeadows.com/wildflower-gardening#america to find what wildflowers are in bloom in your area. The plants I suggest are ones that I use in my own garden and what I can find in the wild. Substitute whatever flowers and/or herbs that you wish, but try to use hardy plants. Case in point: I also grow lemon balm in my garden. The scent is wonderful, but once picked, the leaves get soft and droopy very quickly without water, so they wouldn’t be a good choice for a crown. On the other hand, the stems of the rosemary, honeysuckle, and lavender are not as delicate and hold up better over time.

Begin by fitting the piece of stem wire to your head (or the person who will be wearing the crown). Bend the wire around your head so that it fits comfortably. Don’t make a circle with the wire; keep it open like an Alice-style headband. A standard piece of wrapped stem wire will fit an average adult’s head without having to trim it.

Pick your flowers and herbs, wash them if necessary, and trim the stems and any dead leaves.

Starting at one end of the band, lay your first plant, lining up the end of the stem with the end of the band. Secure it with a piece of floral tape. Place a piece of tape every 2—3 inches until the entire stem is secured to the band. Repeat on the other side of the band. The stems may overlap—this is okay as it makes for a fuller crown. (If you want your band to look like Frida’s, secure the bulk of your plants at the top, or crown of the band. The flowers will sit at the top center of the headband and extend about 4 inches out from each side.)

Add each new plant in the same way, covering blank areas, or where the band could be fuller, and tuck blooms and greenery in. Once you have a few stems taped to the band, you may be able to weave flowers and herbs in rather than taping them. Play with pattern; use all of one type of flower or herb, or vary the placement of the flowers by size and color. You can add plants randomly, but I like to add them one type at a time, filling in empty spaces as I go along.

When all the flowers and herbs have been attached, give them a little sprinkle of glitter. Just a hint. You know you want to!

Store the crown in the refrigerator to keep it fresh until you’re ready to wear it. Spritz the flowers with the glycerin water to freshen them up.

When you’re finished with the crown, remove the plants and leave them at the base of a tree or toss them into running water as an offering. Everything else can be reused to make a new crown except for the tape. You can also use the crown as a means to dry flowers and herbs for later use in magical workings.

Flower Bracelets, Torques, and Anklets

Did I mention flower crowns (and other jewelry) are perfect festival wear? The same method can be used to create more living accessories.

Measure a length of stem wire that will comfortably fit around your neck (or wrist, upper arm, or ankle). Starting at one end of the wire, lay your first plant, lining up the end of the stem with the wire-end. Secure the stem with a piece of floral tape. Place a piece of tape every 2—3 inches until the entire stem is secured to the wire. Continue to add flowers, herbs, and greenery until you’re happy with the fullness.

If you wish, leave a bit of empty space (1—1½ inches) at the ends of the wire. Thread a small bead or crystal on the end of the jewelry, then bend the wire to secure it. Each piece—a torque for around your neck, a bracelet, arm band or anklet—is open for ease of adjustment and removal. Don’t forget to sprinkle them with glitter!

Use natural materials to create other seasonable headpieces and jewelry; evergreen and mistletoe leaves and berries (holly tends to dry out quickly) at Yule, wheat sheaves and multi-colored leaves for an autumnal crown, or bare branches (tipped with glittery frost) for winter festivals.