Leaf Rose- How to Steps!

Creating an Autumn Leaf Rose is easy to do... and I've seen alot of pictures of these great fall "flower" accents... so I decided to sit down and make one... and also add a step by step process so it would be easy for anyone to create these Neat Autumn Leaf Roses!Here's the Steps in Picture Form... and the directions follow...Collect Fall Leaves... choose ones that are fresh, soft and easily to bend...you'll need about a dozen... you can mix or match colors... it's your Leaf Rose!You'll also need Florist or Craft wire... I used felt covered wire from the craft store...Step 1. Choose a Large leaf and fold it in half... top of leaf to stem with the "Prettiest" or more colorful side showing...Step 2: start at one side and roll the leaf along the fold... *like a cinnamon roll... don't roll it too tight... so that you get some depth and dimension...this makes your rose center...Step 3: poke a wire through the "rose center"... about an 1 inch from the top... this is going to secure your center... push the wire half way through and then bend down both sides...*See now it can't unroll... and you have wire to support the leaf stem...Step 4: Fold another leaf in half and wrap it around the "rolled center" of your Leaf Rose... you'll just wrap it around the center loosely... *you don't need to roll it tight like the last one...let the leaf ends show... rather than wrapping them tight..Step 5: secure with another wire in the same manner... poke it through the middle and fold down the sides...Step 6: repeat Step 4-5 again...(and again) to make a larger rose...Step 7: Add leaves that are not folded around the outside of the Leaf Rose Center you've created...Step 8: wrap a wire around the base of the leaves... to hold the surrounding leaves in place...Step 9: wrap the stem securely banding with the wire from the bottom of the leaves all the way down the stem ...* this creates a stem for your rose...Now... that was pretty simple... I created 3 roses in about 15 minutes... so about 5 minutes a rose... ( *Or Less if your Talented... I know you are ...)The Leaves start to dry almost immediately... this gives them a nice texture... and they will curl up overnight...It's a Fun Fall project for Kids... to decorate a Fall Table... or even bring as a hostess gift... I took one to dinner and gave it to a friend... it was a great conversation starter... and everyone loved it...Post your Leaf Roses to our uBloom Facebook Page... for a Chance to win a copy of my new Book "Fun with Flowers"... a winner will be selected from the Photos that get posted... Now get out there and start collecting some leaves!