Assembling A Plant Stand

Three different views of the same tiny plant stand.

       Our doll house needs some faux plants to brighten up the corners! I will show you how to cut your own plants from paper in the future, but for now, you can make a few select things with artificial plant picks. Plant picks are sold in hobby stores, flower shops and craft outlets in the United States. You can also find them at dollar stores. Try to select the smallest plants so that the arrangements you craft are to scale.

Supply List:

• fern pick
• votive candle holder
• small decorative rocks
• white school glue
• paper mache pulp
• brown acrylic paint

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Clean the votive candle holder with warm water and soap. Be sure to remove all wax residue before continuing.
2. Fill the bottom of the glass votive holder with small decorative rocks and then pour a layer of white school glue on top of these. Let this layer dry for several days.
3. Mix a small amount of paper mache pulp according to the directions on the label of the package. Add a bit of brown acrylic paint to the pulp to color it to look like dirt.
4. Layer this brown pulp on top of the decorative rocks.
5. Take the fern pick and separate the leaves so that you have multiple fronds, each with their own wire, to stick into this sticky pulp "dirt."
6. Arrange the wired fronds into a pleasing plant formation inside the votive candle holder.
7. This plant arrangement will take about a week to dry. Put it in the sunshine if possible.

Left, votive candle holder and glass insert. Center, the artificial fern fronds separated from the pick.
Right, the decorative rock bits help to hold the wire fronds in place and also look attractive.

• DIY paper and aluminum foil houseplants for miniature dollhouse
• Assemble plants for a dollhouse or a miniature farm stand