Part 7 (1/2)
VARIEGATED CAMELLIA.
_Unpretending excellence._
”In eastern lands they talk of flowers, And they tell in a garland their loves and cares; Each blossom that blooms in their garden bowers, On its leaves a mystic language bears.”
J. G. PERCIVAL.
As the limits of this little work will not admit of my giving instruction in more than one of these favourite flowers, I select the variegated one, considering it the most difficult.
The petals require to be cut in thick wax; colour them upon both sides with bright crimson, leaving white circular spots indiscriminately in various parts of two petals out of every five. The largest petals are formed by pressing the thumb very firmly upon the s.h.i.+ning side, taking care that the edge inclines back without any wrinkled appearance. A crease is made up the centre upon the opposite side. Each set of petals are painted and curled the same, but the smallest are folded together.
The stamina must be prepared from pale lemon wax, (cut double,) and the anthers at the end tipped with orange powder to represent the farina; they are cut into small cl.u.s.ters of seven or eight. Use the large wire,--pa.s.s a piece of double wax, the width of a sheet, and half an inch in depth, round the wire,--about half an inch deep; bend the wire down, and mould the whole into a cone shape. Affix a small cl.u.s.ter of stamina to the point, and in various directions the five smallest petals; insert among these two or three cl.u.s.ters of the stamina. Place in rows of five each succeeding set of petals, taking care in each row to introduce about two of the variegated or spotted petals, allowing such to be princ.i.p.ally upon one side of the flower (and this may be observed in nearly all flowers that are variegated.)
The calyx is cut from lemon wax, shaded green and also brown. The head of the pin is rolled upon each to cup it: they are placed immediately behind the flower in rows of three, each succeeding set in the intervening s.p.a.ces.
The stem is covered with a strip of light green wax, moulded smooth with the thumb and finger, tinged brown with the brush.
THE Pa.s.sION FLOWER;
_Belief:_
”Has become strangely interwoven with our faith, from a fancied resemblance to a cross and a crown, although it requires a great effort of the imagination to call up either the one or the other.
Still its very name in some measure renders it sacred to faith and belief.”
Cut the petals, ten in number, from treble wax, one of white and two of lemon; colour the lemon side with light green, leaving the edge rather lighter. Curl each petal in the following manner: press it in the hand, while warm, that the three thicknesses of wax may be certain to adhere.
Roll the head of the small pin once down the centre upon the white side, and round the edge also. This must be done lightly at first, for if a pin is pressed too heavily it occasions the sheets of wax to separate and have a blistered appearance. Cut three triangular pieces of double wax, one inch in length, place the broad end to a piece of fine wire, and mould them smoothly down, small at the base and broad at the point; these three are affixed to the end of a middle size wire, and painted purple after they are attached. A piece of light green wax is moulded round immediately under them; about a quarter of an inch from this is attached the stamina, cut in light green wax, and touched round the ladle shape end with my orange powder. A full inch from this is placed a small foundation, formed of strips of green wax, two of which are snipped and coloured purple. The rays are attached immediately afterwards, and are manufactured as follows:--cut a number of strips of white wax, roll them between the fingers to incline them to be round; place your pieces of marble in warm water, and finish rolling the said strips of wax or rays between them: this is a much quicker, easier, and cleaner process than by doing them entirely with the fingers. Cut a strip of double green wax to pattern, place it about three quarters of an inch from the edge of a folded paper, place each of the rays closely upon this, taking care that every point extends only to the paper; this method will enable you to place them perfectly even, which is very necessary. For a flower it requires two strips of these rays; they are painted blue at the point and purple at the base, leaving a corresponding s.p.a.ce white between the two colours. Press the two strips neatly round the previously made foundation, bending them back and regulating them with the point of the curling-pin. I next attach five petals at equal distance, the longest and narrowest of the two sets are placed on first, the other five immediately between. The calyx is cut in light green wax, it consists of three sepals, which are rolled with the head of the pin and attached to the back of the flower.
LEMON HOLLYHOCK.
_Persuasion._
This flower should be constructed of very thin lemon wax. It requires thirty small petals and seven large for a full blown flower: each petal is shaded with the light yellow powder towards the lower end. Crimp each petal with the point of the curling pin, and fold one end forward, the other back. Pa.s.s a strip of double lemon wax round the end of a piece of middle size wire, and mould the same to a point; the thirty small petals are attached first, so as to form a full rosette. The large petals are affixed to the back, and finished off with the calyx of double green.
Half blown flowers are formed the same, but cut from smaller patterns.
The early buds are moulded solid of green wax, covered with lemon; the calyx is placed on similar to the flower, moistened with gum water and sprinkled with down. Pink hollyhocks may be made precisely the same, the only difference being that pink wax and colour must be subst.i.tuted for lemon.
THE CACTUS.
_Warmth._
Cut the petals in bright orange wax, place a fine white wire half way up each, and occasion it to adhere by attaching a strip of orange wax over it. Colour them upon both sides with carmine. Curl the petals by pa.s.sing the head of the pin twice or thrice from each edge towards the centre, and bend the same back. Fold down the edge or end of two sheets of thick white wax. Leave a quarter of an inch from the end quite white, then paint a pink stripe half an inch deep; leave again a quarter of an inch white, and finally finish with a stripe of green. Cut the whole two widths into a deep fringe to form the stamina, and colour the anthers (produced by the fold) with cream colour (white and lemon powders). Take a piece of middle size wire, pa.s.s round it a strip of white wax; this is to form the pistillum. Attach to the end five fine points of white wax, and paint them also cream colour; shade the filament of the pistillum red. Divide the stamina, attach half to the upper, and the remainder to the three under petals. Join the pistillum to a strong stem, pa.s.sing white wax round to form a foundation. Affix to the foundation the six petals, to which are attached the stamina, letting the latter fall from the top petals over the lower ones, and dividing it so as to enable the pistillum to pa.s.s through. Every set of petals are placed precisely between those preceding until the flower is complete. It must be remembered that the largest petals are attached first, and that they gradually decrease until you arrive at the smallest.
”For not, oh, not alone to charm our sight, Gave G.o.d your blooming forms, your leaves of light.”
CHARLES SWAIN.
GROUPING FLOWERS.