Make Corn Husk Flowers

What You Need:

• Package of corn husks (get these at the grocery store or dry your own by placing them in the sun for a day)
• Fabric dye (optional)
• Spool of flexible green florist wire (available at craft stores)
• Stiff florist wire for the stem (you can also use the wire from a coat hanger)
• Floral tape

What You Do:

1. Have your child decide if they want their corn husk flowers to be different colors or if they want to use the natural tan color of the husks. If bright color is what they're after, simply soak your husks in regular fabric dye overnight and then let them dry in the sun. When choosing fabric dye, have your child think about what colors they want the petals to be and what color they want the center of the flower(s) to be. 
2. Tear the husks lengthwise into strips about 3/4 to 1 inch wide. You’ll probably have few that look raggedy. You'll want to use a raggedy one for the center of your flower. Have your child roll it into a tight bundle and then tie it up with green florist wire.
3. It's all in the fold. Choose one of your nicest looking husks and fold it in half, horizontally. Place one end of it against the center roll. Wrap a piece of wire around the end of your husk and the center bundle, in order to hold the two together. Now twist the wire and trim it. (Your child may need an "extra hand" doing this.)
4. Now attach four more "husk petals" by repeating the step above. When you're finished you should have a five-petaled corn husk flower. Trim off any ragged edges at the ends of the petals, so that you have a nice point to the flower.
5. To make the stem, take a piece of heavy wire (about 12” long) and use needle-nosed pliers to bend the top into a “u” hook shape. Now push the straight end of the wire through the middle of the flower, pulling it through until the hook end is buried in the center of the flower. 
6. Go green! Use the green floral tape wrapping around the wire stem. Careful here . . . this stuff is sticky!
7. Repeat for as many flowers as your child likes. Using different colors, it's easy to make a bouquet . . . and the perfect gift for a loved one! 

While you're at it: Talk to your child about other things they could make using corn husks. Discuss the way nature has been used in the past to create useful items like bowls, baskets and even shelters. What else could they make using nature? What else could a corn husk be used for?