Making topiary from fruits

Fruit topiary relatively recently gained popularity among needlewomen. Its characteristic feature is the combination of artificial details with real natural elements.

Fruit topiary is considered to be a symbol of monetary luck and family well-being, and therefore such a decorative element is an ideal gift for any occasion. Both artificial and real fruits are suitable for creating a miniature tree. Styrofoam fruits, vegetables and berries combine perfectly with fabric buds, dried chestnuts, snail shells and small figurines.

Fruit topiary can be a tree whose crown is adorned with plastic apples and red peppers, surrounded by multi-colored decorative spikelets, often used in floristry, and artificial flowers. It is also possible that the same artificial apples are combined with nuts, cones and cinnamon sticks painted with silver paint. Such a tree, by the way, will be an excellent gift for the New Year or Christmas. Topiary made from fresh berries, usually strawberries, supplemented with small marshmallows and chocolates are very popular. Still quite often, edible trees are composed of tangerines, mini-bananas, lychee or feijoa.

To create an original topiary from fruits, it will turn out if you step by step master a simple master class for beginners, and then simply change the components and come up with new compositions.

Fruit topiary, like any other, is formed from the same elements. As a stand, either a vase, or a flower pot, or a jar, or a cup is used - in general, any vessel that provides stability to the composition. Its size is determined depending on the dimensions of the tree, and any unsuccessful shape is perfectly masked by additional decor. The only condition for the choice of capacity is the presence of a wide neck... A wooden stick or a peeled branch with a beautiful bend is most often used as a trunk.

In some cases, thick aluminum wire or even a piece of reinforcement is more appropriate. The material chosen for the trunk must be strong and capable of withstanding a heavy crown. As for the latter, it is usually made of foam. The classical shape of the base is spherical, but there are topiary with a "cap" in the form of a heart, a cube, a rectangle, a cone and other shapes. In principle, the base can be created from a wad of ordinary newspapers, which are first wrapped in foil, and then wrapped in several layers either with masking tape or with a simple thread for sewing.

The fruit tree is mainly decorated with fresh, dried or artificial fruits, as well as miniature themed figurines such as insects. Ribbons, beads, beads, buttons, fabric buds and leaves are used as additional decor. Fruit dummies can be made in several ways. For example, for this, an ordinary newspaper is taken, which is crumpled into the required shape and fixed with foil and tape. Next, on top of the base, you will need to form several paper layers impregnated with glue.

Another method requires the use of a foam frame, on top of which layers of colored paper and PVA glue are alternately applied. Some vegetables used for topiary can be simply dried. For example, pumpkin and squash are suitable for this purpose. Well-washed fruits are dried in the sun, and they must be turned once a day. After about a couple of weeks, the dummy should be ready.

When creating a topiary, certain steps should be followed sequentially.

• Since fruits, especially real fruits, are heavy, the topiary stand needs to be additionally strengthened... Before pouring cement or gypsum mortar into the container, it is recommended to put any metal parts on the bottom of the container - for example, nails, nuts or old keys.
• The vessel is then filled with stucco or putty. As soon as the mixture begins to solidify, it will be necessary to insert the barrel inside strictly in the center. Until the solution is completely dry, it is not recommended to continue working.
• The crown is most conveniently constructed from foam cut in the shape of a ball. So that the white color does not shine through, before attaching the main decor, the surface of the ball should be painted, upholstered with cloth or pieces of artificial moss. The crown will look interesting, first coated with glue, and then boned in ground coffee or small tea leaves.
• Having connected the ball and stem with hot glue, you can proceed to attaching the artificial fruits and berries. Each dummy is pushed onto a toothpick, each of which is coated with glue and stuck into a foam ball. For better fastening, you can use scotch tape, but then the gaps between the fruits will need to be masked with nuts, berries or flower buds.
• It is customary to fix the decor, starting from the top and reaching the bottom strictly vertically or in a spiral. The trunk of the finished topiary is shaped with a tape or cord, and the surface of the pot is masked with yarn, shells, granite chips or other small particles.
• In the event that the topiary is created from natural fruits, it will be necessary to use a more reliable container and a powerful trunk. Instead of toothpicks, the use of disinfected wire fragments is recommended.

• Edible topiary with fruits and berries will decorate any table. Moreover, with the help of such a tree it will be much more convenient to offer snacks to guests. The crown of the topiary is made with grapes, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, figuratively carved pieces of kiwi and pineapple, as well as citrus slices. Since such a structure weighs a lot, it is very important to balance it by correctly filling the pot-stand. The trunk of the topiary is decorated with a tightly wrapped green satin ribbon. The surface of the "earth" is covered with grapes, strawberries and physalis berries.

• A very attractive topiary will turn out if you buy a ready-made set of small-sized artificial fruits. In addition to fruits, artificial leaves and flowers are located on the crown. The surface of the "ground" is framed with a material that imitates green grass, and the trunk is painted in a natural brown shade. A bright mug with cartoon volumetric figures was chosen as a pot. An interesting addition is the decorative ladder, installed in such a way that it was possible to "climb" up the tree and collect the fruits.

For information on how to make a fruit topiary with your own hands, see the next video.