Welcome to another Wacky Workshops project – turning fence palings and clay into poppy art.

With ANZAC day just around the corner, I’ve decided to share with you the instructions for a lovely piece of artwork featuring poppies.

The poppy has important significance when it comes to war.

The corn poppy, also known as the Flanders poppy, grew profusely in the WWI trenches and also flowers in Turkey in early spring.

According to war historians, a valley south of ANZAC Beach, Gallipoli, got its name Poppy Valley from the field of bright red poppies near its mouth.

A group of war widows of French ex-servicemen went to the British Legion Headquarters in 1921, armed with some poppies they had made and suggested they be sold as a means of raising money to help those who were incapacitated as a result of the war.

In Australia, single red poppies are not usually worn on ANZAC Day (these are worn on Remembrance Day, November 11). However, wreaths of poppies are traditionally placed at memorials and honour boards on ANZAC Day.

BEAUTIFUL POPPY ART

MATERIALS

• Old fence palings – those with worn and jagged edges look great
• Air-dry clay
• Red nail polish or paint
• Black paint
• Background paints in assorted colours of choice
• Rolling pin
• Fishing line
• Craft Glue
• Hammer
• Nails
• Small piece of wood

METHOD

• Cut the fence palings to the desired length and hold them together vertically, jagged edges up, by nailing a thin piece of wood to the back of both palings. Use this to attach eye-hooks and string for hanging.

• Paint the palings in the desired colours. I used a combination of green, blue, copper and orange.
• Meanwhile, use some fishing line to cut a small slab from the air dry clay.
• Roll out the slab and cut it into a circle.
• Pinch the edges of the circle to make them thinner and slightly wavy.

• Repeat for each poppy you wish to make.
• Use some more clay to roll small balls and gently press these into the centre of your poppies.

• Place your clay poppies over a small dish so that they will dry with an indent in the centre.

• Allow the poppies to dry. This could take up to three days.
• When they are completely dry, paint them with red paint or nail polish. (I happened to like the sheen created by the nail polish).
• Outline the clay poppies with a black marker or paint and paint the centre part – where the little clay balls were placed.
• When this is dry, glue the poppies into position on your fence palings.
• Finish by painting long black stems from the poppies.

I hope you enjoyed this craft. Be sure to share if you did.

Did you read my post  Celebrating ANZACS – What Makes a Hero?

Happy crafting and have a gleeful week, Tamuria.