DIY Faux Ornamental Cabbage

6 Materials

$5.00

Easy

With September just around the corner, my thoughts are on creating fall décor. If you're a regular reader, you might have discovered how I love making things out of foam sheets! The material is so versatile and is easily manipulated with a little bit of heat, texture and color into wonderful inexpensive projects. Ornamental cabbage is a favorite of mine for fall. Its' intense shades of purple and green makes a colorful and lasting addition to any decorative arrangement. See how easy this ornamental cabbage is to make:

diy faux ornamental cabbage, container gardening, crafts, how to, painting

Make leaf templates in four or five different sizes, from four inches to a 1/2 inch. Trace on foam sheets and cut out using a ruffle or wavy line effect. You'll need about thirty petals - five to six in each size.

Lay the petals on a medium heat griddle or iron for a few seconds until the middle fluffs up and curls.

Then, place petals on soft foam and press centers with round objects for curvature.

Curl and manipulate edges for a wavy and ripple effect.

Paint petals and edges with acrylic paints, beginning with the smaller petals, in purple and then adding green and purple in variations, using small wet sponges.

To assemble the cabbage, squeeze a small sheet of foil into a ball . . .

and hot glue on the small purple petals, covering the foil.

Next, begin gluing on the remaining petals, from small to large, in a clockwise flow, overlapping the layers.

And finally, add hot glue in bottom of a terra cotta pot and insert foam and filler rock.

Insert a small wood skewer in the bottom of the faux cabbage and into the foam in the pot, securing with hot glue.

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3 questions

Jacalyn on Aug 27, 2016
This is so clever and creative. I have never used foam sheets. What can you tell me about them? Do you buy them at a craft store? How thick are they? Thanks for sharing this post.

5
Kindra on Aug 27, 2016
Do I just cover one foil ball ? I'm a little confused and do these foam things come in bolts ir sheets like felt does? Just beautiful!

1
Pat Ruge on Oct 30, 2017

Gail, can you tell me the thickness of the craft foam? Your's looks pretty thick.

1

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4 of 77 comments

Nona on Apr 10, 2022

This is both brilliant and beautiful. I didn't know that the foam craft sheets could be warmed and sculpted. Thanks for sharing your project. Oh the possibilities.🧐

1 Reply
- Gail@Purple Hues and Me on Apr 11, 2022
  
  Thanks so much for your sweet comments. It's amazing what you can do with foam sheets.
  
  Like
Leslie on Apr 14, 2022

Simply BEAUTIFUL Gail. I am imagining these on a grapevine wreath but only one in the large size and two smaller ones :)

1 Reply
- Gail@Purple Hues and Me on Apr 14, 2022
  
  Thanks, Leslie! That's really a lovely idea!
  
  Like