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Craft Tutorials | Adult Crafts | Crafts for Seniors | Faux Kadam Flowers

Faux Kadam Flowers

Author by Amanda Davis on May 14, 2012 Updated on July 14, 2020

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Faux Kadam Flowers

 

Before I tell you what a Kadam flower is and where they can be found, I should probably mention that this project was literally one of the “kismet” moments. I work part time for a company that owns several websites, one of those being a travel site. I moderate photos that are submitted by users. One day one of those photos just happened to be this beautiful flower from the Kadam tree, submitted by someone in Bangladesh.

Faux Kadam Flowers

The Kadam tree (Neolamarckia cadamba) is a tropical evergreen native to South and Southeast Asia. It grows up to 45 meters. Umm. That’s almost 150 FEET tall! Of course, that’s if it’s growing in optimal conditions, most likely in India somewhere. Apparently they are available here in the U.S., though I have never seen them, and chances are closer to 40 feet tall is more likely here. Here’s some more information at the website Dave’s Garden.

Faux Kadam Flowers

Here are some photos of the beautiful blooms that populate this giant of a tree. Photo credits below.

1) Flickr member: Pervez Robin
2) Flickr member himagni
3) Flickr user aapon
4) Flickr user 3Point141

So anyway, it just so happens that I also work for Copycat Crafts and had just recently featured this cool project for some Anthropologie inspired blooms from Homemade Ginger.

Faux Kadam Flowers

Project from Homemade Ginger

So when I looked at the Kadam flower picture that came through my moderation queue and thought back to the flower project I had featured recently, I immediately knew what I wanted to make.

I actually have to admit that when I featured the flowers from Homemade Ginger, I scrolled through her post, but didn’t really read the instructions. However I did notice that in her version the color was on the outside. She did that by brilliantly rolling the finished bloom through food coloring.

With a Kadam flower, the color is actually toward the inside and the tips of the flower are white. I wanted to replicate that look, so I made mine a little differently. After inserting a wooden dowel into each Styrofoam ball, I then painted them yellow. I actually used some stencil paint, simply because it’s much thicker than regular acrylics, but acrylics will certainly do the job just fine.

Faux Kadam Flowers

Then after cutting the Q-Tips in half, I held the fuzzy end and dipped the cut end into some water tinted with yellow Rit dye. I dipped the Q-Tip just far enough for the colored water to creep up the cotton, but not enough to cover it completely, leaving the tips white.

I used one of the cut Q-Tips to poke holes in the ball first, to make it easier to add the colored swabs. Then I dipped the cut end into white glue and inserted it into the hole.

Faux Kadam Flowers

This was not a difficult project by any means, but it was time consuming. I actually counted the Q-Tips on just one of the balls and there were 160 tips, so 80 cotton swabs were used for one!

Faux Kadam Flowers

I really do like the way they look. I made a few different ones and think the ones with the tips closer together look nicer. A fun way to spruce up a room!

Faux Kadam Flowers

 

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Amanda Davis
Amanda Davis is the crafty, entrepreneurial mother of four children. She loves to bake, cook, make kid's crafts and create decorative items for her home. She is a crafting expert and guru in the kitchen and has appeared online and in print publications many times over the years.
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Filed Under: Crafts for Seniors, Home Decor Projects, Spring Crafts, Summer Crafts Tagged With: adult, adult craft ideas, adult crafts, adults, asian, crafts for adults, flower, home decor, kadam flower, spring, styrofoam

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Comments

  1. Angela says

    July 14, 2015 at 1:35 pm

    Here in Australia in tropical North Queensland, we have a native tree that grows 50 feet tall and has flowers just like you have made, the Liechardt tree, Nauclea Orientalist. The flowers are highly perfumed and turn into a mushy fruit that is edible, but only to flying foxes and birds as it is said to be bitter. Google it as it is interesting. You did a great job of recreating the flowers from the Leichardt tree.

    Reply
    • Amanda Formaro says

      July 27, 2015 at 8:34 am

      Interesting! I did some googling and it looks like that it’s the same tree with two names or very close relatives :)

      Reply
  2. Bonnie Atkins says

    April 13, 2015 at 9:47 am

    Love this project. Is it possible to make it weather proof…would like to put outdoors..in my flower pot garden.

    Reply
    • Amanda Formaro says

      April 15, 2015 at 10:50 am

      Hmm that’s a toughy, you would need to make it with completely different supplies as Q-tips will not hold up to the weather and neither will Styrofoam balls. I saw something cool once where someone took chicken wire and formed it into a ball, attached it to a metal stake and spray painted it purple. Something like that might work :)

      Reply
  3. aregan says

    April 8, 2015 at 10:13 am

    Very pretty! I’m partial to the color, and I have to make these to give my place a boost of happiness. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  4. Martha Lofton says

    June 8, 2014 at 9:21 am

    Hi there,
    MY this is a very different flower. I like it and will try it also. I love crafting and do not sell my crafts. I give them for gifts.
    Martha Lofton.

    Reply
    • Amanda Formaro says

      June 10, 2014 at 7:24 am

      Thanks Martha, have fun!

      Reply
  5. norma brooks says

    August 25, 2012 at 3:53 pm

    was looking again at the site where you made the flowers out of balls and q tips. and am trying to read the sign on the wall in the background about family and would love to have a copy of it so I can make it for our house.

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      August 25, 2012 at 11:50 pm

      Hi Norma, that sign is posted here https://craftsbyamanda.com/2011/03/distressed-family-definition-sign.html There’s a link within that post to the place I bought the vinyl sign from :)

      Reply
  6. Sharon Gullikson says

    May 16, 2012 at 6:32 pm

    Very different and cute!
    I was wondering if you have announced the winner of your recent giveaway?

    sharon dot gullikson at gmail dot com

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      May 16, 2012 at 10:07 pm

      Hi Sharon!

      The giveaway isn’t over yet, it ends on the 25th :)

      Reply
  7. Cheryl Swoverland says

    May 16, 2012 at 11:28 am

    I made the ones I found on Pinterest with color on outside. I also did an all white one. My grandchildren loved the “wish flowers” (dandelions gone to seed)and the “half” yellow one that looked like a dandelion bloom. They were fun, but time consuming. They are heavy enough to be saved from year to year, also.

    Reply
  8. christine says

    May 16, 2012 at 4:50 am

    I really like these!! And the red jug you have them in really sets the whole piece off. Is it possible to find finer buds?

    Reply
  9. Cookie 17 says

    May 16, 2012 at 2:03 am

    These are different you ladies sure come up with some interesting craft’s thanks & keep up good work…So pretty in the pitcher you have then in.

    Reply
  10. Linda says

    May 15, 2012 at 11:33 pm

    Those are just the cutest flowers! I appreciate the information on the Kadam tree. I think this is a project I’d like to try.

    Reply
  11. Holly says

    May 15, 2012 at 4:49 pm

    Oh,,,how do I change the little pic next to my name???

    Reply
  12. Linda Rielly says

    May 15, 2012 at 4:47 pm

    Gonna try these. Love it I’ve been looking for something I can do for my Daughter-in-law. Thankyou

    Reply
  13. Holly says

    May 15, 2012 at 4:47 pm

    Amanda…….wow..very busy Lady…how do you have to time to have such a great web site with everything else you do? I love these flowers, they came out perfect. Nice,bright and summery( is that a word?). Thanks so much for sharing such a great unique project. Have a super day! ~ Holly

    Reply
  14. Angie @ Bigbearswife says

    May 15, 2012 at 12:40 am

    oo I really love the way these look!!

    Reply

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