Sugar High

This Flowerful Fruit Roll-Up Topiary is sure to make any kid go sugar crazy. It's a fun craft they won't mind creating.

See this project and more in 27 Topiary Craft Projects.

Materials:

• STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam:
  • Cone, 9" x 4"
  • Disc, 6" x 1"
• Acrylic paint: Green
• Fruit leather, one multi-flavor pack
• Candy dots
• Pre-made icing, your choice: fondant icing, one tube; light or whipped canned icing, one can; or powdered sugar and water
• Ruler
• Small cookie or fondant cutters: leaf; flowers
• Medium flat paintbrush
• Disposable palette
• Water basin
• Paper towels
• Scissors
• Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
• Thick, white craft glue
• Optional: Small bowl, measuring cup, teaspoon (if using powdered sugar icing)
• Optional: Red acrylic paint, medium flat paintbrush, disposable palette (paint must be food safe)

Steps:

1. Paint foam disc green. If desired, paint foam cone cone yellow. Use glue gun to adhere cone base to center top of disc.
    
2. Gently unroll fruit leather; press flat. Use cutters to cut leaves and multi-size flowers from fruit. Note: If using fruit leather printed with temporary tattoos, first wipe fruit clean using clean, slightly damp cloth; let dry. Use scissors to cut freehand vines from green fruit leather.
    
3. Follow package directions to prepare pre-made icing tube for use. If making own icing, combine 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar with a few teaspoons of water in small bowl to a spreadable consistency. If icing is too thick, add more water; too thin, add more sugar.
    
4. Firmly press fruit shapes to cone surface; refer to photo as guide. If shapes aren't sticking well, remove and add a few drops of icing before reattaching to cone.
    
5. Apply small amount of icing to backs of candy dots and adhere to flower centers and to cone around flowers.
    
6. For bow at base, cut one 3/4" x 2" and four 3/4" x 3" strips from yellow fruit leather. Fold two 3" strips into loops and adhere to base using icing for glue; straight edges should be 1/2" apart. Fold 2" strip into loop and "glue" into space between first two loops. Cut v-shaped notch into one end of each remaining strip for tails; "glue" to base on each side of bow.
    
7. Cut a few more flowers and leaves from fruit leather; "glue" to base around bow. Use icing to adhere candy dots to flower centers.
    
8. To enjoy flowers, simply peel from topiary surface.

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