Faux Spring Flower Bulb Planter

In this post I’ll show you how to create your own DIY faux spring flower bulb planter to use for March and April decorating. This project simply combines a Styrofoam ball, coffee filters, a little Spanish moss and some watercolor or craft paint. For just a few dollars you can create faux bulbs for a stunning spring piece!

One of my very favorite things about springtime is noticing the green of spring bulbs popping up through the cold, wintery ground. The snow has just melted but with the slightest sight of sunshine those spring bulbs know it’s their time to shine.

I wanted to incorporate the beautiful view of spring bulbs in my décor this season. In the past I have forced bulbs indoors, and while it is a really fun project, I knew I wanted something low maintenance that would last all season. I decided to create a faux spring flower bulb planter for the living room, and I am just head over heels for how it turned out!

Supply list for Your faux spring flower bulb planter:

2 or 2.5″ Foam balls
Coffee Filters
Taupe colored tissue paper or parchment paper
Mod Podge
Watercolor paints or Craft paints
Paintbrush
Spanish moss
Green moss
Planter, vase or bowl for your bulbs (can be anything!)
Here is a link to my favorite wood tray in this tutorial
Green leaves from a faux plant (or a green foam sheet)

Tutorial:

Take 2 coffee filters and paint them brown. Allow to dry on a cooling rack.

Cover foam ball with mod podge or glue. Use a sheet of parchment paper or two sheets of taupe tissue paper and fold around the ball, gathering at the top and twisting. Trim excess. Use a damp paintbrush and add a bit of brown/black watercolor pant over the texture of the paper. A dryer brush rather than drenched brush works better for this.

When your coffee filters are dry, cut them in two sizes that you can layer about 3/4 of the way up the ball, and 1/4 of the way up the ball. I liked to add little scalloped edges so it has a “peeling” look. Once cut, paint the edges of the scallops a dark brown with more watercolor.

Allow the coffee filters to dry. Then paint a little mod podge on the bottom and sides of the foam ball. Wrap the first layer of coffee filter around the ball. Trim and press where it is needed. Now add a bit more mod podge on the very bottom and add the second layer of coffee filter (the smaller one).

Glue some Spanish moss to the bottom to resemble the roots of bulbs that shoot out when you’re forcing them indoors.

*Optional* You can also take some faux leaves and add to the top layers of the paper so it looks like a bulb is just starting to open. For this tutorial I didn’t want full grown flowers, but rather the start of faux bulb. I just adore that look for spring!

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The special meaning in this decor piece

If you’ve been around for a while, you know I love to have special meaning or symbolism in my home décor. You might even remember my “better together” Christmas tree last year, or my “sit and stay awhile” summer tablescape. But, I digress, today we’re focusing on spring! The feelings that inspired this faux spring flower bulb planter are my desire to focus on life after death. Or rather, new life after a season of rest.

After losing two family members last year, very unexpectedly, I have really found such a desire to set my focus to new beginnings. It’s really why spring has become so very special to me. I personally believe in life after death, and love to think about the symbolism of winter to springtime. Everything looks as though it has died, but when spring comes, new life seems to magically appear overnight as green covers our surroundings.

Have you ever heard this poem? I love it so much!

“Life is unpredictable, it changes with the seasons, even your coldest winter happens for the best of reasons, and though it feels eternal, like all you’ll ever do is freeze, I promise spring is coming, and with it brand new leaves”. Erin Hanson

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and feel inspired to make some faux spring flower bulbs for your décor! Here are a few favorite faux spring flowers that I love as well!