In the days before technology took over the world, there was a secret language spoken only with fragrant herbs and flowers. So, when my friends from the Int’l Bloggers decided that this month’s challenge would be baskets, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to go back in time and send them a message using a talking bouquet and the basket would be the carrier 😉

How to hide fairy light corks for fantasy bottles How to hide fairy light corks for fantasy bottles
Use the secret language of herbs and flowers to tell someone how you feel.
A talking bouquet

It felt like I would be cheating if I just used a boring basket without doing something with it first. This is the Int’l Bloggers Club Basket challenge after all. A while back, a friend of mine gave me a paper-covered balloon that she’d been meaning to turn into a hot air balloon for her twins. She’d seen the Steampunk Balloon I’d made and wanted something similar. (Ek skies maaitjie, ek het hom gesteel want ek het ander planne vir die twins).

Happiness is a balloon and good friends Click to Tweet

Making a Small Hot Air Balloon

I used some twine to create a net to cover the balloon. I struggled a bit to figure out how to do it, so I won’t bore you with those details. Suffice to say, I finally figured it out. All you need is 16 long strips of twine. Knot them all together and stick them into the very top of the balloon using a pin. Separate out the strands. I found it easiest to split them into groups of four so they would be evenly spaced. Then I split those groups of four into two, before knotting the alternating bits together and sticking each knot into the balloon in with a pin.

Use the secret language of herbs and flowers to tell someone how you feel.
Making the net

To hide the knot, I glued a broken metal thingy on.

Use the secret language of herbs and flowers to tell someone how you feel.
Disguising the knot

The basket got a quick update with some spray paint to match the look of the broken metal thingy. Now I needed to try come up with a plan to suspend the balloon over the basket. Skewers to the rescue. They were just squished into the sides of the basket and the balloon rests nicely in between them..

Use the secret language of herbs and flowers to tell someone how you feel.
Skewers suspend the balloon

I added hessian, a plastic bag, which was cut to the right size and an oasis to the inside of the basket and started “writing” my message using the secret language of herbs and flowers 😉

Use the secret language of herbs and flowers to tell someone how you feel.
Some burlap and foam

Now the basket was finally ready for the secret message 😀

Use the secret language of herbs and flowers to tell someone how you feel.
The secret language of flowers and herbs

A Secret Message In A Basket

Want to know what is says? There’s a little bit of  parsley for gratitude. I’m the newest member of the Int’l Bloggers Club and these wonderful ladies found me drifting aimlessly in the blogging cosmos last year and took me under their wing. Thank you Mary, Katrin, Keri and sweet Pili for reaching out and making someone from waaayyyyyy down South part of your tribe. Four yellow roses to celebrate the joy and happiness their friendship brings. Lots of lavender for good luck and prosperity. May your pockets be heavy and your hearts always light. And finally, a few sprigs of rosemary for remembrance. I certainly will never forget their kindness and support. You ladies are the best.

Use the secret language of herbs and flowers to tell someone how you feel.
Use the secret language of herbs and flowers to tell someone how you feel.

I wish my basket was bigger so I could fit more words inside. I would have loved to add Irish moss and mint and a Forget-me-not or two 😉 There are so many different herbs and flowers to choose from and they all convey a different message. 

Which ones would you use? Let me know in the comments or, better yet, send me a secret message 😉 Now I’m off to see what my friends from the Int’l Blogger’s Club have done with their baskets. Their links should be down there. Want to join me?


Made with love by a Crafty Mix