"Poppies will put them to sleep"

My latest paper maché project happened quite by accident. As I was making the shark head mask , I needed to start with a base of a balloon. After it was dried the top half needed to be cut off. I noticed it was in the shape of a shallow bowl. I didn't want to throw it out knowing that I would someday put it to some use, maybe a decorative bowl of some sort. It sat there for months and then a few weeks ago i decided to patch up the rough spots and finish it. But how was I to paint it?

I wanted it to be colorful. Then the idea of painting it with a large floral pattern popped into my head, a round flower like a poppy...

The colorful poppy flower

something like those famous poppy prints by Marrimekko. That would be fun.

The Marimekko poppy pattern

When i started painting the bowl, I decided to make the design a little more realistic, not as graphic.

When I decided on the color for the big poppy, a deep red, it immediately reminded me of the deadly poppy field in "The Wizard of Oz", the scene where the Wicked Witch puts Dorothy to sleep with the alluring scent of the dangerous flowers. 

Dorothy asleep amongst the poppies

"And now, my beauties, something with poison in it, I think. With poison in it, but attractive to the eye, and soothing to the smell. Poppies... Poppies. Poppies will put them to sleep. Sleeeeep. Now they'll sleeeeeeeep!"

―The Wicked Witch of the West 

The deadly poppy field scene from "The Wizard of Oz" (1939)

I liked the way it turned out, especially the bottom where I painted the stem with a bud coming off it.

The inside of the poppy bowl

The bottom of the bowl. Notice the stem, leaves, and bud.

At first I thought I'd just put it on the shelf somewhere in my craft room, but then I realized the deep red coordinated nicely with all the red in the fireplace room, plus I needed something to put on top of a pile of books on the hallway table. It worked out great there (and fittingly timely for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday).

Atop a stack of books.

A poppy pop of color in the hallway