MAKING YOUR FRESH FLOWER LEI

While staying at the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel on Maui, I was allowed to pick fresh flowers for my plumeria flower lei. You "must" get permission to remove flowers from the trees. The hotel where I was staying, also taught the art of making fresh flower lei's. I was able to pick my own flowers, with the permission of the hotel. I used a long pole that was made to reach the tall limbs of the trees. The plumeria trees are very fragile, so you must be very careful not to break the limbs.

You can also buy fresh flowers from the florist. You could use many different flowers for making your lei. Sweet fragrant tuberoses, carnations, roses, plumeria, dendrobium orchids, and many other flowers will make a beautiful fragrant lei.

The flowers are gathered and washed, to remove any sap that may be on the flowers. I used about thirty plumeria flowers to make my lei. Measure the thread around your neck to the length that you want your lei to be. Then, double the length of the thread and fold, matching ends of the string. Leave a loop at the end to hook onto the needle.

A long needle is used to thread each flower on the thread. Some hotels furnish needles, or they can be purchased at craft stores on the islands. The end of the needle has a hook, which is where you attach the loop end of the thread.

Taking the fresh washed flowers, remove just the tip end of the stem. Carefully thread the flowers through the center onto the needle. Remember to thread all of the flowers in the same direction while stringing your lei. After you place two or three flowers onto the needle, carefully pull them down onto the thread. Leave about 6 inches of thread for tying off when finished. After you have thread your lei and find that it is long enough gently pull flowers together snug. Once this is done, then you can unhook your needle and tie the ends together with a double knot. Now you have your beautiful finished fresh flower lei to wear to the luau.

To keep your lei fresh, put a little water on it and place in a plastic bag. Place into a refrigerator, providing the hotel has one available for you to use. Your flower lei should last for quite a few days.

Remember that you can also add fresh tuberoses, or carnations, which are very fragrant. They can be purchased from a florist and are very inexpensive. The tuberose is a very fragrant flower and perhaps you may wish to use it alone or with other flowers.

Each time I visit the islands, I always remember to pack my lei needle and heavy thread in my carry on luggage. That way I can purchase fresh flowers and make my own personally designed lei for the evening. I know that it is fresh and perfect for that special night out. I always enjoy making that beautiful lei of flowers around my neck. I also enjoy the delightful fragrance of my fresh flower lei.

Enjoy wearing your fresh flower lei, knowing that you make it yourself. You can be very proud that you made it, and enjoy having a fresh beautiful lei.

While we are getting our flowers for our lei, why not make a special flower rosette for your hair? Find a long sandwich toothpick. May seem funny, but when out eating lunch I order a club sandwich. Of course, they are held together with long toothpicks. So, I save those for my flower hair rosettes.

I like to use the plumeria for my rosettes, so I gather up to 9 or 11 plumeria. You will need an uneven number of plumeria to make your rosette. I rinse the flowers off with water, and take a look at each of them. I chose the nicest bloom for the center of my rosette. I remove one petal from the rest of the blooms. Now, take the main (whole flower) and stick the toothpick through the green stem. Place this flower in the center of the toothpick. After removing one petal from the rest of the remaining blooms I then thread the next bloom up to the middle bloom. The missing petal is pushed upto the center flower. Add the same amount of flowers on each side of the main flower. As you add the flowers and snug them up to the next, raise the petals to fall over the previous flower petals. When you are finished you will have a rosette petal flower that looks like one complete flower. Use long bobby pins to place the finished rosette in the hair. Use one at the top, and one at the bottom. Remember that there is also a proper place in the hair for the rosette. If you are married, then place the flowers on the left side of the head. If unmarried, then on the right. This is the custom of the islands. Enjoy the flowers in your hair. I always have fresh flowers every day in my hair. The perfume of the flowers will fill the air around you.