Handcrafted Flowers

One of the specialties of Yogyakarta is handicraft - if you come to Yogyakarta you'll be surely see many handicraft store.

Today I like to introduce you to the handcrafted flower, which is made using the corn leaf. In Central Java many farmer grow corn in dry season. But most of them never make a good use of the corn leaf.

One of my neighbor in Yogyakarta is one of the handcrafted flowers maker. She told me everything about this art. And I think I should share some to you.

The flower is made using the colored dried corn leaf; and personally I'm curious to do some research since the coloring process still using the chemical color agent. I think it will be more perfect if the corn leaf was pigmented using natural coloring agent.

Then the colored corn leaf will be made into flower, there are many style available such as: rose, sunflower, fan, etc. The process is not complicated but I think it's still difficult for me who has no such talent. Basically the leaf is formed into the form you want and then tied to a bamboo stick.

If you walk at Malioboro (the famous street in Yogyakarta) - you will see many street-hawkers / street-traders selling corn leaf flowers.

And if you are stranger or foreigner, then usually the price would be Rp 5,000 (five thousand rupiahs) each. Then you must negotiate to get a better price. :D

Since my neighbor is the crafter not seller, she told me that actually those flowers cost around Rp 2,000 (two thousand rupiahs), even lower if the buyer is a quantity buyer.

Well.... this is one of business opportunity, I think I may sell it to you with higher price, ha ha. Seriously, if you really interested to buy or learn this kind of handcrafting art. Feel free to write me, I will be happy to sell it to you with good price :D or introduce you to my neighbor (but I think you should pay the tuition fee, lol).