Thank goodness for my dad and his woodshop, because he makes projects like this so easy.
All we did was cut the 1 inch plywood into approximately 5x5 inch spares, router the edges to smooth them, then stain them, and finally drilled a few holes in the top. The rest was up to the kids.
They used wire, styrofoam balls, and paint to create the flowers, although some seem more celestial than anything. As a group, they look so whimsical and weird. On their own, they certainly make a statement and could adorn the most modern mantle, causing viewers to say ooh la la. Maybe?