You might want to take another look at the willows. Can't really see the details but some kind of shrubby willow (Salix sp) would be my suggestion. And I don't think those are flowers, they look like galls. Pretty common on willows. WW Here is a link that might be useful: willow galls

There are alot of tutorials on making these flowers on you tube. I will have to check out the one Jeanne shared. Here's a bolg that has some pretty flowers too. I didn't see the one that I really liked before. My DGD and DM made so many crafts and yes 'Rusty' they made kleenex tissue flowers in the 60's.lol Hope you make some and share pictures with us. Punk Here is a link that might be useful: Two shades of pink

How beautiful they are. Too many hobbies, too little time. I'm not sure if I ever get to try one. Still, I'm bookmarking this website. Thanks!

I agree with embees suggestion. There's also a material called Gatorboard that has the same styrofoam filling, but it's stiff as...a board. : ) Like a very lightweight, sturdy, smooth piece of plywood. You might try calling some art supply stores, if you can't find it at HD. It's inexpensive and also comes with a black filling. I've never cut it by hand (foamcore can be cut with a straight edge and several swipes of an Xacto blade), not sure if Gatorboard requires a saw, or what. Foamcore comes in sheets of 32" x 40", altho some stores cut it in half and sell it at 32" x 20". I've mounted many posters on foamcore and I suggest that when you start using the spray mount, be sure to do so in an open area on some newspapers. The spray settles around and can make nearby things sticky. Sounds like you have a neat collection and that's a cool idea for a display! I also have a magnet collection that I picked up on travels and right now they're all in a shoebox. Hmm.