Mother’s Day is coming up fast and today I have for you a fast and easy way to dress up Mom’s card or gift. I use these little guys as gift toppers, slipping them right underneath the tied ribbon. Or make several and give Mom an everlasting bouquet to show her she is forever loved. These paper flowers aren’t the most realistic looking ones in my arsenal, but what they lack in realism, they make up for in charm and durability. The heavier paper means they won’t easily get wrinkled or ruined (unless you get them wet of course…..don’t water your paper flowers….they aren’t real).
Here we go with the supply list:
- wire cutters
- scissors
- floral wire, preferably cloth wrapped
- green floral tape
- paper ribbon in black and either red, pink, white or yellow (also known as twisted paper).
- yellow tissue paper
- completely optional and only for the nitpicky like me: a straw
Easier right? No searching for heavy crepe, no online ordering (you can buy all these supplies at your local Hobby Lobby), no downloading templates, and best of all very little cutting.
Steps:
Ok well there is some cutting. But it’s sooooo much faster than cutting individual petals. Cut a 2 inch by 3 inch rectangle of your yellow tissue. Cut a 2.5 inch section of black paper ribbon and three 3-inch sections of your brightly colored paper ribbon. Use your wire cutters to cut a 6 inch section of wire (or longer if you are making several for a bouquet).- Make the yellow center of your stamen. Crinkle up your piece of yellow tissue and fold in half over the tip of your wire. Tape in place with a small section of green floral tape, gently stretching the tape (to activate the adhesive) and wrapping it down the wire stem.
- Unfold your black paper, and cut in half with the grain. Now make 5 to 6 cuts about 3/4 of the length of your paper. Make sure and cut with the grain. Twist each piece of fringe. Cut a small to medium length of floral tape. Wrap your black fringe around the yellow center and wrap your tape around the base of black fringe and down the stem to secure.
- Take your brightly colored pieces, unfold them, and round out the edges. I like to round one side of each petal a little more than the other side for a more organic look. I attach each petal separately for this flower because the petals are thicker and it just seems easier. Cut 3 medium to large sections of tape (about 8 inches or so). Attach each petal by scrunching the base of the petal just a bit, holding in place around the stamen with one hand, and wrapping tape around the base of the petal and down the stem to secure. The petals will overlap each other some.
- With one last long piece of tape, wrap your stem one more time,slowly and carefully, for a finished look.
- Now for the overly ambitions ones out there, I like to make the stem a little thicker just like a real tulip by using a straw. Insert the bottom of your stem into a straw and position the straw so that it butts up against the thick base of the flower. Cut the bottom of your straw/wire to the desired length. Now wrap tape from the base of the flower over the straw and down to the bottom of the straw. If you cut a piece that is too short, no worries…..just cut another piece of tape and pick up right were you left off. Twist the tape at the bottom and wrap it back up the straw just a bit to round the bottom out. Where your tape ends, press in with your fingernail to keep it in place.
- Now shape your flower by gently stretching each petal at the middle so that the petals cup around each other. Straighten and shape the fringed stamen and viola! Super cute and bright….strong enough to handle some handling….simple enough to make in 20 minutes or less……and a fun way to brighten Mom’s day!
Now run along and start creating! Don’t make me tell you twice! Happy Mother’s Day to all moms, mommies, mommas, mothers, and humoms. You are, after all, the reason we are here to live, love and create. Until next time, my flowered friends…..this is KristyMichele signing out.
TuxedoCatArt 