Make Your Own: Crepe Paper Flowers

Paper Flowers as Decor

These paper flowers will brighten up a shelf or look lovely in a vase as a sweet decoration that will remind you of sunny days. But enough flowery descriptions, let's get crafting…

As you probably already know, the most important part of our project will be crepe paper. You'll find several types and colors on our website, and we'll leave the choice up to you. :)

Photo: Cchobby.com

To make the flower, we need:
- a polystyrene ball
- colored crepe paper
- wire (30 cm long)
- scissors
- glue or a hot glue gun

To start, cut these pieces from the crepe paper: 4 colored petals, 1 strip for the stamens (yellow in the picture), 1 green oval to wrap around the ball, a small star (it can have 8 points, as shown in the picture), and a 30 cm-long green strip.

Photo: Cchobby.com

After cutting out all the pieces, take the polystyrene ball and push it onto the end of the wire. Stretch the crepe paper oval so it forms a ring, then glue it onto the ball. Glue the star onto the top, exactly opposite the stem.

Photo: Cchobby.com

To make the stamens, we need a short strip that we cut into strips on one side. Glue the bottom part around the stem beneath the ball.

Tip: You can use glue or a hot glue gun while working. Sometimes, it works better.

Photo: Cchobby.com

Cut small pieces of crepe paper on your work surface to use for decorating the pistils.

Photo: Cchobby.com

First, dip the pistils (yellow in the picture) in glue, then press them into the pile of cut paper until the desired amount sticks to the ends.

Photo: Cchobby.com

Fold the cut pieces of crepe paper to create pleats, like an accordion.

Tip: Press firmly along the folds to help them hold their shape.

Photo: Cchobby.com

Stretch the center of the petal to give it a convex shape.

Tip: You can easily shape crepe paper with your hands, as shown in the picture.

Photo: Cchobby.com

The next step in making crepe paper flowers is to glue the individual petals to the rest of the flower. At this stage, we used a hot glue gun instead of glue because it dries faster.

Photo: Cchobby.com

Finally, use the long green strip you cut at the beginning. First, wrap it around the bottom of the flower head where the petals begin. Then work downward, wrapping the stem all the way to the end.

Photo: Cchobby.com

And that's it! Your first paper flower is ready! Now make a few more so it won't be alone in the vase. Your finished decoration could look something like this:

Photo: Cchobby.com

Making paper flowers is a simple activity that you can happily enjoy with younger members of your household. We hope they bring a smile to your face in any weather.
So, get crafting!

Lea