Nothing boosts my mood like the scents and shades of fresh cut flowers. Except for chocolate. Or maybe cheese. But this is not a post about chocolate or cheese; this is a post about flowers.
There’s a giddiness associated with throwing an $8 cluster of tulips in your grocery cart, taking them home, releasing them from the crinkly plastic wrap and setting them free in a jar on the kitchen table.
They are so very beautiful.
Until they aren’t.
Because after a week or so, the water gets slimy, the stems start to bend, and the blooms begin to droop until you eventually send those suckers back to the earth via the garbage can, the compost bin, or the far, far corner of your backyard.
You know what doesn’t wither and die? Handmade flowers, that’s what. And here for you now, are instructions on how your kids can make you a bunch using items from around the house.
You're welcome.
COFFEE FILTER FLOWERS
Use coffee filters and watercolours (or washable markers) to make one-of-a-kind flowers.
- Paint the coffee filters using very wet paints. Or, add designs with washable markers and use plain water to make the colours run.
- Let the filters dry.
- Stack the filters and add a colourful muffin liner on top.
- Poke a hole through all filters (and the muffin liner) with a pair of scissors and run a pipe cleaner through the hole, securing it with a bead.
- Add a twisted pipe cleaner stem.
- Done.
CUT PAPER DAISIES
If you've got paper, you can make these beauties.
- Take a piece of construction paper.
- Fold it in half lengthwise.
- Draw a straight line about 1" from the open end.
- Cut strips (any width, it doesn't matter) up to - but not past- your pencil line.
- Roll the paper into itself (it will overlap) and staple or tape securely.
- Bend the paper strips.
- Pop a colourful muffin liner in the centre and voila!
TISSUE PAPER CARNATIONS
These showy flowers are surprisingly easy to make.
- Cut 6 to 8 pieces of tissue paper into squares. The size will determine how big your flowers are.
- Layer the tissue paper pieces into a stack.
- Fold the paper - accordion style.
- Tie a ribbon or piece of string around the middle of the folded stack.
- Trim the ends with scissors so they are rounded.
- Carefully start pulling the sheets apart. Don't worry if they tear a little.
- Leave only one side "fluffed out" or continue to the other side.
- Make a colourful stem by stringing beads on two pipe cleaners.
- Finished!
PIPE CLEANER FLOWERS
Pipe cleaners are super versatile. You can make (almost) anything with them, including these flowers.
- Twist three pipe cleaners together at the ends so you have one long pipe cleaner.
- Bend and fasten the pipe cleaner into loops, like a flower.
- Take another pipe cleaner, wind it around the centre of the "flower," poke it through a button or bead, and leave loose ends at the back.
- Attach another pipe cleaner to the open ends to create a stem. Leaves are optional.
- Easy peasy.
HAND LILIES & FOOT TULIPS
I've saved the best for last. Girls and boys of all ages will enjoy making these flowers because, body parts!
- Trace hands (and feet) on construction paper.
- Cut out the hand and foot shapes.
- Curl the hands and feet into flowers and tape the ends.
- Stick a pipe cleaner through each "flower" and tie a bead at the end to prevent the pipe cleaner from slipping out.
- Done, done and... done!
That's a wrap!
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