It’s late spring, almost summer … a great time of the year to celebrate with some “fiesta flowers.” These are so easy to make even little kids can make gorgeous ones.
You’ll need:
- A package of multi-colored tissue paper (available at craft stores)
- Colorful pipe cleaners (one per flower)
- Scissors
- Cut each sheet of tissue paper into quarters. You should end up with rectangles about 12 inches by 7 inches. This size is good for making nice big blooms, but you can experiment with bigger or smaller sizes too.
- Stack six to eight of the rectangular-shaped pieces of tissue paper as precisely as possible, one on top of the other.
- On the shorter side of the stack, make a one-inch fold along the edge, again as precisely as you can. Turn the stack over and make another one-inch fold on the same edge. Repeat until you come to the end. The stack of tissue paper should now be folded like an accordion.
- Take a fuzzy fun-colored pipe cleaner and loop the top of it around the middle of your folded tissue piece. Position the top of the pipe cleaner loop so it’s around the side of the folded tissue that you want as the color of the center of your flower. Twist the pipe cleaner tightly on the opposite side (the bottom) of the folded tissue. The long part of the pipe cleaner will be your flower’s stem.
- Using scissors, cut a scallop or point on each end to make petal shapes. (If you want to hang your flower you can use string instead of a pipe cleaner.) At this stage, you end up with what looks like two fans coming out from the bisected middle of your folded tissue paper.
- Now the fun literally unfolds. With the stem facing down, gently start pealing each layer of the tissue paper towards the center. Take your time; if you make a slight tear its okay because the flower will be so full, imperfections won’t be noticeable.
When you finish this last step you will have a fabulous flamboyant floret, great for decorating on Cinco de Mayo or birthday parties, or embellish a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift box with a big fat flower. If you want to get silly, wear one of these splendid specimens in your hair!
Posted in: Art & Music
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