Fanned Paper Flower Tutorial

Once the Christmas decorations come down, I swing into birthday-party planning mode. I am one of those moms who makes a super big deal of my kids’ birthdays because THEY are incredible and they should have special experiences for their “born-on-date” memory makers! The other reason I do it is because I love crafting, and what better excuse to craft than a party?! Agreed?

The first party on my 2013 agenda is my daughter’s third birthday. She can be shy and does not respond well when lots of people are around, so we are planning a simple party with four of her little friends. It will be something that will keep her completely comfortable and enjoying her time. Her request is a pink and purple tea party. So I begin planning by creating a Pinterest Board, Avery’s Tea Party. I start pinning anything and everything from color scheme, decorations, food, clothes, and party favors. I pin the extreme and the simple, and then I go back in and decided what is realistic and what fits with our budget.

Because we are only having four sweet guests, I can dive into the details. I know I want to have some kind of place card for the girls to know where they sit. That way we will have no fights break out about who is sitting next to whom. Three-year-olds fist-fighting at a tea party just doesn’t sound very lady like!

I remembered the fanned paper flowers I created for her first birthday party, and I wondered if I could make them into something that stood since I already had the supplies on hand and wouldn’t need to spend a dime doing it. Sure enough, it worked! It has a tinge of shabby chic for me and a bit of sparkle for her! Plus they are sturdy enough that the girls can take them home as a little reminder of their day.

I will make sure to share the all the final party details with you!

To make your own fanned paper flowers, here is the supply list and six simple steps.

Supplies:
2 sheets of 12×12 cardstock (for each flower)
Scissors or paper cutter
Double-stick-tape
Punches, die cut machine, measuring cups, or cookie cutters
Adornments: buttons, resin flowers, twine, yarn, etc…
Glue Gun and glue sticks

Step 1: Cut 12×12 card stock into six 3 inch strips or any desired width depending on the size flower you want.

Step 2: Fold your strips into fans

Step 3: Double-stick-tape the ends of your folded strips together to form a long line.

Step 4: Bring your two ends together in a circle formation. Use double stick tape to secure. At this point your circle will probably flip up on you or might be a bit difficult to mange. Have no fear—the fix is coming!

Step 5: Flip your circle to what you want to be the backside. Place glue from your glue gun on a circle punch or a square of card stock and use this to stabilize the “flower.” One hand holds the circle with the glue and the other pushes your folded paper circle tight. The inside circle should all be touching each other. You will need to hold your circle/glue there till you feel like it is dry.

Step 6: Adorn the front of your flowers any way you please!

All done, and because I had everything on hand it was done at no additional cost!

If you want to turn them into flowers in a bouquet, you simply add a dowel. I wrapped my dowel in raffia. What I love about this simple craft is you can make it for any occasion. Valentine’s or Easter flowers would be fun, too!

Carey Bailey (14 Posts)

Carey Bailey‘s husband describes her as a woman who loves to dance around the living room in her pj’s, loves Blue Bell Pralines and Cream ice cream, loves her kids, and loves Jesus! This fun-loving mother of two also has a passion for helping fellow women discover ways to create a powerful relationship with Christ. She is the author of Cravings, an innovative 40 day devotional for busy moms that allows them to draw closer to the Lord in the midst of busyness. And the bonus is that is comes with a zero calorie cupcake.