Do It Yourself Paper Flower Wedding Bouquet

DIY: Paper Flower Bouquet

Written By~Natalie Dew

Photo by: Rubans Rouge

Supplies:

-Printable template found here: Martha Stewart Weddings

-Crepe paper

-green

-off white

-two shades of a flower color of your choice

-Floral tape (green)

-Cloth-wrapped floral wire

-Scissors

-Wire cutters

-Toothpicks

-Craft Glue

Instructions:

1.  Cut all parts of flower from paper; You will need 4 small, 4 medium, and 6 large petals of each of your two flower shades (28 petals in all). You will also need one green calyx for each flower, as well as  2×2 inch piece of both green, and off white paper.

a.  I would suggest printing the template onto cardstock to use as stencils, and accordion folding your crepe paper to get several petals from one cut.

2.  Cut as many pieces of floral wire, as you will want flowers. Make them slightly longer than you imagine you would like the stems of your roses.

3.  Start by making the stamen. Take your 2×2 inch piece of cream paper and and roll it around the tip of a floral-wire stem. Use a dab of glue off of a tooth pick to help it stick.

4.  Fold your 2×2 piece of green paper in half, and holding it lengthwise, snip fringe approx. 1 inch deep. Unfold the paper and very gently, roll each strip of fringe between your fingers to separate the pieces.

5.  Wrap this green piece around the cream color piece attached to your wire, and trip the edges to look slightly “domed.” Like you would image the middle of real flowers looking.

6.  Now you get to start forming the petals. Since you have already cut the petals from the paper, use your fingers to give each petal a slightly concave look; this will make the petals look more natural.

7.  Begin gluing the petals, wrapping them around the base of your stamen. Start with the smallest petals; alternating between your two shades. Continue with the small, then medium, and finally moving to large petals. Make sure to lightly brush the bases of your petals with glue, so the paper doesn’t get soaked. I reccommend doing this with a toothpick.

8.  Take your green calyx that you have already cut, and glue it around the base of the rose. Shape it to look natural with your bloom.

9.  Once you have completed as many roses as you wish to include in your bouquet, wrap the wire stems together with the floral tape.

**This project may seem harder than it is at first, but just remember how many different kinds of roses there are. You can’t go wrong! Experiment and have fun. If you’re feeling extra crafty, try dusting the edges of your petals in glitter.