DIY: Crepe Paper Flowers from Party Streamers

Turn your leftover party streamers into a whimsical flower centerpiece! This project is lots of fun to make and I’m excited to teach it at my craft night with TOMS tomorrow (join me if you’re in LA)! Fresh flowers are of course always beautiful, but the perk of paper ones is they won’t wilt and you're guaranteed that your favorite flower will always be in season. Plus, you can mix 'n match with any colors you fancy.   

Create a bunch and use them as centerpieces, gift toppers or even wedding decor. I also found that mixing real leaf branches really complimented the paper flowers.

You can find tons of great paper flower tutorials online, but I gave it my own spin by using ink pads to add a distressed look to the crepe paper and by adding pearl beads to the center of the flower.
 
This project can also be completed using tissue paper, but I love the texture of crepe paper. Pick your favorite colors and follow the tutorial below to craft up your own!

  
Materials:
• Party streamers (found at party supply stores for less than $1)
• Ink pads
• 18 gauge floral wire
• Round bead
• Double-sided tape
• Tacky glue
• Scissors

Steps:  
• To create the the flower's center, cut a 2 inch square piece from one of the streamers and use it to cover the top end of the wire. Secure with double-sided tape.
• Cut another piece about 10 inches long. Roll it up and fringe the edges with scissors.
• Keeping the paper rolled up, rub the sides and edges against an ink pad.
• Wrap the fringed paper around the double-sided tape you placed on the wire to create the flower's stamen. Secure with tape.  
• Cut petals using one or two different colored streamers. I used about 20-25 petals for each flower.
• Stack the petals on top of each other and rub the edges and sides on an ink pad. 
• Attach your first petal to the double-sided tape you used for the stamen. By pleating the base of each petal before attaching, it will give your flower more dimension. Add two more petals than secure that layer with tape.
• Continue until you have reached your desired flower size.  
• Cut a few small mini-petals in another color to create the flower's calyx. Secure them to the base of the flower.
• Cut a thin piece of the streamer (about 5 inches long) and roll it around the base of the flower to give it a finished look. Secure with tape.
• Add some tacky glue to the top end of the wire and place the round bead on top.

Happy crafting! Follow along on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with all my new DIY projects.