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Paper craft and paper flowers: a brief history
Paper flowers have existed ever since the invention of paper in China around 100 B.C. The art travelled from China via the Silk Road and eventually reached other Asian countries like Vietnam and Japan.
The intercontinental trade between East and West eventually brought paper to the Americas and Europe. While it was primarily used as a way to write documentation and store records, the crafting aspect of paper-folding also developed in small communities around the region. Today, you can find different varieties of traditional paper flowers and paper crafts all around the world.
Tips for making great DIY paper flowers
So what do you need to make paper flowers? Three things come to mind:
Paper
You can’t create paper flowers without paper. Walk into any Officeworks and you’ll be presented with a wide variety of colours, textures, and designs to choose from. You can transform almost any kind of paper into a totally unique paper flower.
You can use delicate paper for making tissue paper flowers or crepe paper flowers; or you can use heavier more durable papers to make making giant paper flowers that really stand out.
Cutting tools
Sometimes you need to cut the paper to fit the template or design. For more complex models, you might even need to start from a non-square piece of paper like a pentagon! But aside from that, cutting tools are great for adding small details to your paper flowers, like grooves and lines.
Adhesives
Finally, some paper flowers will require adhesive to stick together. Even if you’re following instructions that don’t need glue or tape, it’s still good to keep some in handy in case you need to stick or bunch your blooms together in a bouquet or floral arrangement. You can even incorporate florists foam or flower wire for more realistic results!
Easy instruction templates for making paper flowers
You’ve got the paper, the time, and you’ve cleared out space on your table – now comes the folding! Some of these instructions have images that you can follow step by step, while others have videos that you can pause and play at your leisure.
Paper pom-poms
Made of delicate tissue paper, these are easy to make and look wonderful when combined in small bunches.
Paper daisy flowers
For something a little smaller, try making a batch of these quaint paper daisies. Their vibrant colours are a good accompaniment to any lounge room.
Origami lotus
Folding this lotus can be a little challenging, but the result is an amazing blend of paper and craftsmanship that you’ll be glad you spent time on.
Paper lily
Lilies are a small, delicate flower that can fit in almost any room setting. These paper lilies have all the elegance of the real plant without the maintenance required.
Origami rose
Roses are the pinnacle of paper flowers. This simple tutorial on the classic Kawasaki Rose is the most difficult design from this list, but it’s also one of the most beautiful examples of paper art that you can make.
So the next time you want to bring a little more colour into your rooms, clear an afternoon, gather some paper, and set aside some solo-time for folding, cutting, and combining paper flowers. It’s a relaxing activity that yields beautiful results.
