Paper flower bouquet

Directions

1. Print the templates onto card stock and cut out the flowers, flower centers, leaves and stems. Repeat until you have as many as you need.

   

2. Paint the fronts of the flowers and flower centers in whatever colors you want. Let dry. Then flip the flowers over to paint the backs (No need to paint the backs of the flower centers). Let dry. Repeat painting process for the stems and leaves, using shades of green.

3. Once all the pieces are dry, you can begin assembling. Glue the flower centers to the middle of the flowers. Choose which flowers you want to layer together and glue them together at their centers, leaving the petals free to bend and shape separately. Let dry.

4. For the leaves: Write a cheery message on a leaf (optional). Then make a small angled cut where indicated on the leaf and lightly crease down the center, following the curve of the leaf. Repeat for all the leaves.

5. For the stems: Starting at the bottom, fold each stem in half a few inches at a time, up the length of the stem, following its curve, until you get to the top circle. Fold the top circle down to give the flower a base to attach to.

6. Glue the back centers of each flower to the circle base of a stem. Let dry. Then slip a leaf up the stem from the base. The angled cut on your leaf should slide easily up the stem and stay in place once you’ve got the height you want for the leaf. Add a dab of glue if it doesn’t stay in place. Let dry.

7. Add the finished flowers to your vase. Bend and shape some of the flower petals to give them a natural look.