April showers bring May flowers.
Except that for some reason it rains more in May here than April. Plus it is still thawing from winter. So the flowers are a slowly coming. Except we have dandelions!
So in the mean time, I decided to bring myself flowers.
I have quite a few flower related projects going right now. So for now I'll just show you one that I have finished.
First off, these are paper daisies. I would like you to know that I did not figure out how to make these on my own. I got the idea, and step-by-step instructions from (>^-^)> Here. But I did modify it.
I have made these daisies exactly as instructed for a center piece display, garland for Easter and decorations for my door. (I live in apartments, the door leading to my apartment is inside.)
Anyway! These are super cute, and very easy. Their plan was to make them "assembly line like". Which is very easy to do. But they don't work as well when they are put on paper, or a wall.
So, my modification was to make them look cute, more full and work better on paper any flat object. Instead of freestanding like his.
On to the tutorial!
You will need:
- Paper! My preference when working with paper for crafts is card stock (scrap booking) but I have used construction paper on these.
- Scissors
- Glue, both hot glue and stick or liquid glue.
- Buttons
- Embroidery thread
- Embroidery Needle
- A circle template This could be a cup, a cardboard ribbon thing (what they come on when you buy them at the store) or if your like me and actually have a template.
- X-Acto knife, not necessarily needed. Everything you do can be done with scissors. I checked. But the knife makes it easier.
Step 1. Draw your circles.
This is a great project to use your scraps of paper. (Because a true crafter never throws away anything!) I choose to use 2 different papers of the same color family. Plus mine have prints on them. It adds a bit of texture and "craftiness" to them. In my humble opinion.
Step 2. Cut your circles out.
I think that one is pretty self explanatory. Scissors work best here.
Step 3. Cut out the "petals".
Cut 8 lines as demonstrated in this picture. Depending on your size they should at least be 1 inch long. Do this to both circles.
Step 4. Cut out...triangles?
This is where I begin to differ from the original tutorial. For it to work on paper it needs a bit more flexibility. So cut small triangles out of the center end of each line you cut. As shown by the colored in triangles below. Do this to both circles. I suggest using the X-Acto knife at this stage, it can be done with the scissors but the knife makes it easier. Also! Make sure you have a sharp blade. A dull blade (I found out) causes "paper wrinkle" which is a term I just made up. But it is when you drag your knife across paper and it more or less tears. Instead of cutting and just wrinkles the paper behind the blade. Also a dull blade scores more than cuts as well.
Makes a pretty sun-like thing, huh? :D
Step 5. Create your petals.
Fold a crease in the middle of each "petal. Fold toward the back (whatever you decide is the back of your flower, the side not being seen in the finished product). These do not need to be scored, do not need to be measured and you do not need to draw them out like I did below. You want to aim for making them where the lines fall on my example. But their imperfection is their perfection. Remember the original creator of these wanted them to be fast and simple. Just like the last 2 steps do this to both circles.
They will look like this on the front side after completion.
Step 6. Glue your 2 circles together to create your flower.
I do not suggest using hot glue here. You will need to pierce the middle with a needle and it will probably be a struggle with hot glue in the center. I used my glue stick. They didn't stick together real well until they were finished, but you just want some friction for not to prevent them from sliding when your doing the needle work in the next step.
Step 7. Get your needle ready!
Grab your thread, an embroidery needle and your button! Double-knot the end of your thread. The thread will pop through your whole with out a double knot!
Step 8. Stitch in your button.
Piercing your hole first is the easiest with paper. Pierce from the back, to the front for your first hole in the bottom. Thread it through and slide the button on. Use your preference in how you stitch in. I prefer the cross stitch on buttons and with this craft I think it looks cuter. Thread each cross section at least twice to keep it secure. Tie off the back of your thread! Otherwise your button with slide off.
Note that it is not exact center. As I said before their imperfection is part of their perfection.
Step 9. Attach to your paper.
This is where you use that fancy glue gun that you have been wondering where it was going to come into play! Put a nice size glob on the back of your flower, over the button thread and then press firmly to your paper. (OR whatever)
And now you are done! The possibilities are endless!
Now if you take a look at these two pictures:
The top one is my modifications. The bottom is the original template, sort of. They don't have it glued like this, they have a 360 view kind of thing. But if you look you can see that the modded one is fuller looking and you can see more petals than on the bottom.
Enjoy! There are more flowers to come!
