Party stores everywhere carry paper flowers and tissue paper “balls” used for party decor, but they are often quite expensive. Making them on your own is incredibly easy to do, and is far cheaper in the long run.
Fun story with these. I spent a week or so making a ton of these flowers in advance of the party, usually working on it while watching Netflix in the evening. Since the party was an hour away in Brookings, I gathered them all into a large bag the night before and left them by the door … and that is exactly where I forget them the next morning. I ended up buying more tissue paper in Brookings and feverishly making more about an hour before the party. Thankfully they are pretty cheap!
Tissue Paper Flowers
What you need:
- 5 or so packages of tissue paper in different colors
- Stapler
- Scissors
- Pipe cleaner or straw*
- Hot glue gun*
*Optional, only needed if you want to insert the flowers into a vase.
Instructions:
1. Layer together 2 or 3 different colors of tissue paper, at least 2 sheets of each. For a very large flower, cut the tissue in half (these will be pretty huge). I actually cut the sheets (still layered together) into quarters, and sometimes split the quarters once more for small flowers. Once you make a few, you will get the hang of how large you want yours to be.
2. Fold the section of tissue paper like a fan, and staple 1-2 times in the very center. Round the edges of the tissue with the scissors.
3. Gently begin peeling back each layer of tissue toward the center, being careful not to rip the paper. If a rip happens, however, no worries, it will be hardly noticeable. Continue with all layers until your flower is complete!
4. If you want to place the flowers into a vase, like I did with my Corona Vases, you can hot glue a regular straw or piece of pipe cleaner to the bottom of the flower.