With winter drawing to a close and spring break arriving, it’s always fun to do something you have not tried before. A lot of activities tend to be expensive or time-consuming, so I’ve found that it’s very stress-relieving to put on my favorite show and make paper flowers. It’s not too messy, and while it may be hard the first time, after you make a couple of flowers, it becomes easier.

The stem and leaves

1. Using green paper, roll it into a long thin tube and glue it so it stays together

2. Fold a new sheet of paper in half and cutout elongated semicircles with a point at the end to make leaves

Lilac

Using a rectangular piece of paper fold it in half

Then cut on the folded edge lines that span across the entire length of the paper but stop each cut about a centimeter away from the non-folded edge

Turn the paper inside out and glue unfolded edge together

Glue the edge of the paper to a stem then wrap it around the stem until you run out of paper.

If you make more of the cutout rectangles it may make the flower look fuller. All you have to do it repeat steps one through four just starting where you left off.

Tulip

Using a square piece of paper fold it into 2 triangles then unfold it

Fold the paper each point into the center then fold that into a triangle.

Using the lower side of the triangle fold it into a square then repeat in the other side.

Fold the left and right side of each square in towards the center line and glue them down.

Pull the sides of the square to make it 3D then glue it to a stem and leaves.

Rose

Using a square piece of paper fold it into a triangle. Repeat that step three more times.

Cut out a triangle with a semi-circle on top shape. Repeat that for every sheet of paper.

Cut out one petal from one flower, two from another and so on and so forth.

Roll the single and double petal horizontally. Then unravel the double petal a bit and put the single petal inside of it.

For every set of petals glue the ending petals together.

With a pencil roll the petals outwards.

Cut off the pointed ends of each flower then glue them from largest to smallest. Then glue them to a stem and leaves.

I like gluing the flowers together and tying a lace ribbon bow around the flowers to add a bit more character to the flowers. These flowers are great for aesthetic purposes if you put them in a vase, they could be good for a fun photoshoot, or they could be used as a gift. Finding something to do during break is important, and that doesn’t necessarily mean doing something academic and paper flowers are a quick craft and enjoyable. Happy folding, knights!