forcing paper tulips

Supplies:

- Double sided paper for the flowers and leaves, cut in to 1 1/2 inch square x 6

- 1″ circle out of matching cardstock

- green chenille pipe cleaner for stem

- small rick rack for flower stamen

- adhesive

- scissors

- template (print and cut to fill a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet)

Now, let’s get started.

Step 1

Get everything cut first. I chose some pink patterned paper for the petals. I prefer double sided paper for this project because you will see both sides. If you don’t have double sided paper, you can always finish the other side with chalk, ink or paint.

Step 2

Curl each petal around your finger to shape them. You don’t have to be perfect about it. In fact, less perfect is best!

Step 3

Apply your adhesive to the center cut on the inside of the petal. I went ahead and did it on all my petals so I could make them in an assembly line.

Step 4

Fold one side on to the adhesive and secure it. Then fold the other side in. The petal starts to take shape.

Step 4

Your finished petals should look like a bunch of painted finger nails when you are done. Just kidding. No I’m not. They look like fake finger nails.

Step 5

Take your 1″ circle piece and poke a hole in the center. The hole needs to be small so just use a large needle or pick. If it’s too big, it won’t hold the stem in place, as I learned from experience.

Step 6

Slide your circle on to the pipe cleaner. Then fold the top down to make a little nub.

Step 7

Tie a piece of rick rack on the nub. This is your stamen. I waited to trim mine down but you can do it now if you want. Just leave about 1/2″ to stick up to the top of the petals.

Step 8

Now we start the flower assembly. Begin by applying adhesive to the bottom of each petal. Mount on the circle using it as a base.

Step 9

Alternate petals on each side to build the flower. Again, it doesn’t have to be perfect but you don’t want any gaps when you are finished.

Step 10

Apply the second set of petals to the outside of the first.

Step 11

Once all four sides are covered, use the last two to cover over the first two. This gives some dimension to the flower. Slide the stem down inside the flower until the stamen is just peeking out.

Step 12

Take your leaves and curve them over in the same way we curved the petals. (The paper I showed in the supply photo is different than this because I ran out and did the supply list last.)

Step 13

Apply adhesive to the bottom inch or so of each leaf. If you think about how tulip leaves grow on the stem you realize that the stem grows up the middle of the leaves.

Step 14

So we apply the leaves curling it around out pipe cleaner stem. I started with the smaller one at the top and staggered down to the largest, which is how they grown. Curl any left over pipe cleaner up and around the base.

Step 15

Put your finished tulip in a flower pot or vase and you are done. I put mine in a vintage blue ceramic gravy boat with some of that floral moss. I like how the tulips move and are a little floppy just like real tulips.