^^I made bunches of these for a bridal shower I helped design last week (can't wait for pro pics to share with you!) and everyone couldn't believe I done them myself! They are HUGE (about 8-12 inches wide, depending on petal usage) and obviously don't die or wilt like real flowers-- perfect for any whimsical event! While definitely time consuming, the end result is amazing and makes a big statement for around $1.50-$2.00 a stem. I suggest breaking the steps up into days (cut ALL your petals one night, shape them all the next, etc.) and then it gets you into a great rhythm (although Duck Dynasty marathons definitely assisted-- anyone else loving the Robinson clan?). Follow the steps below to make some roses yourself!
^^Not a whole bunch of materials thankfully!^^
^^First, you have to make your petal pattern. As you may (or may not) see, the smallest was 4x8 inches, the medium 6.75x8.75 inches and the largest 8.5x11 inches (at their longest points respectively). I just freehanded a teardrop/petal shape and cut them out. You'll need about 5-6 small petals, 4 medium and 4 large to get the flowers I made.^^
^^Next, tack your petals with the straight pins on the crepe paper to cut out. I folded the crepe paper over about 3 times (in the first two stacks) and twice (in the 3rd stack) to get maximum petals out of the crepe paper. Your edges come out smoother when you cut multiple layers too! I was able to get about 2 flowers worth of petals from 1 package of crepe paper.^^
^^After cutting them out, you need to shape your petals. This is where the crepe paper (vs. tissue or regular paper) comes in-- it has a little bit of stretch it in that makes the cut outs look more like petals! First, use your thumbs to push in the center of the petals, while the rest of your hand helps form and stretch out the outside. Then, turn the petal over and roll the paper around your pencil to give them that delicate feeling!^^
^^The difference pre and post shaping!^^
^^Take 3 wires and wrap them together with floral tape. This stem is awesome since you can bend it into a base or just fold in half to make it shorter; plus you can always undo it to get that long stem back!^^
^^Take your first petal and just wrap it around your new stem. Wrap some floral tape around the bottom to secure.^^
^^Take your second petal and wrap around the first. I usually like to do this on the opposite side that the first was one. Make sure your edge curl is facing out!^^
^^Now your third petal. Place it on an unused side again, to mimic the rose's natural formation.^^
^^Continue on with the remaining 3-4 petals until you finish your inner bud^^
^^At this time, start adding your medium petals around the perimeter, placing them opposite sides again.^^
^^Last, add your largest petals around your beautiful flower to complete.^^
^^A 3 bunch bouquet that's 2 feet wide! Can you believe you made this?^^
I hope these make their way into a celebration you're holding soon!
xo, Elissa
