Tuesday, April 27, 2010

How to Make Mexican Tissue Flowers

A few of you emailed me & asked how to make tissue flowers for Cinco de Mayo. Here are some simple instructions on how to create your own!


Materials (for one flower)
4 sheets pink tissue paper, 6" x 12" each
4 sheets lime green tissue paper, 6" x 12" each
Scissors
Ruler
Green pipe cleaner

Instructions
Step 1: Cut the pink tissue paper into 6" x 12" rectangles and stack in a pile of four sheets.
Step 2: Keeping the pile together, fold the sheets along the 6" side, making 1" folds back and forth, like a fan. When you are finished, the folded tissue paper should be a rectangle measuring 1" x 6".


Step 3: Round the four corners off by cutting with a scissors.
Step 4: Fold the long edge of the pile in half so that it measures 1" x 3". Using the scissors, carefully make 2 diagonal cuts at the fold, each 1/4" from the edge, approximately 1/2" in length. (Note: be careful that you do not cut the folded tissue paper in half.) Open the fold back to its 1" x 6" shape. The shape should now resemble a bow tie.


Step 5: Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the lime green tissue paper. Instead of step 3 (rounding off the corners), cut three sets of diagonal notches on both ends so that each side appears like a fork.
Step 6: Repeat step 4 with the lime green tissue paper.
Step 7: Fold a green pipe cleaner in half. Then place the folded pink tissue paper on top of lime green tissue paper and fasten together with the folded pipe cleaner. Squeeze the tissue paper in the middle and twist the pipe cleaner around to tightly secure the flower. This step also creates the stem of the flower.


Step 8: With extreme care, fan out the pink paper on both sides of the pipe cleaner. (Be extra gentle: you do not want to rip the delicate tissue paper!) Slowly separate each of the four pink sheets, gathering each one toward the center. Behold your flower!


Step 9: To create the leaves, fan out both sides of the lime green paper, but don't separate the sheets as you did with the pink paper. You want to leave the leaves thicker.
Step 10: Gently shape with your hands until you achieve your desired form.

(photos via Right at Home)

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