Fun & Hobbies
Creating Homemade Flowers with Your Child
Flowers and floral designs lend themselves to crafts, and springtime lends itself to flower crafts. Get out your scissors and get your imagination going, and celebrate spring by creating homemade flowers with your child.
1. Flower Pins
You and your child can wear these pretty pins and give them as gifts. Here’s what you’ll need:
* Buttons (this is a great craft for using up spare buttons)
* Craft foam in various colors
* Hot glue gun
* Safety pins in various sizes
First, let your child cut out flower shapes. The only rule is that the flower shape has to be big enough to have a button glued to the middle of it and a safety pin glued to the back of it. Once the shapes are cut out, glue the button to the center. Next, cut out a button-sized piece of craft foam. Run a bead of hot glue down the middle of this circle and press the back of the open safety pin into it. When it dries, you should be able to open and close the safety pin. Pretty!
Variation: Attach a magnet to the back instead of a safety pin to make flower magnets.
2. Egg Carton Tulips
These can be as elaborate or simple as you choose. If you only have foam containers, just use the color of the foam for the flower color, or use acrylic paint (tempura or “poster paint” won’t stick to foam). Here’s what you’ll need.
* Empty cardboard egg carton
* Green pipe cleaners or drinking straws
* Craft knife
Cut the egg carton into individual cups. Cut each cup into petal shapes. It doesn’t have to be strictly tulip shapes; you can cut triangular or long oval petals, too. Use the watercolor to wash the egg cups in subtle color, using a darker version of the same color (or a different colour) along the petal’s edges. Let the color on the petal edges bleed into the main color.
When dry, cut a little slit in the bottom of the painted cup, using the craft knife. Poke the pipe cleaner or straw up through this slit. Secure on the inside with a bead of glue.
Variation 1: Glue a small ball of yellow tissue paper into the bottom center to create a realistic look.
Variation 2: Instead of attaching a stem, use hot glue to attach tulips into a wreath. Glue green paper leaves between the flowers.
3. Flower Wreath
This is a good craft for young and old alike. You’ll need:
* “Grapevine” craft wreath or foam ring
* Various colors of tissue paper
* Green construction paper
* Hot glue gun
First, cut leaf shapes from the construction paper. Then, cut or tear the tissue paper into rough squares, about 4 inches square. Crumple the squares of tissue to form flowers. You can layer colors if you like for multi-colored flowers. Attach the crumples to the wreath using the hot glue, and intersperse the flowers with green leaves.
Tagged crafts for kids