Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

Valentine’s Day flowers are lovely, but they’re also expensive and they die shortly after you buy them. A better option is to make paper flowers for yourself or to give as a gift. However, make small centerpieces instead of making a bouquet. It may sound complicated, but all you need is a little patience and a handful of inexpensive items.

What you’ll need:

• Tissue paper
• Mod Podge
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Short glass jar candle

Step 1. Cut tissue paper into squares. The smaller the squares the smaller the flowers. I cut each square into 5 inch pieces and alternated between using red tissue paper and one that’s heart-patterned.

Step 2. Take each square and fold it into a triangle. Follow that up by folding each triangle in half, then in half again.

Step 3. Hold each triangle so the fold faces to the left, then cut off the top of the triangle so you form a curve at the top.

Step 4. Next, cut off the lower point at a curve.

Step 5. Open up the triangles; each piece should look like a flower that’s missing the center.

Step 6. Make a cut in each piece from the top of the petal to the center so they are no longer solid pieces.

Step 7. You’ll notice the pieces have creased sections which is going to help with gluing the flowers together. Take one section and overlap the two ends until it’s the size you want for the outer layer. Don’t glue the ends down; instead, glue down the second or third section in.

Step 8. Repeat Step 7 for each layer until you get to the center. As you go along, make the layers smaller and put a small drop of glue on the bottom of each layer so they stick together.

Step 9. To make the center piece, roll one of the layers into a cone shape. Put a small drop of glue on the sides of the point, then stick it through the center of the flower layers. Pinch the layers around the point so they curve in.

Step 10. After the flower dries, place it on top of a glass candle holder. Opt for a candle whose coloring complements the colors of the flower.

By Guest Bloggers Melissa + Kellie, from the blog Icing Designs.

Not sure what it is, maybe it’s because Valentine’s Day is near, but we are loving all things wedding right now! Of course we love when brides incorporate DIY projects into their weddings, it makes things seem so personalized and special. We are just loving the idea of a fabric corsages! They are just as beautiful, if not more, than using real flowers. What a fashionable gift/keepsake to give your bridesmaids or flowergirl! If you are not a corsage person, wear it as a bracelet!

Here’s a tutorial to make your own Fabric Corsage!

By Guest Bloggers Melissa + Kellie, from the blog Icing Designs.

We are in love with paper flowers of any sort. These crepe paper flowers are so perfectly lovely. They are so versatile and can be used in so many different ways, and the best part…they don’t wilt! These are so easy to make you won’t believe it! We can not wait to show you how we used them!

All you need is crepe paper and hot glue…we layered the crepe paper with two colors to add some depth. The length of crepe paper you need just depends on how big you want your flowers to be. After you have both colors of crepe paper cut and layered just accordion fold them.

Then just take your crepe paper and start to wrap it around and start forming your flower. Then just put a dab of hot glue at the bottom every couple of inches, just to hold the flower in place.You can start to pull the top back a little to open the flower up as you go as well. After you have completely wrapped with flower around you can form it to be as open or closed as you want it.

So simple and so pretty aren’t they! The color combinations are endless as are the possibilities of how you can use them!

By Recycled Crafts Contributor, Anitra from the blog Coffee Pot People.

Here’s a bit of old news: Computers play a big part in our lives these days. They’re everywhere, aren’t they? Let’s dress up a monitor for a friend or relative who works in front of one with a little bit of cheerful whimsy, a Computer Corsage.

Your list of materials is short. You’ll need:

• A large-ish bead cone, small salt shaker, or tiny bottle
• Small dried or silk flowers and other bouquet fillers
• A snippet of self-sticking hook-and-loop tape, (such as Velcro)

If you’re using a salt shaker, you’ve got it made—just choose your flowers, cut the stems to length, and stick them through the holes in the top in a pleasing arrangement.

If you’re using a bead cone or tiny bottle, you may want to wrap the stems of your bouquet with a little wire before inserting them in the cone or bottle.

Once you’ve created your tiny bouquets, simply stick one half of the hook-and-loop tape to the back of the holder, and the other half to the computer monitor’s edge.

Don’t you think this would bring a bit of cheer to an office-worker friend or relative?

By FloraCraft Designers from the Blog “Make It: Fun”.

It’s time for Back to School! Make this wreath for your classroom, your favorite teacher or just to get in the Back to School spirit!

Supplies:

• FloraCraft Foam Wreath, 14″ 
• Back to School Paper 12″ x 12″
• 2 1/2″ tall chipboard letters to spell “WELCOME”
• Paint marker, fine tip, blue
• Glue Dots, thin-small and thin-medium
• Two all purpose glue sticks
• 12″ paper trimmer to cut paper even with edges of letters
• 12″ x 12″ self healing cutting mat
• Precision tip scissors
• Craft knife
• Large paper clip
• School items: wood ruler, scissors, yellow pencil, spiral notebook, three crayons, paint brush and school glue stick.

Instructions

1. Use paper trimmer to cut approx. 1″ x 9″ strips from four sheets of paper. Note that to wrap wreath in paper strips, papers will slightly overlap along outside, but will overlap by about half the strips’ width on inside edge of wreath. This allows for even wrapping all around wreath. Apply glue stick to wreath, going all around wreath for several inches at a time. Wrap paper strip, with ends slightly overlapping on back. Continue going around wreath.

2.For hanger, on top back, use craft knife to make 1/4″ long, shallow horizontal slit (about 1/4″ from inside edge of wreath). Carefully insert knife blade into slit, angled up toward top and remove. Slightly separate curved ends of paper clip 1/4″. Insert shorter rounded end up into slit, creating hanger loop with longer end of paper clips. (Glue if loose.)

3.To cover letters, turn a patterned paper right side down on table. Apply glue stick to fronts of letters and place onto back of paper. Place paper on self healing cutting mat. Use precision tips scissors to cut apart letters. Then, use craft knife to cut paper even with edges of letters. Outline letters with blue paint marker. Let dry.

4.Refer to photo to evenly place letters at top of wreath, keeping in mind position of hanger on back. With top 2/3 of letters extending beyond edge of wreath, use glue spots to attach.

5.Use paint marker to write teacher’s name and class on first page of opened notebook. Refer to photo to plan placement of school items. Use appropriate size glue dots to attach.

6.Optional: Tuck children’s school pictures among items on wreath.

By FloraCraft Designers from the Blog “Make It: Fun”.

STYROFOAM Brand Foam:

• Wreath: 16″ Green
• Desert Foam Brick: 4″x4″x3″

Other Materials:

• Glass Cylinder Vase: 8″x4″
• Marble Accents ¾ lb: (2) Amber and (2) Green
• Four – Yellow Forsythia Branches
• Three – Yellow Confetti Rose Spray
• Five – Yellow Hydrangea Spray
• Three – Yellow Wildflower Spray
• Two – Yellow Straw Flower Spray
• Four – Green Grape Bunches
• Coordinating Sheer Ribbon
• 4.5 Yards Satin Ribbon: Moss Green (wreath)

Tools:

• Low-Temp Glue Gun
• Floral Pins
• Scissors

Instructions:

Centerpiece

1. Glue the Desert Foam brick into the center of the vase. Combine green and amber gems then pour into the vase to hide the sides of the foam.
2. Use floral pins to attach the grapes to the side of the foam brick allowing them to hang over the edge of the vase. Use low-temp glue to secure the pins in place.
3. Push in a yellow forsythia branch into the center of the foam, standing about 14″ tall. Cut three shorter branches and push them in around the first and secure with low-temp glue.
4. Cut 3 hydrangea stems to about 5″ and push them in evenly spaced around the branches. Cut the stems of the roses to 5″ and push them in between the hydrangeas and one into the center among the branches.
5. Cut the wildflower and straw flower sprays apart and insert them to fill in around the entire arrangement.
6. Cut lengths of ribbon and use a discarded flower stem as a tool to push loops of ribbon into the foam to add interest to the arrangement.

Wreath

1. Pin the end of the ribbon to the back of the wreath. Wrap the wreath completely by overlapping each wrap as you go. Pin again at the back.
2. Pin the two hydrangea blossoms to the center left side of the wreath. Pin three roses in a triangle around the hydrangea. Pin a bunch of grapes hanging from the bottom of the hydrangea and a bunch peeking out from above the
3. Pin the two hydrangea blossoms to the center left side of the wreath. Pin three roses in a triangle around the hydrangea.
4. Pin a bunch of grapes hanging from the bottom of the hydrangea and a bunch peeking out from above the hydrangea.
5. Pin a tall branch running up the left side of the wreath from the top of the hydrangea, pin another shorter branch coming out from the bottom of the hydrangea.
6. Pin stems of the yellow forsythia branch, straw flower and wildflower sprays to fill in around the hydrangea and roses.
7. Cut leftover leaves and glue around the wreath to fill in.

By FloraCraft Designers from the Blog “Make It: Fun”.

MATERIALS:

• STYROFOAM Brand Foam: Three – 1×12×36″ sheets
• STYROCUTTER PLUS or FOAM CUTTER
• Fabrics (3 coordinating patterns)
• 1″ wide ribbons (coordinate with fabric)
• White drawing paper (templates)
• Scissors
• Toothpicks
• Decorative head pins
• Small straight pins
• White tacky glue
• Glue gun
• Velcro

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Trace all the enlarged bug patterns onto the drawing paper. Click here for the Bees and Ladybugs Bulletin Boards pattern.
2. Cut the patterns from the paper and pin to STYROFOAM, with the straight pins. Use the Styrocutter Plus, following the instructions on the packaging, to cut the templates from the foam. Cut out three bee wings, the side view bee only has one wing. *Note: If using the foam cutter or serrated knife; trace the templates onto the foam with black marker, remove template and cut out shapes.
3. Use scrap pieces of foam to “sand” the edges smooth.
4. Position the wings where indicated on the patterns. Cut the edge of the wing that attaches to the body at a slight angle, this creates the illusion of flight, angling the wing away from the wall. *Note: The wings of the ladybug do not need to be cut at an angle.
5. Trace the body and wing templates onto desired coordinating fabrics and cut out. Place the paper templates from the bee bodies onto the fabric and mark the wing position, cut a ½” wide slit in the fabric where the wing will be attached.
6. Use the tacky glue to glue the fabric to the tops of the foam shapes, put down a continuous bead of glue around the very outside edge of the foam to ensure the edges of the fabric are held in place.
7. Glue ribbon to the edge of the bodies and wings; do not glue ribbon to the bees wings where they attach to the body. Cover all sides of the ladybug wings with ribbon.
8. To attach the bees’ wings; use glue gun to glue toothpicks into the wings, leaving about ¾” sticking out to insert into the body. Use the glue gun to glue the wings to the body; be sure to prop up the wings until they dry completely.
9. To attach the ladybug wings; use decorative head pins to pin the tips of the wings just behind the head, spread the wings open slightly and push in two more pins to hold in place.
10. Embellish the bees and ladybug with ribbons, cording, beads or scrapbooking embellishments. Attach to the wall with adhesive backed Velcro.

Check out more Bulletin Board ideas from FloraCraft:

Bulletin Board for Boys

Bulletin Board for Girls