Double Peony Paper Flower

I've been messing around trying to make flowers since I found some fun colors of crepe paper at Wal-Mart earlier this summer. I have finally found the right combination of cuts/colors/etc. to make a pretty good Double Peony which I want to share with you today.

Now, this flowers were my inspiration...Beautiful aren't they? I have one of these plants out at the farm which I just love...it's so pretty but they are here for such a short period of time. I was hoping to capture some of that beauty to use on various projects. The crepe paper I found is pretty close to these colors btw so it worked out perfectly!

Crepe Paper Peony Paper Flower

Supplies:

Crepe Paper
Wire
Glue
Mulberry Paper
Scissors

Instructions:

1. Cut the following pieces of crepe paper: (1) white - 10"; (1) light pink - 10"; (1) dark pink - 10"; (1) dark pink - 16" and tear one strip of green mulberry paper 11" long. You will also need two smaller pieces of the green mulberry paper torn in the rough shape of leaves.

2. Fold each piece in half three times.

3. It's time to create the petals. You will make the cuts vertically approximately two thirds of the way down the crepe paper - the bottom third is what you will be wrapping around the wire.

Start with the innermost color (white) make cuts 1/8" (.32cm) apart.

Take your second color (light pink) and make cuts 1/4" (.64cm) apart.

Cut the last 10" (dark pink) layer approximately 3/8" (.95cm) apart.

Cut the outer layer (16" dark pink) approximately 3/8" (.95cm) apart, then snip off one corner of each strip as shown in the photo below.

4. Cut a piece of wire twice as long as you want your flower and stem to be. I cut mine approx. 14 (35.56cm). Fold the wire in half and twist leaving a loop in the center (see photo)

5. Carefully unfold each piece of crepe paper. Begin wrapping the inner most layer (closest cut strips) around the wire.

NOTE: The loop in the wire is there to help keep the crepe paper from slipping off the wire.

When you come to the end of a color, add a dab of glue and secure to the wrapped area.

6. Continue wrapping each additional color as you did the first layer. This will be tedious work but the end result is well worth it. Secure each beginning and end with more glue.

You're going to end up with something that looks like this....

7. Apply a small dab of glue to one end of the mulberry strip and wrap it tightly around the bottom of the flower. By wrapping this layer tightly it will do a few things...of course it will look like the outside of the flower bud but it will also take up any slack there may be from wrapping the crepe paper around the wire. Finally it will cover the wire and give the flower a nice finished look.

Continue wrapping the mulberry paper down the wire.

8. Apply glue to the torn leaves and wrap around the stem and secure.

and here is what your stem/leaves will look like....

9. Now to give the flower a more realistic look, crumple & fluff the petals...

This is what your finished flower will end up looking like....

Pretty cool huh? Now you can have peony's any time of the year!!

TIP: Remember - You can dye white crepe paper with any number of inks - Glimmer Mist, Adirondack Color Wash, Distress Re-Inkers, etc. to create any color you might need!

Hope you've enjoyed this paper flower tutorial....I'll be bringing you more flowers when I hit on a pattern I feel comfortable with sharing :)