Cinco De Mayo! DIY Crepe Paper Flowers

Cinco De Mayo DIY Crepe paper flowers! These bright and fun paper flowers are perfect to set any party vibe!

Cinco De Mayo! DIY Crepe Paper Flowers

When I was a little girl, every summer we took a day trip to an amusement park called 6 Flags Over Georgia. One summer, to my amazement (Insert the dramatic music here.) I spotted the most beautiful sea of large paper flowers. …Every color in the rainbow! My mother had given me a twenty-dollar allowance for the day and my dream of cotton candy on a stick and a frozen lemonade faded fast. I took a flower home. SMILING!

Cinco De Mayo is around the corner, and these are the perfect decor. You can use them on a tablescape, hang them from trees or perhaps even a chandelier. Grab your scissors and a pack of colorful crepe paper from the local craft store and let me show you how easy these are to make.

…and for a lot less than the twenty dollars I handed over on that hot Georgia summer day.

Cinco De Mayo! DIY Crepe Paper Flowers

Supplies

• 7 colorful pieces of 180 gram florist crepe paper, cut into 20″ x 30″ sheets
• 7  large paper clips (or large binder clips)
• floral wire
• heavy-duty scissors

Cinco De Mayo Crepe Paper Flower

Instructions

1. Lay each piece of crepe paper flat with the papers natural horizontal lines facing towards you.

2. Fold each of the pieces of crepe paper into an accordion. The folds should measure between 2-3 inches.

3. Bind each piece with a binder clip and organize the folded strips into an even row.

4. Working with the outer color first, gradually trim down the length of each sheet in 1-2 inch increments to give the finished flower depth.

5. Using sharp scissors, trim the ends into rounded and pointy shapes.

Note: Don’t worry about the cuts being perfect. It will add character to the flowers. 

6. Cut along the folds of each bundle all the way to the binder clip, leaving the center uncut. Repeat the same steps on all four sides.

7. Remove the binder clips from each bundle and lay the sheets on top of each other with the largest outer color on the  bottom and the smallest innermost color on top centering as you go.

8. Press the stack flat and fold all the layers into an accordion.

9. Secure with wire and gently pull layers outward.

10. Starting with the shortest cuts, carefully pull each petal upward and fan out the folds. Use your thumbs to pull lines in create paper just a bit to add form.

THE BEST PART! TIME TO STRETCH AND FLUFF!

11. Gently peel forward one strip at a time using both hands, stretch the paper open. Continue to  peel each layer forward. The flower will begin to take shape as you go.

12. Once all the petals are pulled apart, trim, fluff, and poof to perfection.

Make yourself a Sparkling Charm Razzle Dazzle Raspberry Margarita to enjoy while you make these lovely flowers!  Or really get in the spirit and make a batch of Zesty Chili Lime Tacos for dinner.

Be Sure and Check Out this tutorial for Crepe Paper Peonies too.

Original Publish Date: April 27, 2018