Tissue Paper Fantasy Flowers

Simple puffy tissue paper flowers. I like doing something of an ombre effect with multiple sheets of colors getting progressively lighter and changing, but you can use as few or many colors as you like.

This project can be sized up or down pretty easily.

(If you don't have tissue paper handy, you can absolutely make one out of actual tissues...possibly a better use for the really cheap tissues than sanding your nose with them!)

-tissue paper

-scissors

-pipe cleaners

Make a pile of rectangular pieces of tissue paper with different colored layers. I use 8-12 pieces per flower. (These rectangles are about 9”x6”)

Lay each sheet of tissue paper neatly one on top of the other. Try to get the ends and sides to meet

Fold the pile of tissue paper accordion style, making sure each fold is the same width. (1” is a good place to start, I like to go a little narrower, but it makes them harder to unfold.) Keep all the sheets of paper together as you fold, and continue until you run out of tissue paper.

Fold a pipe cleaner around the center of the folded pile. Then twist it down to form a stem.

(optional: if you like, cut either end of the folded pile into a curve to even out your edges and get a more ‘petally’ look!)

Unfold the flower. First, open each side like a fan.

Starting with the top, gently pull each layer up and towards the center. Alternate sides so you're always working with the centermost sheet left.

Be careful not to tear them as you pull.

(But also don’t worry too much if you do a little, the flowers are full enough to hide a few small tears!)