#AtoZChallenge | Kindergarten crafts and recreating my daughter’s paper peony flower

The volume of art projects that my girls brought home in the Kindergarten years was prolific. I saved many of them but couldn’t keep up with the onslaught so ultimately I starting filling a suitcase with the most memorable pieces. I kept one suitcase for each of my girls and continued to add art pieces and other projects throughout their school years. It came in handy when my oldest graduate from Art School. I was able to put together a retrospective of her art work through the years starting in preschool.

Every now and then I’d find a way to incorporate their art projects into our home décor. In preschool my youngest daughter made a handprint wreath that I continue to display at Christmas every year. And, in Kindergarten she came home with a large tissue paper flower.

I displayed it for many years in a large glass water jug filled with loose change. It made the perfect makeshift vase. The paper flower added a little pop of color and happiness. I love a good pop of color. The flower was there so long that when it finally deteriorated and had to be thrown out the jug didn’t look right. Something was missing.

It was time to pull out the tissue paper and try my own hand at crafting some paper flowers. There are lots of great tutorials online and I found this one for paper peonies that I used to make my flower.

Every time I get a gift that has tissue paper, I flatten it out, fold it up neatly and store it until the next time I need it. I’ve had some of my tissue paper for years. Most of what I have though is white which doesn’t really give that pop of color I craved. When I saw a pack of red and polka dot tissue papers while out shopping, I thought it would work well for this paper flower project.

Step One)
The instructions I found online said to cut 5 sheets into 6” squares and another 5 sheets of a complementary color into 3” squares. While I tried a version using those dimensions, I thought the flower was just too small, so I did a second one using 8″ and 6″ squares. I was happy with that sizing.

Step Two)
After folding the squares into 1” wide accordion folds, I rounded off the corners.

Step Three)
I had some fake floral stamens from a cake decorating kit I bought many years ago. I’ve never had the need to use them but they were perfect for this project. I added them to the top of the accordion folded tissue paper and then wrapped a pipe cleaner around the middle and twisted it on the bottom to secure everything together.

Step Four)
I unwrapped the layers of tissue paper pulling them apart and filling out the flower. The paper is extremely thin so I did end up with a few rips but it all blended together. I probably should have done this step a little more slowly but I was so excited to see the final flower that I rushed it a bit.

I put my new paper peony flower into the top of the jar and all was right with the world again.

This was a super simple craft and I think it would be a fun way to add a little something extra to wrapped gifts and presents. There’s no reason to keep the tissue paper on the inside when it can be so much prettier on the outside.

Have you ever made paper flowers?

I’m participating in a Blogging A-Z Challenge for April 2021. I will be posting new content every day this month except most Sundays. Each post is associated with a letter of the alphabet, starting with A and ending with Z. My theme for the challenge is Craft Projects for my Home. To read more of my A to Z posts from this year, click HERE.

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17 thoughts on “#AtoZChallenge | Kindergarten crafts and recreating my daughter’s paper peony flower”

  2. Lisa Elliott says:
    Reply

    so pretty! We hosted a Mexican food themed couples shower several years ago and all of the hostesses made lots of paper flowers and we had groupings of them decorating the tables and other locations throughout the house. It was beautiful! It is amazing that we can make something so beautiful with a simple pack of paper.

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  3. Tamara says:
    Reply

    Awww, your post makes me smile 🙂

    You went out of your way to collect and preserve your daughters’ projects. And lo and behold, one ended up graduating from Art School – the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!

    My son is not very crafty, and he usually does not want to keep his pieces. Sometimes I will take a picture, just for the sake of honoring it.

    https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.com/2021/04/a-z-2021-kill-two-birds-with-one-stone.html

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    • Weekends in Maine says:
      Reply

      It is so fun to add that personal touch. I enjoy making cards too! I haven’t committed to not purchasing any (although think that’s a great idea) but I did decide to focus on only purchasing them locally this year and so far that’s worked out great.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Weekends in Maine says:
      Reply

      I can’t even imaging navigating this pandemic with young children. It must be challenging. I think whatever the age there is always a mix of some successes and a few failures when crafting. As long as you’re having fun then it’s a success.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Arti Jain says:
    Reply

    Using your children’s art around the home is so special.
    Like you, I flatten out tissue paper when I receive it too.
    This idea will be a good one to put to use 🙂
    Yours looks gorgeous.

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  9. JEN Garrett says:
    Reply

    So pretty! Yes, I’ve made paper flowers like that. I used to wrap a chocolate kiss to make the center bud and pull the tissue petals around it. I’d make bouquets and bouquets to hand out at events or friends.

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