Paper Flower Classroom Decor How-To

These flowers are a showstopper for very little money! Whether for your classroom decor, nursery, or a party- with a little time and effort, you can create these beauties that will last years!

 

Now, I am not the first to ever write a post on these (in fact I am going to direct you to someone else’s site for the template), but I get tons of questions and requests about them every year I post my classroom décor.

 

The first thing you will want to do is find a template. There are hundreds of them out there if you just Google ‘paper flower template’. I prefer this one. 

 

Once you find your template, you can do one of two things.

If you are talented at using your Cricut you can use the files to cut that way. If you are old school like me- start tracing and cutting!

 

The number of petals you will need will depend on the size of the flower you want. 

After you have all pieces cut out, you will want to roll the edges of the petals to give them personality. I use a marker or pencil to do this. 

 

You will also need a small circle to attach the flower petals to. I usually just trace a cereal bowl. (I’m telling you there is nothing high tech or difficult here!)

 

Next you are going to fold the bottom of the petal where you will be gluing it to the center. After you fold it, you are going to want to put a 1.5 inch slit at the bottom.

Now it’s time to start gluing. 

First you are going to slightly overlap the pieces you created with that cut.

Then you will place glue on the back of the petal (the bottom part you folded) and attach to the circle. You will place them next to one another, you can even slightly overlap them if you’d like. 

 

Once all the largest petals are placed, you will move to the next layer with the next largest size petal. 

 

Continue this process until all petals are glued on. 

 

Now to finish. There are several types of centers you can create (again let Google be your friend). I like to utilize a frilly-type center. 

To create this, you will cut an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper in half vertically. 

 

Take one piece and fold it in half like so. 

Now, cut slits (starting with the open edge) down the whole thing but be careful so you don’t go all the way through. 

 

Keeping it folded, roll it up. You may need a couple of them to make it big enough. 

 And glue them to the center. 

 

Now you’ve got one of the most beautiful flowers to decorate your classroom with.

Mix your sizes, choose your favorite colors, and create a show stopping backdrop!

teach. create. love life.

-Jenny

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Snow Globe Craft

Looking for an easy, creative, keepsake craft for the holiday?

These fun, cost-effective, snow globes are perfect to make with your students in the classroom or your own kids at home. 

All you will need is the following items:

-Clear plastic cups (I like to use the 9oz SOLO clear cups)
-Snow (I use a mixture of the 'shredded' snow and these 'snowballs' I found at the Dollar Tree)
-Felt (white or festive colors)
-Ribbon
-Pictures of your kids/students 
-Miniature Trees (These bottlebrush trees are found at the Target Dollar spot)
-Glue gun

>>>Now to put it together.<<<**A lot of this is teacher done due to the use of the glue gun**

1. Take a picture of your students at a decent distance away. I was probably about 8 feet away. Have them pose in fun 'snow' positions! For example- catching snow, throwing a snowball, catching snowflakes on their tongue. After you print the pictures, cut the child out. I promise it's not as tedious as you think and goes rather fast.

2. Cut a circle (a little bigger than the cup) out of the felt.

3. Take the picture of the student and place in the cup to make sure it's not too tall. If it is, not to worry! We are going to fold their feet back anyways. 

4. So now we fold their feet back (or maybe a little more if they're too tall for the cup. This will allow you to glue them to the felt. You will also glue a tree onto the felt near them as well. I like to ask the students where they want the tree to involve them more.

5. If your student has chosen to do a fun pose, you may need to glue a snowball onto their hand or tongue at this time.

6. Time to fill the cup! However you choose, but I like the mixture of the balls and flakes. Then, using the hot glue gun pipe glue around the edge of then cup. 

7. Now turn the felt over so the picture and tree are inside, and pull the felt taunt. 

8. Lastly, apply some decorative ribbon to the top to allow it to hang (if you choose).

They're truly adorable and the kids and parents love them equally! 

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Craft-Tastic Thursday

Operation Necklace Holder.

On my quest to be better accessorized (and organized) I have gained a collection of necklaces with nowhere to put them. I was housing them with the rest of my ‘good’ jewelry and it was becoming a mess to put it nicely!

I don’t remember where I originally saw this idea, but this was my answer to my accessory problem….

I bought a small piece of peg board at Home Depot and had the kind man there cut it in half for me. I then spray painted it black- I wanted a neutral color that would show the jewelry well. 

I was going to leave it like this, but it was too blah. I went back to Home Depot (where I spent my summer) and picked up a decorative trim. I then impressed myself when I made angle cuts to make a frame.

 

I chose a few decorative knobs at Hobby Lobby that would become the hooks. 

Simply place the hooks through a hole and screw on the nut.....

Doesn't get much easier!

 Add your necklaces...and you're done! 

 Voila! 

Neat? Check! Organized? Check! Easy to find your necklaces? Check!
The best part is you can continue to add knobs as your necklace collection grows. You can even add some S hooks to hang bracelets from. 

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