Paper Flower Centerpieces

We got this idea from a photo in our first post, but Erin put a new spin on it using burlap & pine cones. We needed a total of 10 centerpieces for the Thanksgiving Meal, so we got to play with a variety of shapes & sizes.

You’ll Need: Colored paper, vases, fabrics, twigs, pinecones, acorns

The basics are to cut a spiral out of your chosen paper, twist it into a flower shape, & stick it on a twig.

After a couple of hours cutting & swirling these spirals we learned a few things:

• Swirling the flowers too tight will look like you did it wrong. You have to let go & let it take the shape it does naturally (there’s a life-lesson in that!)
• Staring at spirals that long WILL make you a little loopy
• Fat spirals with only a few layers work best
• A dab of glue or double-sided tape at the end of your spiral once you’ve got it to the shape you want will hold your whole flower in place

Decorating the vases are a cinch compared to getting the hang of the flowers swirls. We chose fabrics like burlap, tweeds, & wool in various shades to belt the vases with with a finishing of ribbon or twine. Shabby chic is the name of the game so frayed edges &  those fabrics you would never put anywhere else are perfect.

Vases

We sewed these fabrics on since they’re pretty thick & sturdy. Depending on the shape of your vase (if it’s wide at the top & thin in the middle) you’ll need to sew the belt while it’s in place using a whip stitch. If you’re vase has no curves you can just measure & use any stitching you like.

Sort

We like varying shades of the same hue. (shades of reds together, creams with tans, oranges together) Play with your fabric & flower combinations. We like grey wool with yellow flowers. Get creative.

Arrange

Play. Add or remove sticks, pinecones, flowers until you have a look you like. There is no “wrong”. That’s it!