Skill Level:
Crafting Time:
Technique(s):
Material(s):
Category:
Tag(s):
Share This Craft
Search Crafts
Metallic Flower Wall Decoration
Can you guess what common household object we used to make this flower? Here’s a hint: it’s something you use every day and can be found in every home and workplace. This humble material is used to make many a craft project.
If you guessed cardboard rolls, you’re right! Ask your friends and family to save their paper rolls and you’ll have enough to make this decoration in no time.
Supplies & Tools:
- Paper rolls, at least 15*
- 9" cardboard square
- Ribbon or string
- Hot glue gun & glue sticks
- Silver spray paint
- Newspaper
- Scissors
- X-Acto
- Cutting mat
- Seven 8mm silver beads
- 30 gauge wire
*We used paper rolls from bathroom tissue, but you could also use rolls from paper towels. Since the paper towel rolls are longer, we recommend cutting the roll into 4" pieces before proceeding with the directions below.
Directions:
- Set 3 paper rolls aside.
- Take the remaining twelve rolls and cut each one into four tapered strips. Set aside.
- Trim the corners off the cardboard square. If it helps, you can draw an 8" circle in the middle so you don’t cut too much.
- Working over the cutting mat, use the X-Acto to bore a hole about 2" from the edge of cardboard.
- Cut a piece of ribbon 9" long, string it through the hole, and tie a knot. Glue the knot to the cardboard. (If using wired ribbon, twist it just above the cardboard to form a loop.)
- Start gluing strips along the outer edge of the cardboard. The strips should overlap the edge of the cardboard by 2 inches. Continue gluing until you have finished the outer circle.
- Add another layer by gluing the strips so that they overlap the first layer. Make sure the strips do not nest together; instead the second layer of strips should sit on the cusps of the first layer. Continue gluing until you finished the second circle.
- Now glue a third layer inside the second layer.
Making the Center:
- Take the 3 rolls that you previously set aside and cut them into 1" rings.
- Take 3 rings and cut them on one side to form a “C.” Stack crosswise and glue together.
- Glue this cluster in the middle of the flower.
- Take 5 more rings and cut each in half for a total of 10 arcs.
- Glue these around the cluster.
- Take 1 ring and cut in half to form two rings that are 0.5" wide. Cut each ring on one side to form a “C.” Stack crosswise and glue together. Make a small hole in the center. Do NOT glue it to the flower yet. You need to paint it first and attach the stamen.
Note: The hole is to hide the extra wire from the stamen.
- Take the flower, extra piece from step 6, paint, and newspaper to a well-ventilated area. Protect area with newspaper and then spray the cardboard pieces. Be sure to spray from all angles to make sure you don’t miss any spots. Let dry.
Making the Bead Stamen:
- Cut a piece of wire that is 24" long.
- About 3" from the end of the wire, add a bead and fold wire over.
- Firmly hold the wire tails 1" from the bead in one hand and hold the bead in the other hand. Twist the bead until the wires are twisted together. The twisted part should only be 1" long.
- Add a bead to the longer wire and then fold the wire so that the bead is approximately 1" from the other stamen. (It’ll look better if the beads are at different heights.) Repeat the twisting action (as described in step 3) to secure the bead.
- Repeat step 3 for each additional bead.
- Twist wire ends together.
- Poke the wire through the hole in the small cardboard piece.
- Fold the wire so that it lies flat against the cardboard.
- Apply a large drop of hot glue over the back of this piece and place it in the center of the flower.
- Now your flower is done. Hang it on a door, on the wall, or over the fireplace.
Idea from the Elves:
- If you don’t have beads and wire, you can make a stamen from a piece of a cardboard roll. Simply cut a 1.5" wide piece of the roll, cut fringes, cut one side, and then roll it up and glue. Carefully curl the fringes outward and then spray paint. Glue it in the center of the flower.
