We have another adoption home study this Friday. In addition to the cleaning of the house that I do every year in preparation, I set a goal to have the living room makeover completed. It’s been almost six months since I started. Six months! Man what a slacker I am! I figured it was about time I wrapped things up. My mom is coming over Wednesday to help me recover my chairs. In the meantime I have been working on all the little details like picture frames and accessories.
I needed some flowers to add a pop of color to my shelf. When I went out looking a couple months ago, I couldn’t find the right color of blue. So I decided to make my own paper roses. Of course after I got them all finished, the stores started carrying all kinds of blue flowers for spring. But hey, mine are totally unique, and they were CHEAP! I made them out of coffee filters, and I love how they turned out. I’m going to teach you how to make your own. 🙂
How to Make Paper Roses from Coffee Filters
Take your set of coffee filters and soak them in a bowl of water. If you want to add color to them, add a few drops of food coloring to the water. You can make them any color you want by experimenting with different combinations of colors. Just remember that they will dry much lighter than the color of the water.
Wring them out and then lay them flat to dry. They will look like this when they are done:
Now fold them in half, then in half again.
Cut a small rounded notch out of the bottom corner.
Then open it up and cut a slit in the side.
Now you just start rolling it up.
Roll tightly at first, but roll more loosely as you get to the outside. It takes a little bit of practice. My first rose looked like crud, so I just unrolled it and started over. No worries!
If your rose is the size you like, squish it together at the bottom.
If you would like it bigger, just add another coffee filter ring, starting at the place you ended. When your rose is done, tie it off at the bottom.
Isn’t it pretty?
Now it’s time to add the stem. Cut two leaves out of floral tape. Mine aren’t perfect, and yours don’t need to be either. 🙂
Push a piece of wire up through the bottom of the rose. You can use a dab of hot glue to secure it if you need to. Then stick the leaves to the sides of the rose, right at the bottom.
Take your floral tape and start wrapping the rose, making sure you wrap the leaves securely inside.
Then continue wrapping till your wire is covered:
If you want, you can add leaves. I just made some out of organza and hot glued them to the stems. Now they are ready to display any way you want!
I think they would also make a beautiful wreath; you could just leave off the stems and use the paper roses. So many possibilities!
Brandi
October 5, 2012 at 7:56 pmLove it! Never thought of dying them! I’m going to use for some decoration for a Fall Pageant
aliya
July 30, 2012 at 6:48 pmcant roll it up ugggggh 🙁
Kara
July 31, 2012 at 11:30 amAh danggit! Don’t get discouraged. I felt the same way when I first started. It just takes a bit of practice. My first roses looked like crud, but eventually I got better. I bet you will too! 🙂
karen
June 15, 2012 at 12:47 pmThose are gorgeous. I didn’t have food coloring so I used an alcohol-based ink in a plastic cup of water. Salmon color. They turned out so light and airy like yours. Thanks for posting!
Kara
June 18, 2012 at 10:52 pmI love that color. I bet they were totally gorgeous!
fedra salinas
January 27, 2012 at 10:11 pmi love making flowers i bet my teacher is ganna love it. u better belive it i am 8 years old can’t u belive it it is weaird right.
Lucy
May 6, 2011 at 7:20 pmSo pretty…that’s how I make mine…I loooove them…
Timjanoakleja
April 23, 2011 at 1:13 amThey’re adorable! Thanks for sharing the making!
Happy Easter!
Love Birgit from Sweden
Lee
April 22, 2011 at 1:56 pmI just love the roses from coffee filters, and I have them all over my kitchen drying right now. I am going to arrange them in $store vases and take them to the shut ins in our area, thought it would brighten their days. Thank you for sharing, I think I am addicted, they are so much fun to make and easy, can’t wait to teach my grandgirls how to do them.
Thanks again,
Lee
Michelle @Thrifty 101
April 20, 2011 at 9:31 pmWe made white roses like this at an “Alice in Wonderland” party and used a spray bottle filled with red-dyed water and we “painted the roses red”. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Blue roses. They look beautiful. 🙂
I’d love for you to link up this and any other amazing ideas you have at DIY Thrifty Thursdays at http://www.thrifty101.blogspot.com 🙂
~Michelle
Rossana
April 20, 2011 at 11:27 ambeautiful flowers!!!
Kirsten Giles
April 20, 2011 at 11:22 amHi again… I have been following you for a while now, I do a feature called “What’s up Wednesday” and I featured your roses. I hope that is Ok. Have a great day! Oh, I’m having a giveaway stop by if you’d like!
Christy, HOMEmomMADE
April 20, 2011 at 10:25 amI can’t wait to try these. So dainty .)
Make & Share this Friday-Saturday, I’m featuring you next week the 28th since I have this week filled.
Kirsten Giles
April 20, 2011 at 9:31 amI am LOVING these! So pretty and easy!
Shawna
April 20, 2011 at 8:40 amLove these! I think they would be adorable as an accessory as well! Wear it as a pin, or a hair accessory!
CraftyMummy
April 20, 2011 at 5:54 amLove your flowers and the tutorial makes them look super easy.
Do you mind if I feature them on my blog? I’d use one picture and link back to your tutorial so my readers could visit and check it out.
Amy
April 19, 2011 at 10:19 amLove these Kara! Hope everything is going great!
xoxo,
Amy
Amanda
April 19, 2011 at 9:26 amVery pretty flowers! Thanks for sharing the tutorial. Also, all the best for your adoption process, we’re pursuing adoption as well (domestic adoption in California).