DIY: Hand Cut Paper Flowers

Spring is just around the corner, and if you’re searching for DIY seasonal party decor, look no further. After hosting a floral-themed brunch for a friend’s baby shower, I received several compliments on the hand cut paper flowers that were central to the design. The truth is, they’re a cinch to make if you know how. Read on for a step-by-step tutorial and free printable template.

Materials: flower and leaf printable templates, colorful craft/scrapbook paper, scissors, hot glue gun

I purchased a pad of scrapbook paper (24 sheets) on clearance for $5, and it was enough to make all the flowers I used for the shower.

Print out the flower and leaf templates, and cut out the shapes.

Trace the templates onto your colored paper and cut them out. Natural flowers are perfectly imperfect, so don’t fret about making the shapes precise.

You will need five petal shapes and only one of the other shapes for each flower you make. I like to add a little sparkle to my flowers, so you’ll notice I used glitter paper for the smallest center circle.

To create the cupped shape of the petals, dab a small amount of hot glue onto one side of the stem. Gently bend the other stem to overlap the glue. Press and hold until secure.

After all the petals are cupped, assemble them by first gluing the stems of three petals together like I did in the photos below.

Attach the final two petals underneath to fill in the gaps.

Use your scissors to fringe the edge of the largest center circle.

Cut a slit into the center of the middle-sized circle. Dab glue on one corner of the slit, and overlap the edges to create a shallow cone.

Stack and glue the three centers down inside the flower petals.

Attach the leaves to the bottom of the petals, overlapping slightly.

Not only are these DIY paper flowers a big hit as baby shower or party decor, but they can also adorn nursery walls as art or be used to beautifully embellish gift wrap.

Once you’re confident making these hand cut paper flowers from the template, experiment with changing the shape of the petals, centers and leaves to create a variety of floral designs. Scale them bigger or smaller to achieve different looks. Most of all, have fun and be creative!