How to make paper poppies

Reads the wartime poem “In Flanders Fields,” written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, a doctor, and try not to visualize the red poppies blowing and growing on battle-scarred fields. Its nearly impossible. Since the end of World War I, the red poppy has been worn as a symbol to honor fallen soldiers. The red poppy's vibrant color symbolizes the blood of the men lost in battle.

The poppy is one of the most popular wildflowers. In favorable conditions, a wild poppy will flourish and drop its seeds to produce more flowers. Unfortunately, not every climate is suitable to grow poppies. It is possible, however, to make artificial versions. Use the instructions below to make paper poppies for home decor or to memorialize soldiers who fought and died during times of war.

Materials
- Package of red tissue paper
- Scissors
- Piece of black construction paper
- Pencil
- Hot glue gun
- Glue stick
- Green craft wire

Instructions
1. Unwrap a package of red tissue paper. Unfold the stack of paper, from left to right, to reveal a tri-fold. Leave the stack of red paper folded in half, with the open seam at the top and the closed seam at the bottom.

2. Use the tri-fold seams as a guide. Cut the first line (indentation in the paper) on the left side of the paper. Keep this paper on the work surface, and set the paper with two seams to the side.

3. Fold the left side of the paper towards the middle; fold the right side of the paper over the left side until the right edge meets the left edge. This process is similar to folding a napkin.

4. Fold the bottom of the rectangle upward until the bottom edge of the tissue paper meets the top. Press down on the paper to reveal a square.

5. Place the scissors about an inch from the bottom corner of the right side of paper. Cut the paper, making a circular shape similar to a backward "C" around the paper.

6. Open the stack of red paper to reveal three pieces of tissue paper – each cut into the shape of a bow tie. Set the three pieces of paper aside.

7. Place a piece of black construction paper on the work surface. Arrange the paper so it is in the landscape position with the shorter sides of the paper appearing as the left and right sides.

8. Cut a 1/2 inch strip from the left side of the black paper, working from the bottom to the top. Set the larger piece of black paper to the side.

9. Cut small fringes along the black 1/2 inch strip of paper, from one end to the other.

10. Wrap the black strip of paper around the length of a pencil. The goal is to bend the paper into a rounded or curved shape.

11. Roll the strip of paper onto itself, lengthwise; use hot glue to secure the loose end of the paper to the roll of fringes. Allow the glue to dry. This piece will serve as the stamen of the poppy flower.

12. Make a small slit in the center of each of the three red bow ties from Step 6. These bow ties will serve as the petals of the flower.

13. Insert the black stamen from Step 11 into the slit of one of the petals from the previous step. Use hot glue to secure the petals to the black stamen.

14. Add the second and third bow tie shape to the stem. Arrange the petals in an uneven pattern to mimic the appearance of a full poppy flower. Use hot glue to secure the petals to each other and to the stamen.

15. Glue green craft wire to the back of the petals. The craft wire will serve as the stem. Allow the glue to dry.

16. Create additional poppies from paper set aside in Step 2 and Step 8, using the steps above.