How to make paper peonies

A peony is a perennial that, once planted, returns each spring. Peonies make showy cut flowers that offer big blooms. To replicate their beauty, you can make faux peonies out of paper. Choose a soft, light pink tissue paper to create the petals of this flower.
Upon completion of one paper peony, consider creating an arrangement in a basket or vase. The tissue paper makes petals look quite realistic, especially when the flowers are bundled together. Add an aromatic effect by lighting a peony-scented candle in your home.
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Materials
- Scissors
- Sheet of yellow construction paper
- Green craft wire
- Pliers
- Package of light pink tissue paper
- Hot glue gun
- Glue stick
- Sheet of green construction paper
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Instructions
1. Cut a piece of yellow construction paper into a rectangle that measures approximately 2 inches by 5 inches.
2. Place the paper on a flat surface, with the rectangle laying in a horizontal position.
3. Measure approximately 1 inch from the left side of the rectangle; use scissors to cut the paper from bottom to top. Discard the larger piece of paper, or set it aside to use it to make additional peonies after finishing your flower.
4. Position the 1-inch strip of paper in a vertical position.
5. Make tiny fringe cuts on one end of the rectangle, working from left to right.
6. Turn the rectangle to make fringe cuts on the opposite end of the paper.
7. Turn the rectangle so it's in a horizontal position.
8. Roll the paper to make a tube-like shape, then turn the paper so it's in a vertical position. Fringes should appear on the top and bottom of the tube.
9. Hold the center of the paper to prevent the tube from unraveling; wrap green craft wire around the tube.
10. Twist the end of the craft wire with pliers to tighten wire around the tube.
11. Gently pull the left and right sides of the yellow paper toward the craft wire. Fluff and spread the paper with fingers. The yellow paper serves as the peony's sunny yellow center.
12. Open a package of light pink tissue paper. Lay the stack of tissue paper on a flat work surface. If the paper was in a trifold position in the package, open the trifold to reveal a rectangular shape.
13. Lay the stack of paper in a vertical position, with the shorter sides of the paper serving as the top and bottom.
14. Fold the stack of paper in half, bending the bottom of the paper to meet the top.
15. Flip the paper in the horizontal position, then fold the paper in half again.
16. Flip the paper in a vertical position, then fold the paper in half again.
17. Cut a circle out of the stack of paper. Keep the stack of circles and discard the excess paper.
16. Hold the stack of circles in the left hand; use the right hand to cut a wavy line on the right side of the circles. The circles will serve as the peony petals while the wavy line will serve as the tips of the petals.
17. Grab one petal from the stack. Pinch the bottom of the petal so the ends meet.
18. Position the end of the petal so it wraps around the craft wire. Glue the petal to the craft wire.
19. Repeat steps 17 to 18 for the next two petals, then stack and glue petals on top of each other.
20. Fluff and spread the petals with your fingers to make peonies look more realistic.
21. Cut a surfboard-like shape out of green construction paper. This piece will serve as a green leaf.
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22. Glue the leaf to the stem of the peony, approximately 2 inches below the flower.
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