Creating Paper Rose

Each week, I want to bring you something simple, fun, pretty and practical. I also want it to be affordable and if possible; creating beauty out of something that would otherwise be discarded or forgotten. Now that you have gotten to know me a bit by now, I want to share with you the story behind the name of my blog. In addition to the history of creating Paper Rose, I’ll incorporate a lovely DIY home decor design for any occasion.

Naming My Blog

I really wanted to put thought and meaning into the name of the blog so I got out my scrap paper pad and just started writing out ideas. I knew I wanted to use the idea of “creating beauty” but that seemed too general. So I thought of catchy phrases with one word being the old, discarded, simple, plain and the second one representing the beauty; the fullness of what could be. I work with watercolours and I use a lot of paper so I played with the idea of paper. Paper seemed tangible and transformable. And of course the ideal beauty for me is the rose. Paper Rose. It just seemed too perfect. I wanted you, my reader, to relate to what it meant and as well imagine how you could create something beautiful out of scraps and bits. I really felt that this title was a gift, a gift from God of what He was creating in me and through me.

Then the following story came to me and it all fell into place. You may have remembered the diy craft crepe paper rose that I made for my mom for Mother’s Day this year on my Instagram feed. Of course my mom was tickled that I made her a Mother’s Day gift but it also had another sentimental meaning for her.

Her Story

In the early 50s, when my mom was seven years old, and her sister was eight, the two of them took a train from their home town to the next neighbouring town to sell crepe paper flowers door to door. Their mother had made dozens of these flowers with the hopes of making some extra money for their family. My mom and her sister went on Mother’s Day.

• crepe paper roll/streamers in at least one colour of your choosing and green for the stems and leaves (a dollarstore find my friends!)
• pipe cleaners
• scissors
• pencil or fine brush
• paper
• thread

1. Folding

Fold the crepe paper the width of the pattern and repeat this about ten times so that there are approximately 10 folds which will give you 20 pieces or petals. Take the pattern (that you make yourself or download the template).

2. Cutting

Cut around the pattern through all the pieces

3. Curling

Then take a painting brush or a pencil and gently curl the top edge

4. Pull

Gently pull apart the middle of the petal with both thumbs. The petal should look like this from the side.

5. First petal added

Take the pipe cleaner and fold over the top about an inch. This will be the bud or beginning part of the rose. Take some crepe paper from the roll and fold around the bent pipe cleaner to look like a bud. I missed this next step in my pictures and it is optional but you will want to tie a string/thread around this bud and leave a long length hanging down. This string will be wrapped around each petal as it is place on the bud.

6. Add another petal

Take one of the petals and wrap it around the pipe cleaner and then wrap the string/thread around it.

7. Stagger the next petal

Then you will add another petal on the opposite side and wrap the thread around once more. Remember to stagger the petals so that they don’t end up on one side of the rose. You can place the petals at the same height or gradually place them lower as I have.

8. Marvel at Your Work

This is what the rose looks like with approximately 20 petals attached.

9. Stem

The last step is to attach the leaves and stem covering. Take the green leaves and attach them, staggering them as well. Then take crepe paper straight from the roll and wrap the stem and twist the stem as you go down it. I like to gently pull the crepe paper taut as I travel down the stem.