At the end of last summer, I was lucky enough to be in a good friend and fellow librarian's...
Here is a step by step how-to for the book page flowers I talked about here.
Materials
You will need...
1) wire I used wire from the jewelry making section of a craft store. I'm not sure what gauge it was but maybe 12 or 16. It needs to be sturdy.
2) book pages I used a Harry Potter book that was weeded due to condition. The pages were falling out and the spine was destroyed.
3) hot glue gun
4) wire cutter I used pliers with a built in wire cutter.
Making your flowers:
Step 1: cut out petals
A) I found the easiest way for me to do this was to accordion fold a page and cut several petals at once.
B) For a rose, the petal shape should be heart-shaped at the top and flat on the bottom.
The first few times, I drew the shape and cut it out but after I was able to just cut without sketching. Since you folded the paper, you will get several petals at once.
Step 2: shape petals
A) To shape the petals, I kept them stacked as they were after cutting and rolled the two bumps at the top in slightly.
B) Next, I turned the petals over so the rolls faced away from me. Then I pinched the flat bottom edge in half. This will make it easier to glue when you start building the flower.
I found it easier to make a large number of petals first and then build the flower but you could also make the petals as you go. You will need a bunch of small, medium, and large petals, depending on how big you want you roses.
Step 3: build your rose
A) stem
First cut your stem out of wire. It's better to have your stem be too long and need to be trimmed than be too short! I usually went with 10-12 inches.
B) center
Cut a starter petal that is about 2 inches long and rounded on one end.
Hot glue the stem to one edge of the starter petal.
Roll the petal tightly around the wire and glue.
C) Add your petals. Start with the smallest size you made. Pinch the petal on the fold you already made and add a drop of hot glue.
Adhere the petal to the side of the rolled starter petal. Hold until the glue cools.
Turn the rose slightly and overlap a second petal.
Continue adding petals, turning the rose as you go.
Add medium sized petals.
Add large petals. Make sure to pinch large petals so they fit flat when you glue them.
You can make flowers as small or full as you want. Enjoy!
