Paper Peonies

How I adore these flowers and the way they burst forth with such a glowing explosion of color and beauty. Here is a simple way to recreate them so that you can enjoy their sheer magnificence all year round!

I think  these would look lovely as a party decorations, as a centerpiece for the table, or a top a gift...so many possibilities!

Here is what you will need

~ tissue paper

~ pipe cleaners

~ scissors

To begin,  take 3 sheets of your tissue paper and place them on top of each other. Next  cut your stack of  3  sheets into 3 strips. Then cut each pile of strips into 3 squares. This leaves you with 3 piles of squares with nine in each pile. I must mention though, this is flexible depending on the size of flower you want to end up with ~ big and bold or small and sweet...

Then take one of your piles of tissue paper squares and fold it accordion style ~  folding it over 1/2 inch to 1 inch then folding it back the other way. It should look similar to a fan when you open the folds.

Next, use your scissors to form the shape of the petals, by rounding off each end of your folded "fan" ~ the deep curved ends will make petals much like that of a peony.

Tie the middle together with a pipe cleaner ~ leaving the majority of the pipe cleaner for the stem.

Now you are ready to open your flower.  Gently pull the top sheets away from the others up towards what will be the center of the flower. Work gradually and gently, as it is easy to tear the tissue paper during this step. Repeat this step with each subsequent layer of tissue paper until you have done this for all of them.

After you have separated the layers play around...fluff them up and bring them to life!

 

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We enjoyed the outcome so much that we were inspired to make an abundance of then ~ a big bouquet of all white, a handful of soft and bright pinks and next we plan ignore the traditional peony colors and make a vibrant rainbow bouquet! 

I must also mention we had fun dipping the edges of each flower with glue and shaking on some glitter ~ a sparkly flower...who can resist?!

I shall end my ode to the peony with this poem I came across by Mary Oliver. Her words describe the magnificence of peony with such eloquence.  Enjoy...

This morning the green fists of the peonies are getting ready

to break my heart

as the sun rises,

as the sun strokes them with his old, buttery fingers

and they open ---

pools of lace,

white and pink ---

and all day the black ants climb over them,

boring their deep and mysterious holes

into the curls,

craving the sweet sap,

taking it away

to their dark, underground cities ---

and all day

under the shifty wind,

as in a dance to the great wedding,

the flowers bend their bright bodies,

and tip their fragrance to the air,

and rise,

their red stems holding

all that dampness and recklessness

gladly and lightly,

and there it is again ---

beauty the brave, the exemplary,

blazing open.

Do you love this world?

Do you cherish your humble and silky life?

Do you adore the green grass, with its terror beneath?

Do you also hurry, half-dressed and barefoot, into the garden,

and softly,

and exclaiming of their dearness,

fill your arms with the white and pink flowers,

with their honeyed heaviness, their lush trembling,

their eagerness

to be wild and perfect for a moment, before they are

nothing, forever?

In celebration of the succulent  peony

~ Shanti~

PS.  We're pleased as punch to announce the winner of our giveaway is...
angelina of Norwood Walkabouts!!!!