Paper Roses... Paper Roses... Oh, how real those roses seem to be But they're only imitation , Like your imitation love for me - Marie Osmond Paper roses, or for that matter any paper flower, can be a great way to add color and decoration in your home, or even to gift to somebody. Even though they may be imitation flowers, with the development of crepe paper, making artificial flowers has become an art today. These days, paper flowers look so real, that they seem to have come straight from a horticulturist's garden! However, unlike what many people think, artificial flower-making has been around for a long time. In the old times people used to make intricate flowers out of various materials like scraps of silk, nylon, tissue paper, and so on. Once you discover the thrill of transforming paper into myriad types of flower, in all their colorful variety, it will become an absorbing and inexpensive hobby. There is something magical about seeing paper bloom into flowers, using the dexterity of your hands and imagination. The best part is, you can enjoy seasonal flowers all year round! Whether you want a spray of daisies for the patio or sunny yellow daffodils to brighten up a dull nook in some area of your house, they are easy and fun to make. Imagine the joy of that... Materials Required Once you master the art of making paper flowers, you can volunteer to supply them as decorations for occasions like weddings, high school proms, or any community functions, thus earning some spending money. The materials required are fairly basic, which can be bought at any hardware, department, or stationery store. They are also available at stores which stock flower making materials.

• Crepe Paper: They are available in two kinds, single and double. Double crepe paper, which is also known as Duplex, is particularly useful when you want to make many flowers, especially the ones that have different tones of color on the upper and lower sides of the petals. Although it is not essential, as you can stick two layers of single crepe of different tones together to achieve the same effect.
• Paste: Ordinary paste with a stubby, stiff brush is the best. Avoid using mucilage, rubber cement or glue, as they are not suitable.
• Scissors: You will need two pairs of them. One pair of sharp, heavy shears to cut through several layers of paper, and the other a lighter weight pair to create petals and leaves.
• Green Card Stock or Tissue Paper: This is used for making the leaves.
• Others: Artificial stamen, green pipe cleaner or wire, floral tape, paper clips, pins, chalk or pencil.

Instructions to Make Paper Flowers

1. Take 10-15 sheets of colored crepe paper of different sizes. You can use multicolored papers if you what to make flowers of different colors. Use a pencil or chalk to draw a pattern of a flower, according to your choice, on the topmost layer of crepe paper.
2. Fasten the crepe sheets together with pins or paper clips, and then use the scissors to cut the papers according to the pattern you had made. You can cut out various sizes of this pattern.
3. Arrange the cut sheets of crepe paper together in such a way that the smallest is on the top and the largest at the bottom. Then using a pin, pierce a hole in the center of the petals of your flower.
4. Draw together the petals, starting from the bottom, to form the flower, and then insert the green pipe cleaner into the hole in the center. Twist one end of the pipe cleaner so that it doesn't slip out of the hole. Then, use the floral tape to tape the petals at the point where the pipe cleaner has been inserted.
5. Then, make leaf patterns according to any design you choose. If you want sturdy leaves, use green card stock, and for wispy leaves use green tissue paper. Cut out the leaves with the scissors.
6. Use the floral tape to fasten the leaves to the stem of the flower.
7. To create a realistic looking flower, add the artificial stamen at the center of your paper flower.
8. You can repeat this process to make as many flowers as you want.

Apart from all the joys of paper flower-making discussed so far is the fact that paper flowers also make flower arrangement fun and more interesting, because they are easy to manipulate and arrange in various ways. There are plenty of books, magazines and websites where you can get ideas for arranging flowers, which you can copy. If you are a highly original individual however, you can always push your imagination and create unique arrangements of your own. So go ahead and surprise and amaze friends and family by gifting them a (paper) flower bouquet that will never wilt! Happy creating!