Fabulous Paper Flowers - Klutz Book

I'm a longtime fan of Klutz books for kids... the projects are appealing, directions are clear, and the supplies, always top notch. A new title, Fabulous Flowers: Create Pretty Paper Blossoms, doesn't disappoint. In fact, I bet I enjoyed making the rose, cosmos, and daisy you see here as much as any elementary school student. See the glittered edges and lovely sheen on the paper? Fear not... the glitter doesn't rub off/get all over everything, and the durable paper is just as nice to work with as it looks.


Klutz says, ""Let your creativity bloom with this book of can’t-go-wrong instructions for life-sized, dimensional, paper blossoms inspired by our favorite flowers: roses, daisies, daffodils, hibiscus, zinnias, cosmos, poppies, and larkspur. Sparkly embellishments, fresh paper colors, whimsical design variations, and a custom shaping tool give these blossoms a twist that’s pure Klutz — and quite possibly, even prettier than the real thing."


"As always, Klutz has packaged the book with everything you need to get started: 20 pages of ready-to-punch-out paper petals, sparkly flower centers, wrapped wire stems, glue, and of course, the custom winding tool - enough stuff to make bunches of flowers."


Anne Akers Johnson, author of quite a few Klutz titles, has written clear instructions for a variety of well-known flowers. All necessary supplies are included except for scissors, wire snips (I just used a pair of sturdy kitchen shears), and something in which to display the finished flowers. I'd also recommend keeping a damp cloth close at hand to wipe fingers - this will definitely make things less sticky.


The book is suggested for ages 8 and up, but it will be necessary for the youngest flower makers to have an adult or older child close by to guide the process and supervise the snipping of the wrapped wire stems. Each stem has curled ends that must be cut off before using... those tiny bits of sharp metal can go flying if one isn't careful.


Creating the flowers will teach patience, as some steps require that the glue be completely dry before moving on to the next one. As with any paper project, I found that practice makes perfect - my second and third flowers went together more easily and quickly than the first.


So share this book with a child you love or keep it for yourself! There's no doubt in my mind that crafty adults will enjoy making the blooms as much as children. Paper flowers make terrific party decor and package wrapping embellishments. Once all twenty flowers have been made, trace the templates and create your own out of any light to medium weight paper - for example, crepe paper or patterned scrapbook paper. Old map and book page flowers would be trendy. Handmade blooms will beautifully decorate a bridal or baby shower, and they even have the potential to be carried as a playful wedding bouquet.

I received a copy of Fabulous Flowers for review purposes and Klutz is offering two All Things Paper readers the chance to win a copy. Leave a comment to enter.


For additional chances to win, spread the word about the giveaway via a blog post, Facebook page link, or Tweet, and/or on any craft forums. Tell me if you've done so in your comment. The giveaway ends at the end of Saturday, June 11. Winners will be selected by a random number generator and announced the next day on this post. Good luck!


P.S. I can't tell you how nice it is to have a bright and cheerful bouquet on the table that doesn't contain sneeze-inducing pollen!

Update: Congratulations to Claire, comment #67, and lokokina, comment #78, as selected by Random.org. Thanks to all who entered! I always enjoy your comments and appreciate that we share an enthusiasm for paper. Even if you didn't win this time, take heart - there will be another giveaway coming up soon!