Paper Posy

You will need

Crepe paper, Clairefontaine Romantic
Florist’s wire
Florist’s tape
Alcohol marker, orange (optional)
Round beads, 10mm
Sewing thread
Pliers
Glue

Tulips

1. Take a 20cm length of wire and thread a round bead onto the centre of it. Twist the wire below the bead to hold it at the top and make a flower stem. Cut crepe to 3cm x 6cm and stretch gently in the centre. Apply glue to the edges of the crepe and place over the bead, wrapping and glueing the edges of the paper to the stem.

2. Cut six pieces of matching crepe to 2cm x 8cm. Gather the paper in the centre and twist. Apply glue to one side of the twist and fold the other half of the paper over, stretching the crepe below the twist to create a concave petal. Repeat to make six petals.

3. Glue three petals around the base of the bead so that they curl over it. Bind the bases of the petals with sewing thread, glueing the thread as you do so to prevent it coming unwrapped. Place the three remaining petals around the first set so they sit in the spaces and bind as before. 4 Wrap a length of florist’s tape tightly around the base of the petals,stretching it as you do so to release the waxy adhesive. Continue wrapping part way down the stem. Cut a strip of green crepe, 2cm x 25cm, and fold in half. Cut two long thin leaf shapes from the folded crepe and stretch gently in the centre. Place the base of each leaf against the stem and secure with tape.

Daffodils

1. Take an 8cm length of wire and bend over the top 5mm with pliers. Cut yellow crepe to 4cm square. Fold in half against the grain and cut the two edges into a fringe. Colour the ends of the fringe with an orange alcohol marker if desired and roll each piece of fringe between your thumb and forefinger to twist slightly. Glue the folded edge of the fringe and wrap around the top of the wire to make stamens.

2. Cut six pieces of yellow crepe paper to 2cm x 3cm. Fold each one in half and cut into curved petal shapes. Open out and stretch the top edges of each petal. Apply glue to the lower edge of each one and fix around the base of the stamens in sets of three. Bind the bottoms of the petals with sewing thread.

Buds & leaves

1. Snip three pieces of wire to 8cm long and bend the top 5mm. Cut pieces of yellow crepe to 2cm x 4cm. Fold in half across the grain and apply glue to the unfolded edges. Coil the crepe around the top end of the wire and secure with sewing thread. Use pliers to gently bend and stretch out the folded edge of the coil to make an opening bud.

2. Cut several small green crepe paper leaves and glue one to the base of each bud and flower before wrapping with florist’s tape. Place two buds together, one slightly lower than the other, and bind together with tape. Add another lower bud, then wrap before adding the open flower below. Wrap all the stems tightly together, adding a couple more leaves as you go.