Dahlia Days

 

Summer is the perfect time for some low-key crafting…think of the easy swing of Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville instead of the frenetic pace of Beethoven’s 5th. Even crafters need a summer break. We need to say no to the complicated projects we undertake for the all-important autumn and Christmas crafting seasons. God forbid we don’t create a made-from-scratch table runner with matching seat cushions for each guest at the Thanksgiving table, or the in-depth, high volume projects we try to complete at breakneck speed for the holidays. Admit it, you’ve been up nights in December knitting “one more row” for the blanket you’re making for your mother, or burning your fingertips on the glue gun as you bedazzle ornaments for each of the in-laws. No thank you; not in the summer. The craft stores lead you to believe that you don’t have much time for fall crafting—the store I was in this week had the fall harvest crafting supplies out already. By my calculations, the autumnal equinox doesn’t actually arrive for 66 more days, so I walked right on by.

So let’s channel summer into our crafts…light, bright & breezy. These dahlia paper flowers fall under the category of easy yet impactful.  They look fantastic hanging on a wall, displayed on a coffee table or out on a sun porch. And the best part? I’m willing to bet that you already have all the supplies you need to get started on these darling dahlias. No pressure though…it’s summer!

Here’s what you’ll need

-cardboard cut into a 4″-6″ circle

-paper cut into 4″-6″ squares; you’ll need about 50-70 pieces

-glue or glue gun

-scissors

You can go with a neutral color scheme or make a flower that pops with a vibrant hue—the paper choices are endless. You might even consider plain white with a bright color for the center. I found some sheet music at our library sale last spring—it works great because it’s not too thick and rolls up easily.

Step 1

Roll and glue the squares of paper into mini cones with one end rolled tighter than the other (think ice cream cones).

Step 2

Start gluing! Glue the cones onto the cardboard in circular rows. Once you reach the middle, you can cut the remaining cones down an inch or so to make them fit snugly together.

Step 3

Glue a twist tie or string onto the back of your flower, hang it on a hook and head out for some ice cream (yes, there’s a theme here).

 

Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to make these flowers…you’ll find that it’s very forgiving once you start gluing on the cones.

Please send me pics of your paper dahlias and Happy Summer Crafting!