Coffee Filter Flowers

After adding the Robin's Egg Garland to our dining room hutch, the ends looked a little unfinished.  I was thinking of adding big bows to each end...but I wanted something different.  So with a new package of coffee filters and a little time to play, I ended up making these fluffy flowers:

They're pretty and super quick to whip up....

Start with a lovely pile of coffee filters - I used 8 for each flower

Crumple them into a loose ball

Then unravel

Start by hot gluing (a dab'll do ya) each of 5 coffee filters together - attaching at the centers

Crumble each layer a bit smaller than  the previous layer by pulling the center in a bit

Once the first 5 layers are adhered, crumple and fluff the filters

Now it's time to attach the remaining 3 filters

Fold the first filter in half

Pull back the first two filter layers and apply dabs of hot glue at the center of the flower to attach the folded filter

Repeat for the additional two filters, overlapping slightly around the center of the circle

This creates a kind of crinoline effect to maximixe fluffiness

For the flower centers, I wanted something a little different.  I saw this awesome felt technique over at Copy Craft and knew that it would work perfect (if you want to see a gorgeous pillow go check out the link - I'm serioulsy in love with it!)

Cut approximately 7 of these cute little 4 petal flowers out of felt (they can be totally wonky - no need for perfection)  I went with a 4 petal instead of 5 just because it was faster for me to cut out. 

To attach them, I used a similar technique to the hydrangea eggs

Pinch the petals together

Apply a dab of hot glue to the center of the flower and press the felt flower down, still pinched

Repeat for all of the felt flowers - add more if you like a larger center

Viola - coffee filter flower

At this point, the white was a little too, um..white for my taste.  To add a bit of color, water down a bit of craft paint (the wetter it is, the better the watercolored effect)

And paint the filters (I painted every layer completely)

Then leave to dry overnight

Crumple and fluff when dry and ta-da

I really wish that I'd have tried these out before my sister's bridal shower last year.  They are oh-so-much faster than the napkin flowers I made!

And here they are dressing up the Robin's Egg Garland

I think I like 'em :)


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