We’ve been around the block with DIY blooms, so we know that paper flowers can be serious business — concerts, summer festivals, warm weather weddings and the list goes on. Making a beautiful paper flower is easier than it may look, so we wanted to create a beginner-friendly guide to help our budding makers out there. Use our Paper Flower Crown Kit and start making!
This is a DIY best done with buds (ha!.. get it?), so grab a few friends and a mimosa or two and we’ll walk you through this intro to the world of paper flower arts. We used one *must-know technique* to make every flower and leaf on these crowns. I know, it’s crazy — but keep reading and we’ll show you how!
Materials:
– Heavy Crepe Paper
– Floral Tape
– Floral Wire
– Wire Cutters
Additional Tools:
– Glue Gun
– Glue Sticks
– Scissors
– Pencil
– Paper Plate
Instructions:
1. Wrap floral wire around your head twice to make a loose-fitting crown.
2. Cut with your wire cutter and twist the loose ends around the circle.
3. Cut a 6-inch length of wire, fold in half and twist around itself.
4. Tightly wrap the wire stem in floral tape.
5. Cut out flower petals with scissors.
6. Curl petals lengthwise by tightly wrapping around a pencil.
7. Place a dot of hot glue onto wire stem and stick on first petal.
8. Continue gluing on 5 more petals, working around in a circle.
9. Wrap floral tape around the base of the flower and down the stem.
10. Curl back flower petals using a round pencil.
11. Repeat this process to make more flowers and leaves.
12. Twist flower stems around wire circle to form your crown.
13. Wrap floral tape all the way around wire circle to cover all exposed wire.
Grab your main materials (pictured left, and included in our kit!) and a few household craft supplies (pictured right) and let’s get started.
First, unravel enough wire to go around your head twice and cut with wire cutters.
How to Make Wire Crown +Â Stems
Twist the loose ends around the rest of the wire circle to secure. Double check that this circle sits nicely on your head, and set aside.
Now that you’ve made the base of your crown, its time to start making flowers! Cut about a 6-inch length of wire using your wire cutters.
Fold wire in half and twist the ends around each other, forming a stem with a small loop at the top.
Tightly wrap the small loop and the rest of the stem in floral tape. Note that the tape only sticks to itself, so make sure to tightly overlap tape-on-tape the whole way down.
Pro tip: this goes much faster if you hold the tape away from the stem at a diagonal, and twist the stem with your fingers to wrap it up. Cut off excess tape with scissors and wrap the end around.
Ain’t nobody got time for individually cut flower petals. Accordion fold about 1 1/2 inches of crepe paper over itself a couple of times, fold in half and cut through multiple layers at once.
How to Make Paper Flowers +Â Leaves
Cut out this rounded flower petal shape with a small point at the top, making sure to cut through all the layers on all sides so that the petals are unattached. We made these petals about 2 inches tall by 1 1/2 inches wide, but any size will work.
While your petals are still in a neat stack, tightly wrap them around a pencil lengthwise and curl them all at once. Note that the grain of the crepe paper (those thin little lines) should run parallel to the pencil.
Place a small drop of hot glue onto your stem, about 1 inch from the top.
Let glue cool down for two seconds and then stick on your first flower petal. Pinch that first petal around your stem, and continue glueing on five more petals, working around the stem in a circle.
Once all six petals are glued on, wrap floral tape around the base of your flower and down the stem. It helps to pinch the tape just underneath the flower so that you can wrap it tight enough to stick.
Your flower may look a little cone-like at this point, so its time to shape those petals! Curl petals outward by wrapping around a pencil, and curl one or two petals inward for variety and a more natural look.
Ta-da! Look at that big beautiful bloom! Once you’ve mastered this, the rest is easy.
We cut the petals of these orange flowers smaller than the pink ones, at about 1 1/4 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches tall, to give the final crown some variety and depth. But the process is just the same!
And these leafy greens? Same process, but instead of six petals, just add on two or three.
These bright green guys are just smaller versions of their dark green friends. Simple enough!
Put on some good tunes and repeat this process until you have a nice assortment of flowers and leaves. We found that five of each color is enough to make a crown that goes 2/3 of the way around, leaving some space to pin down and style in your hair.
The crown on the left uses five of each color. The middle crown uses two large blooms, three small and 16 leaves. And for a classic, full circle crown (pictured right), we used eight large flowers, 12 small and 15 leaves.
How to Build a Flower Crown
Position your flowers and leaves around your wire circle, highlighting your favorites up front, and framing with leaves along the way.
Now carefully pull out the wire circle from underneath, keeping your arrangement fairly intact.
Start twisting the stems of your flowers and leaves around the wire circle, overlapping them so that they sit nicely tucked together.
Keep building up your crown, minding your Thrillers (large statement flowers), Fillers (small flowers to bulk it up), and Spillers (greenery that shoots out to frame the whole thing).
Wondering what the heck we’re talking about? Check out our Flower Arranging 101 online class to really ramp up your arrangement game!
Once you’ve added all the flowers and leaves you’d like, seal the deal with floral tape by tightly wrapping it around the entire circle.
Yes, that includes in and amongst those flowers! Bend leaves and flowers upward by the stem to reach tricky areas underneath and cover all exposed wire.
Now that you’ve man-handled these flowers a bit, take some time to reposition them and re-curl a few petals here and there. It’s amazing how well this crepe paper holds up!
Get up close and personal and check out those vibrant colors. Fiery pink and orange vs. deep violet and lavender – which will you choose?
Maddie’s looking pretty in pink and ready to frolic in a damn meadow!
And Kelly’s giving off some serious sultry vibes in violet.
Remember, our kit comes with enough materials to make TWO flower crowns in your favorite color combo. And yes, that includes mess-ups!
So grab your fab bestie..
…or your furry one ;)
And have a ball!
Artist Dev Heyrana On How Bravery, Resilience and Sunshine Influence Her Work
Ever meet someone who you feel immediate kinship with on a deep almost spiritual level? That is legit every person's experience upon meeting Dev Heyrana, the star of this edition of Creative Crushin'. A fine artist, hip hop dance teacher and constant collaborator, Dev's particular brand of creativity is one-of-a-kind. She manages to be warm, welcoming and woke, with a focus on inclusivity, social justice and motherhood that comes through in every piece of art she creates.
Anjelika Temple here, co-founder of Brit + Co and one of many humans who has benefitted from Dev's boundless generosity and kindness. We first connected at a launch event, then I asked her if she and her family would like to model for a B+C shoot (they did!), then months later, I asked the IG universe if anyone would be down to co-parent with me for a day so I could speak at a conference. Dev said yes! And for those that know her, none of these serendipitous moments are surprising.
Now it's time to delve more into Dev's story, her creative inspiration, her thoughtful approach to parenting and what makes her more passionate than ever about bringing her point of view and artistic voice into the universe.
Anjelika Temple: First, foundations. Where did you grow up? What is your heritage? What did you study in school? Where do you live now?
Dev Heyrana: Born in The Philippines and immigrated to the U.S. when I was 9 years old. Me and my family are from the island of Cebu and I'm a proud Cebuana. My childhood in the Philippines felt like freedom. I had my swimsuit in my backpack for whenever we decided to swim and I biked everywhere.
Immigrating here at 9 yrs old was a transition, to say the least. My parents had big dreams but the move was heavy on them. It wasn't easy. I had to grow up fast. I took care of my sisters while my parents worked night shifts. By the age of 12 I would cook dinner and get my sisters ready for bed. Something I didn't realize was that kids my age didn't do those things until I got older. We would play these make-believe games to make, in hindsight, our hard situation brighter.
I think this is really when art played a big role in my life. It was something I could escape in and always felt healing.
I witnessed racism towards my family and didn't know how to make sense of it. These events left a mark. I was a quiet kid and observed everything and everyone around me. I think about my grandparents, Lolo Jose and Lola Rita, a lot as I walk through life. When I make decisions. As hard as it feels, you have two choices, do you let it take you down or take it one step at a time forward. I kept going and it really shaped me as to why I am the way I am today.
I studied Fine Arts at The Corcoran in DC. I owe that decision to my art teacher, Mr Giles, in High School. He was retiring and wore a Hawaiian shirt every day during my senior year. He was a curmudgeon and I felt incredibly special since out of everyone in the school he really believed in me. As grumpy as he seemed to the class, he would tell me things like "Go into the other studio and break some glass, then put it on a canvas." He's the reason why my abstract pieces have elements like clay and sand in them.
I've had incredible mentors and all were teachers. Mr. Giles in High School and Christine George in College. Christine was the one who told me to go either to New York or San Francisco because "D.C. is no place for an artist like you." She told me to not listen to anyone, how I can still paint, be a graphic designer, and, if I choose to, have a family. I've never had anyone tell me anything like that before.
I took a chance because of her. Moved and went to Design School in 2006 and I've stayed in the Bay Area ever since, raising two girls with the love of my life.
Anj: You are one of those magical human beings that has figured out how to be a full-time artist. What was your career path like before you were able to dive fully into your creative passions?
Dev: The most radical thing I could have done in my family, I did, I went to college for Fine Arts. A mix of being so young and having to do it on my own, I went with the school that gave me more scholarships. Even then I worked three jobs to be able to get through it. Hard work is ingrained in me.
With my sculpture background, I fell in love with Print and Packaging and why I came out here to San Francisco. I appreciated the security of having a career in Graphic Design. I also learned how to work with clients and the business side of things. Even then, I never stopped painting.
A few years ago I went through a pretty hard time with my health. I dealt with six surgeries in one year and I still have to do some follow-up ones. That experience almost broke me and what got me through was my family and painting in bed while I recovered.
When I finally got back on my feet, my heart just wasn't in Graphic Design anymore. So I made a two year plan. With a toddler and a mortgage, I wanted to make sure my steps were thought out. I put myself out there as an Artist while I still worked in Design. After a year I worked part time as a Graphic Designer and stepped down from my Creative Director position. I loved it, to be creative as an Artist and as a Designer. I looked at 2018 as my year to make the jump. If my work as an Artist balances out with my salary then I would quit in the Summer of 2019. And so here we are. I also am sharing a studio with my good friend, Naomi PQ, and I feel like my creative drive is just beginning.
Anj: What do you love about painting? How do you feel when you're in a creative flow state?
Dev: Like every part of me is free. Free to express myself through the stroke of my hand. How all of it leads back to my heart. These elements I use to paint have a mind of their own and how I need to respect the process.
It centers me and reminds me that the process is just like the life we lead. I know I still have so much more to learn but while I'm painting no matter how it's going, I'll embrace this moment.
Anj: You reference your roots quite a bit in your work. Talk to me more about how your roots inspire your work.
Dev: One of my earliest memories is of my Lolo Jose teaching me how to water mango saplings. He converted to Buddhism when my mother was young, so he viewed the world with love and kindness. I didn't realize it then but watering those mango trees were life lessons. We need to take the time to nurture, practice patience, and respect all living things. I still imagine him walking beside me often, carrying his teachings as I find my way in this world.
Nature and the Sun drive my pieces. My abstract works are fragments of moments. Like the sunset I grew up with when I was seven years old in the Philippines, like how I saw the water in Cebu when I dove in as a young adult, and like when I saw the redwoods with my children for the first time.
I see earth in our skin and especially when I paint people. How our mango trees grew and blossomed because the dark earth was rich with nutrients. I imagine the Sun piercing through these women I depict. I paint their love and bravery because their resilience cannot be contained. I want to celebrate all of it.
This is the beauty of Art, I am able to paint exactly how I see it.
Anj: Motherhood and your daughters are also central themes in your work. How has motherhood changed your approach to creating artwork?
Dev: Everything. I was still deep in my Design Career and I would paint at home. One day Quinn, who was 3 years old at the time introduced me at the park to a mom. "This is my mom, she's an Artist." It struck me that my toddler knew who I was more than I knew myself. That's really when I really owned it. I am more fearless because of my girls.
I own my body, I thank people when they compliment me, and I am selective but fearless when I use my voice. I am more in tune how I speak about myself because of them. When I paint these women I want to celebrate them. I notice how I embrace myself is translated in my paintings.
Anj: What advice can you give to parents who are trying to tap into their kiddos' innate creativity?
Dev: I don't have a lot of guidelines set up. I'll say "Let's draw the biggest fish we can draw" or "how many silly lines can we make" and I let them lead me. They ask me questions, show me things, and I sit there with my coffee watching their eyes wide with excitement. Watching them in their creative process is pure joy for me. Those silly lines can turn into a dragon or waves and next thing we know, we're drawing a big beach scene. My advice would be that you can suggest something to start it off but be open to how they take it. It is such a beautiful window into their minds.
Anj: Shifting gears to HIP HOP DANCE! Talk to us about his component of your creative expression.
Dev: I loved the Hip Hop scene in DC and discovered how much fun the clubs were in college. My friends told me about this Hip Hop Crew I should try out for, I was so scared because I've never taken a dance class in my life. I got in and it was like having another family. We competed all over the East Coast, it was a blast!
I found hipline when I started my first Design Job and needed an outlet. It was exactly what I needed and one of the owners asked if I was interested to teach. I've been teaching there since 2009 and am still going strong. It's a wonderful community of women. Now we're virtual and reaching clients all over.
Anj: What does a typical [pandemic] day look like for you? How does it differ from your rhythm before COVID?
Dev: I've been practicing being kinder to myself lately. Both me and my husband work full time and so having the girls at home is a challenge. Some days we are amazed by how smooth it went and then there are others where if the girls are clean and bellies are full, it's a total win.
Now that we're on month 8 our rhythm before covid felt more chaotic to be honest. I felt like we were always rushing out the door while carrying so many bags. Now my husband and I try to have coffee together, if he has a break from his meeting, and we sit with Quinn before school to see what she has to do for the day. Rowan's preschool closed down but we were able to find a wonderful speech therapist for her and she has an Adventure Pod we go to two times a week.
The one thing we really try to do is go outside once a day. Have some magic in their childhood no matter how small. It could be just going up for a hike by our home and picking up leaves, riding our bikes, or watching the sunset from our window. Seeing how the girls' react to these adventures we have is pure magic.
Anj: When you get creatively blocked or burnt out, how do you reset? Do you have tips you can share?
Dev: I go outside. I go out for a hike or go to the beach. Even if it's 15 minutes, something about grounding yourself in Nature is really healing. I also do exercise where I doodle for two minutes because it feels doable. Judgment-free doodles, always opens the doorway to more.
Anj: I know firsthand that community-building is huge for you. Tell us more about what your support system and creative community looks like.
Dev: I feel a lot of love and strength when I think of my community. My relationship with my sister led the way what women supporting women looks like. It's listening, asking questions, remembering, cheering for all the wins, being there even if it's hard, and taking time to invest in them. The way me and my sister show up for each other is why I have these amazing women in my life. I can talk to them about my family, motherhood, and we're all trying to balance it all while sharing my most recent project. I feel really blessed especially looking back in my college years where I don't know where Art would take me.
Anj: When you need to give yourself a pep talk, what does it sound like?
Dev: I usually take a deep breath then say or think "One step forward". Most of the time, I'm scared (as shit) but the thought of not trying scares me more. That one step forward can be hard as hell and maybe even heartbreaking, but I have to try.
For more on this brilliant artist, mother and friend, follow Dev @_heyrana on Instagram and check out (and buy!) her artwork here.