• Categories

  • Archives

paper poppies

So now that Halloween is over, it’s time to get out the Christmas decorations, right?

WRONG!

But without any other big holidays between now and December 25, people apparently get antsy and just can’t help digging out the tinsel. Still, before you start jingling the bells, let’s pause and remember that there is one official holiday between Halloween and Christmas: Remembrance Day.

Granted, it’s not a big holiday for most people (those being pretty solely defined by the presence of huge shop sales, *sigh*), and it doesn’t come with gifts or candy or any kind of seasonally specific headgear. However, there is a decoration of sorts associated with Remembrance Day, and that’s the poppy. So if you’re one of those people who took down their Halloween decorations on November 1st… well first of all, cool it. You’re making those of us who leave them up for two more weeks look lazy (which we are, but have the decency not to make it so obvious). And second, before you reach for Rudolph and the rest of the reindeer, why not make a nice little red poppy wreath for your door? I’m begging you, just give us a couple more weeks without the holly and the ivy. Please?

I’ll also mention that while, as a pacifist, Remembrance Day has never been a holiday I’m deeply comfortable with, it does make me remember my great grandpa, who served in World War II and was a pretty excellent example of much of what is good about people. And setting aside some time for reflecting on things past, both good and bad, and for thanking the people who sacrificed much to help us make it through some ugly times, is certainly a good idea.

And finally, you may want to check out my post from this time last year, when I wrote a tutorial for making a nice felt poppy to pin on your jacket if, like me, you’re always losing those little plastic ones.

———————————————————

What you’ll need

Materials:

  • red paper (not too thick – you’ll want to stick with printer weight for this)
  • black paper (thick or thin, it doesn’t matter)
  • brads (1 per flower)
  • [optional] green pipe cleaners (for stems) or more black or green paper (for a wreath) or a styrofoam wreath

Tools:

  • scissors
  • pencil
  • small (ie: 1/2″) circle punch OR  a small round object (like a tube of chapstick) to trace
  • [optional] small plate and a smaller bowl or round tupperware container (to trace a wreath with)
  • [optional] printer and the paper poppy petals template –  number 10. under “Paper patterns and templates” (or you can draw up your own template – it’s a super simple one)

———————————————————

Putting it all together

1) Print out the poppy template onto red printer weight paper OR create your own template by folding a piece of paper in half, drawing a simple half petal shape and cutting it out, then trace that onto your red paper.

You will need four petals per poppy.

2) Cut out all your petals, cutting  just inside the lines. Poppies have a sweet crinkly look and are uneven around the edges, so you don’t have to cut super carefully.

3) Use your circle punch to make several small black circles (one per poppy) OR, if you don’t have a circle punch, trace something small and round, like a tube of chapstick or lipstick, and cut out the resulting circles.

4) For each flower, you will need four petals, one black circle and one brad. Crumple up each of the petals.

5) Poke the brad through the center of the black circle. As an aside, how many people actually remember brads? We used them for all kinds of things in elementary school, and now I hardly ever see them anywhere but crafting stores. They are incredibly useful little items.

6) Un-crumple a petal, then poke the brad through its inner, more pointed end.

7) Do the same with a second petal, positioning it across from the first. Then repeat with the third and fourth petals, positioning them across from each other.

8) If you wish to make a stand-alone flower with a stem, spread the arms of the brad out away from each other on the underside of the flower. Spread them upwards a bit, forcing the petals the touch upward. If you are putting the poppy onto a wreath or a card, leave the brad as it is for now.

9) Crumple the petals upward and inward around the black circle, as in the picture below. When I’m not using my right hand to hold the camera for such pictures, I put the thumb in the center of the flower, and push the petals up around it with my left hand.

10) To make a stem, curl one end of a pipe cleaner under both arms of the brad. Then twist both sides of the pipe cleaner together.

11) To make a paper wreath, trace a plate or bowl onto a piece of paper (I like to use black, it makes the poppies really stand out). Then center a smaller plate or bowl in the first circle, and trace it. Cut out the larger circle, then cut the smaller circle out from inside the larger circle.

12) To put the poppies on the wreath, poke the brads through the paper of the wreath, then spread them open on the other side. You may want to poke a hole with a needle first, to make it easier to get the brad through and avoid creasing the paper. You can also get a 3D styrofoam wreath from a craft store and poke the flowers into that, though you might want to paint it or wrap it in crepe paper first, so no blank styrofoam shows through between the flowers.

Then, to hang the wreath, punch a couple of holes in the paper wring between the flowers and tie a ribbon through each of the holes.

13) Hang on your door, or place in a vase on the table, or attach to the front of a card, and keep those jolly little Santas in the attic for a few more weeks!


Share
Leave a comment

30 Comments

  1. andreea

     /  November 27, 2011

    WOW! this are so great, I love poppies! Thank you so much!

    Reply
  2. fantastic idea!

    Reply
  3. Thanks for such a simple idea to use with my prep students.

    Reply
  4. Wow that was odd. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit
    my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that
    over again. Anyhow, just wanted to say superb blog!

    Reply
  5. A person essentially help to make critically posts I would state.
    That is the first time I frequented your web page and thus far?
    I amazed with the research you made to make this actual put up incredible.

    Wonderful task!

    Reply
  6. I am truly grateful to the owner of this web page who has shared this
    impressive post at at this place.

    Reply
  7. Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering
    if you knew of any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates.
    I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe
    you would have some experience with something like this.
    Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog
    and I look forward to your new updates.

    Reply
  8. Today, I went to the beach with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my
    4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed the shell
    to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
    She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is completely
    off topic but I had to tell someone!

    Reply
  9. great issues altogether, you simply won a new reader. What would you recommend about your put up that you made a few days in the past?
    Any positive?

    Also visit my webpage; anti wrinkle eye cream for men

    Reply
  10. This article provides clear idea designed for the new people of blogging, that actually
    how to do blogging.

    Feel free to visit my blog post – lam bang dai hoc

    Reply
  11. Steph

     /  November 5, 2014

    I love these poppies! I am having my kindergarteners make these for Veterans Day!

    Reply
  12. Heather

     /  November 4, 2015

    I completely disagree with the way you have written about Remembrance Day as a holiday. As a pacifist, you can choose to show your respect for the millions that died by making or wearing white poppies for peace. Lest we forget, that is what they fought and died for. I’m struggling to find a white poppy so I will have a go at your template (which looks great) to make my own, and maybe a few more to spread the word!

    Reply
  13. With havin so much written content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or
    copyright infringement? My blog has a lot of
    unique content I’ve either authored myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my permission. Do you know any techniques to help prevent content
    from being stolen? I’d genuinely appreciate it.

    Reply
  14. Bеen there done that.
    Absolutely no thanks. Tһere will be no more romantic
    relаtionships for me personally
    Lobely tips…. I was hurt ƅefore too.
    So proud oof you for putting yourself out there
    This gives me һope foг my love life.
    Incredible the right way tto look after a healthy
    loving relationship with a spouse
    thanks for fantastic write-up, hope to ckme across love shortly.

    This benefited me outt a lot, Im dropρing thhe guy. I enjoyed this post

    Reply
  15. Hey I know this is off toopic but I was wondering if you knew of
    any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newsst twitter updates.
    I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was
    hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this.
    Please let me know iif you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog
    and I look forward to your new updates.

    Reply
  16. This article is really a good one it helps new internet people, who are wishing for blogging.

    Reply
  17. Hello to every single one, it’s genuinely a pleasant for me to go to see this web page,
    it contains valuable Information.

    Reply
  18. WOW just what I was searching for. Came here by searching for vaccine
    injury

    Reply
  19. Wow, incredble weblog layout! How lengthy have you ever been running a blog for?
    you make blogging glance easy. The entire glance of your web site is excellent,
    as neatly as the content!

    Reply
  20. Im not positive the place you’re getting your information, but good topic. I needs to spend a while studying much more or working out more. Thank you for wonderful information I used to be on the lookout for this info for my mission.

    Reply
  21. Thank you for sharing excellent informations. Your site is very cool. I am impressed by the details that you’ve on this web site. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for more articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found just the information I already searched all over the place and simply could not come across. What a great website.

    Reply
  22. Полипропиленовые мешки – лучшее решение для хранения продуктов
    мешки полипропиленовые оптом мешки полипропиленовые производство.

    Reply
  23. Защита продукции с помощью надежной стрейч-пленки
    стрейч пленка купить стрейч пленка.

    Reply
  24. Наилучший соотношения цена/качество мешков для строительного мусора
    мешки для строительного мусора от производителя мешки для строительного мусора купить.

    Reply
  25. Закажите мешки для строительного мусора на любую территорию
    мешки для строительного мусора от производителя мешки для строительного мусора оптом.

    Reply
  26. Оптовая продажа полиэтиленовых мешков
    мешки полиэтиленовые полиэтиленовые мешки оптом.

    Reply
  27. Закажите мешки для мусора и мы доставим их быстро
    мешки для мусора мешки для мусора.

    Reply
  28. Надежные бахилы для дома
    купить бахилы http://bahily-optomm.ru/.

    Reply
  1. simple paper circles wreath | I Could Make That
  2. paper pillow boxes | I Could Make That

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *