Transform an old book into a lush paper dahlia for your wall
Craft a paper dahlia with recycled paper. All you need is an old book: roll the pages into cones and attach them to a base, layer by layer. This showy paper flower is well worth the small effort!
Diameter of the paper dahlia: 75 cm (29.5 in).
Paper dahlia—supplies:
- pages from a book or magazine, or other recycled paper
- cardboard or thick cardstock
- scissors
- EriKeeper glue, hot glue, or double-sided tape
- strong tape and string for hanging
Paper dahlia—instructions:
1. Carefully tear out the book’s pages.
2. Take a small stack of pages (for example, 5). Fold the stack diagonally in half so you get a triangular piece. Trim off the excess strips at the edge. Make more stacks like this.
3. Take one page and open it into a square. To hide the torn edge, turn it down, toward you. Place a piece of tape on the right corner. Align the left corner along the diagonal fold across the paper.
4. Fold the right corner over the left so the tip of the cone is sharp.
5. Make the rest of the cones the same way.
6. Cut a round piece of cardboard or cardstock. For a fairly small paper dahlia, use a dinner plate as a template. For a larger circle, a tray or a stool works well. If you’re making a big decoration, punch a hole in the cardboard now for hanging. You can also thread the hanging cord at this stage.
7. Start assembling the paper dahlia from the outermost layer. Attach the cones side by side so their tips point toward the center of the circle. This gives a pleasing symmetry. If you like, draw guide lines on the base.
8. Attach each cone to the base along several centimeters for sturdiness. Use double-sided tape, liquid glue, or hot glue. Glue sticks don’t have enough holding power for this decoration.
9. Attach the next layer of cones slightly overlapping the previous one.
10. Continue layer by layer until the paper dahlia is complete.
11. Finish with a hanging cord. If you didn’t make a hole in the base, tape the cord securely to the cardboard.
12. Hang your finished paper dahlia on the wall!
