Guest Post: Spring Rolled Paper Flower Topiary
I’m thrilled to welcome my first guest blogger! Sarah has been a tremendous help and kindly stepped in while I’m at Brimfield, the nation’s largest outdoor antique marketplace. This is my first time at Brimfield, so I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to post from the booth. If things are quiet, I plan to set up a hotspot and share updates. If not, you can follow Weekend Crafts on Instagram for live photos and stories.
But enough about me — I’ll hand the blog over to Sarah.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I blog at Creative Ramblings, where I share thrifty, creative DIY projects. I’m excited to share a Silhouette project with you today. Michelle and I are both big fans of our Silhouette machines, and you’ve likely seen some of her lovely projects here before. I hope you enjoy this tutorial. If you want to see more of my Silhouette work or just stop by to say hello, feel free to visit my blog or follow me on social media.
Spring has finally arrived — the grass is green, trees are budding, and flowers are popping up everywhere. I love this season and have added small touches of spring color and decor throughout my home to bring that cheerful feeling indoors. I already had a few prints, some colorful vases, and a wreath on the front door, but I wanted one more bright accent. I’ve been wanting to try rolled paper flowers, and spring felt like the perfect time to make them.
I created a topiary for a recent party and decided to keep it on display because it brightens the room and was worth the effort. The piece took some time to assemble, but it isn’t difficult once you find a rhythm for making the flowers. Many people who see it comment on how pretty it looks, so I think the time investment pays off.
To make the topiary I started with a six-inch styrofoam ball. If you want a smaller, quicker project, choose a smaller foam ball. For the flower design I used the Rolled Flower 3 cut file from Bird’s Cards, which offers many free digital cut files. I cut a large number of flowers in assorted colors with my Silhouette machine so I would have a full, varied look.
Rolling the flowers took a little practice. My best method was to start by winding the paper one or two times around a pencil, then remove the pencil and finish rolling with my fingers. That technique helped me shape the petals and position them evenly. Once rolled, each flower had a small circular base at the end; I applied a dot of hot glue to that circle and pressed it onto the rolled center to secure the shape. After a few flowers I had the movement down and the process went faster.
Before attaching the flowers, I pushed a kabob skewer into the styrofoam ball to use as a handle. When the ball was fully covered with flowers and the glue had set, I removed the skewer and mounted the ball on a round vase. The vase I used was an inexpensive Walmart find that I painted on the inside — painting the interior of clear glass vases is an easy way to add color and gives a polished, professional look. Just squirt paint in, swirl it around, and let it dry.
This topiary makes a cheerful spring accent for a mantel, entry table, or as a centerpiece for seasonal gatherings. If you want to change the color scheme, swap the paper colors to match your decor or event palette. You can also vary the size of the styrofoam ball and the scale of the cut files for different effects.
Thank you for reading — I hope this inspires you to try rolled paper flowers. They’re a satisfying, low-cost craft that creates a big impact. What is your favorite piece of spring decor?