{DIY}Funky Floral Birthday Number

As you know, this past weekend, we celebrated my Grandma's 80th birthday!  It was a lovely party.  My job was to create a decoration using the number 80.  I had several ideas and played around for a few days until I found my vision (and something that wasn't going to take me 80 hours to complete...) 

Would you like to make one too?

It would be perfect for any birthday party.

Here is what you will need:

cardboard (I used an old box)
cardstock in your party's color palate
bowl of water
several pipe cleaners
permanent marker (optional)
scissors
green (or other color) fabric scraps cut into strips
hot glue
hot glue gun
fabric scraps for the rosettes
Something to trace for a circle - I used a canning jar rim

As you probably know, there are bunches and bunches of tutorials online for making fabric/paper flowers.
As I said yesterday I decided on a version of paper flowers here.

I made a variation of her scalloped puff flowers.  Unfortunately, I don't have any kind of dicut machine - that would have made this project a LOT faster - but I just got out the scissors and started snipping.

So this is the first step - make all of your paper flowers.

Step 1:  Trace your circle onto the cardstock, but instead of following the smooth curve of a circle, add little scallops all the way around.  Then cut it out.  You will need 2 large scalloped circles and 2 small scalloped circles.

Yes I was to cheap so thrifty that I didn't want to buy any more cardstock, but I needed bright pink.  So I colored some paper with a marker.  On the two light pink circles I colored the outer edge - it gives it a neat effect when it is all scrunched up.

Step 2:  Dip the card stock in a bowl of water for 5 seconds.  I was worried it would make them fall apart, but it didn't.  If you are using really thin paper you may want to just drip a little bit of water on them.  Stack them together.

Step 3:  Using half of a pipe cleaner, poke a hole through the center of the flowers (you may need some scissors to help).  Tie a "knot" at one end of the pipe cleaner so it won't slide through the hole.

Then scrunch all the paper up toward the center and wrap the pipe cleaner tail around the bottom.

Gently fluff the paper out until you are happy with your little flower - let it dry, and it will magically stay exactly how you want it.

Then just keep making flowers until you have enough - I made 20. 
Now it is time to make your number.

Step 1:  Heat up your hot glue gun.  While that is heating, draw a large number on your cardboard box and cut it out (sidenote - this totally counts as your workout for the day!)

Step 2:  Cut your fabric into long strips about 2" wide.  Start gluing them all over the number - scrunching it as you go.

Don't you think it kind of looks like grass?  It gives a nice texture for the background.

Step 3:  Place your flowers around and hot glue them to the number.

For a finishing touch I curled little strips of cardstock (use your scissors like with ribbon - then shape it with your finger).  I also twisted some pieces of faux bois paper to imitate twigs.

My hubby and I also made the frame - I just bought some trim at HD, he cut it and assembled it for me, then I painted it blue.  It may seem like a lot of work - but it had a huge impact and cost me about $10. 

I was going to share with you my tutorial for tissue paper flowers - but we'll do that next week as this post is already really long...hope you all have a great weekend!
xoxo
jessica