Make Your Own Faux Potted Flowers

Springtime and flowers are synonymous for many of us. Fortunately, there is a cheap, easy way to decorate your home with flowers. Make your own faux flowers (and pots). This can be done with inexpensive things and it is a project that adults and kids can do.

For your flower stems, you can use plastic straws or ball point pens. If the straws are colored, they can be left plain. You can also decorate them as you would the pens, with crepe paper. Wrap crepe paper around the pen or straw, and use adhesive periodically to make the paper stay in place. You could also use construction paper or wrapping paper.

For the flower petals, cut them out of construction paper or card stock. Stiffer paper will make it easier to shape the petals. Keep the paper as-is or decorate with paint, crayons, stickers, etc. Attach your petals around one end of your stem, with tape or glue, layering for fuller blooms. The specific arrangement doesn't matter, no flower is truly perfect.

If you want to include a pistil (center of a blossom that's usually yellow), try a small cotton ball, sprayed with glitter glue. Stamens can be included also. Try using matchsticks, after removing the head of course. Toothpicks or small strips of paper can also become stamens.

Once your flowers are done, they need a pot. You could use an actual flower pot, small metal pail, or even a coffee mug. These items can be decorated with any number of things, including craft paint. Decoupage, or anything else that strikes your fancy, can be done to make your pot look great.

Flowers also need "dirt", something to fill up the pot and keep them standing. You could use real potting soil, bark, or even leftover grass from your Easter baskets. Shredded paper can work also. Even dried beans can work, or packing peanuts.

Once you have all the components ready, assembly is super easy. This is a fun and easy project that has many uses. You could decorate your own home or office, and these potted flowers make great gifts also. If you use this for an office, try placing the petals at the opposite end of the pen used for writing. When a customer needs a pen, they'll be readily available and highly visible. This project can also be adapted to making potted plants - cutting paper into fern leaves, and taping straws underneath for support, for example.