Friday 19 August 2011

How to Make Flowers in 1:12 Scale

Flowers made from tissue paper
Sometimes I use Fimo, the oven-dried modelling clay, to make miniature flowers. But, after much experimenting, I've decided that I like using tissue paper better. The paper flowers are very delicate and the petals seem lifelike.
 To make tissue paper flowers in 1:12 scale, you will need:
  • tissue paper
  • fine gauge florist wire 
  • yellow flocking   
  • craft glue suitable for paper
  • punches in heart, star and teardrop shapes
  • hairspray
You can buy tissue paper in a range of colours, so choose the colour suitable for the type of flower you want to make.
  1. Cut the florist wire into short lengths
  2. Dip one end of each into glue and then into the yellow flocking.  These are the flowers' centres. Leave to dry.
  3. Fold tissue paper into three layers. 
  4. Punch out a number of shapes. Keep the three layers together.
  5. To make roses, use heart shapes. Dip the pointed end in glue. Using the three layers of tissue paper at a time, wrap a heart around the end of the wire. Keep adding them to build up a rose shape. Bend the outer petals back slightly. 
  6. To make a camellia, use teardrop shapes. Follow the same method. 
  7. To make a peony, use star shapes. Follow the same method. To make these petals look fluffier, separate them a little with your fingernail and curve them upwards.
  8. Punch teardrop shapes out of green tissue paper.
  9. Glue these where the base of the flower meets the wire to cover the join, so they look like the flower's sepals.
  10. Arrange the flowers with a little greenery in a vase.
  11. Spray the arrangement lightly with hairspray to protect it.
I hope you enjoy making these tissue paper flowers. They are quick and easy to make and look  beautiful in a dolls house room. 

8 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing your making flowers technique, I shall give it a try!

    Kind regards,

    Patty

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  2. Let's know how you get on, Patty!

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  3. Thank you for sharing, I have made mini roses by taking the rose petals from my garden and some tiny leaves, coating them in a thin layer of watered down glue to preserve them and using the stem of a poppy, they turned out quite good. x Mandy

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    Replies
    1. What a lovely idea to make them from real flowers! I'd like to try that too. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  4. what size punches do you use? I am a newbie

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    1. Hi there, the punches I use are called Carla from Carl Craft. They are, I think, the smallest ones you can get. I've just got them out to see if there is a size marked on them but there's nothing except the brand name. Hope this helps.

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  5. Hi could you tell me the gauge of florist wire as yo
    ur list just stated fine Gloria wire. Many thanks
    Gilli

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    Replies
    1. Hello Gilli - because the tissue paper is so delicate I used the finest gauge florist wire. It seems perfectly in scale then.

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