Craftibilities: tissue paper

Paper flowers are a great way to brighten someone's day! Perfect idea for your local retirement residence.

I'm doing a series of ways kids can get involved with giving back. These are all crafts we've done at home and with a large group.

Here are my five categories we'll be involved with this month and I'll post ideas for each one.

ENVIRONMENT
ANIMALS
RETIREMENT RESIDENTS
FIRST RESPONDERS

HOMELESS

WHY DO THIS?

Who wouldn't love a homemade colorful flower!? Seniors enjoy the company and just coming to visit could brighten their day. The flower is a bonus. :)

This craft is easy for little kids to do. Parents can pre-cut circles and kids can pick colors, layer circles and help with the pipe cleaner. We've done this with kids as young as three!

Tissue paper
Circle cardboard template
Scissors
Stapler
Pipe cleaner

You pick how big or small you'd like the flowers to be. In groups we used templates cut from old cereal boxes.

You could also trace a cup or bowl for the template.

I fold the tissue paper and cut several of the template at a time. Be careful not to stack too many because the tissue paper shifts a little.

10-12 circles of tissue paper per flower. I used 12 for these since I was keeping a pattern. Normally 10 will work fine.

Staple in the center.

Since we are making 4 table centerpieces we did a mass assembly.

Cut a slit on either side of the staple by folding over just a little.

Insert pipe cleaner from the bottom of one side and down the other side making both them the same length.

View from underneath.

Twist the two pieces together. This makes them a little more sturdy.

Now just bunch together each layer one at a time. I like to bunch and press down.

(optional) Take a 4" pipe cleaner to add as a leaf.

Sihouette Christmas Tree Mason Jars TUTORIAL

Other ways to show the seniors you care:

Bring real flowers!! This was 2006!!!

Every flower came with a hug. :D

It's better to bring something small if they don't have room or ability to take care of it. Air plants or succulents would be a great idea.

Holidays we bring candy, mini cupcakes, or small gifts.

For Valentine's day we brought lotion and St. Patrick's Day little clover necklaces.

Chocolate dipped Nutter Butter cookies

RICE KRISPIE lollipop treats

Ask if you can come help with special events or bingo days.

He started calling bingo at 4 years old and.....

Now 15 and still calls bingo at the same residence.

Recently someone brought the flowers after their wedding. I bundled up small bouquets and the boys handed them out to all the ladies.

Please share other ideas!

Thank you for visiting my blog. Any questions? Just ask!

Follow me!

Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest

I absolutely love this game!!

Remember the bee themed library celebration 2 years ago?
I was tasked with coming up with a large scale game that was great for all ages, inexpensive, could be delegated to a group to assemble, and easy to setup and run the day of the event. WHEW!!! I thought of so many ideas but kept coming back to this concept.

So I made a mini version and presented it to the board for approval.

Now the hard part....delegating. I'm a perfectionist and other people, well, some think glue strings are okay, don't care if it's symmetrical, and so what if it's not cut straight. Of course those things matter!!!!!!!

I purchased most of the novelty items at Party City and found some really good value packs.

Pre-cut tissue paper templates and purchased the cups, rubber bands, and foam core boards.

Just like the test version of the game, I also ran a test version of delegating with my boys. We worked out anything that might need extra instructions so I wasn't super bossy the day of assembly. I did twitch quite a bit but I think overall I handled it well. :P

Day of assembly:

Tissue paper cutters

Toy fillers

Cup cover-ers x 2

I suggested covering the cups as a two person job. One person wrap the tissue around the cup and hold tight in place and the second person add the rubber band. This worked well since it's hard to get the tissue on tight doing it one handed and I also found that the styrofoam cups crush easily.