Our philosophy that art has the power to make you feel good means that we try to reach as many people as we can to help boost their wellbeing. While we are closed to the public due to government advice, we're sharing loads of ways to stay creative at home.

"Art for Normals" blogs are aimed at everyone. We want you all to feel good with a bit of art. No artistic knowledge or, dare we say it, talent required!


Today we're making paper flowers. Follow the instructions to create one like ours, or get creative and craft a whole bouquet of your favourite florals!

Equipment

  • For the petals and leaves: Paper – newspaper, magazine, tissue paper, coloured paper, wrapping paper, anything you have available
  • For the stem: Wire, a drinking straw, a bbq skewer, a thin plant from a pot plant, or even chopsticks
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • Glue

Got everything? Let's get started.

1. For the stem, cut 1cm strips of paper.

2. Apply glue along the strip of paper and wrap it around whatever you are using for your stem. You might need a few strips to cover the whole stem.

3. For the inside of the flower, cut a 4cm strip of paper. Apply glue along one edge of the strip. Wrap this around the end of your stem. Wrap it a few times tightly, then begin loosening it and wrapping it slightly lower down your stem to create some shape to the paper.

4. For the petals, draw out some petal shapes of varying sizes, some smaller and some larger. You might find it helpful to create a template as you will need to cut quite a few out. What about using different shape petals to create different types of flowers?

5. Beginning with the smaller petals, apply a dab of glue at the bottom of each petal and attach it to the flower. Line them up with the base of the inside of the flower you have already attached. Add the larger petals on top of the smaller petals. Use your fingers to curve the petals and roll the edges in to create a softer flower shape.

6. Finally, cut out a couple of leaf shapes. Add a dab of glue and stick them to the stem of your flower.

Ta-dah! Display your flower in a small vase or gift a bouquet to a loved one.