Creating Paper Flower Bows from Recycled Materials

I just found a great idea and tutorial about taking household materials and using them to create paper flowers that add a touch of pizazz to gifts. Since the whole world is on this green kick, this is a great way to feel apart of it. Not only is it great for the environment but it also saves you a lot of green in your wallet because we all know how much those store bought bows can be!

By using plain gift bags, brown paper bags or newspaper to wrap gifts, you can then create paper flower "bows" to add a unique ornament to the gift. Grocery bags, plastic wrap, magazines, and reused gift wrap are all materials suggested in the article. I think that other materials such as aluminum foil, pages from an old book, or maybe even old photos will make beautiful paper flowers as well!

Here's a link to the article. Click for directions on how to make these stylish paper flower bows.

Paper flowers As A Unique Fundraiser

Image credit: andrea singarella from Flickr

While searching the internet the other day for people creating paper flowers, I found a great article about a fundraiser going on right now where people are selling paper flowers for a great cause! Businesses in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are participating in this unique fundraiser, selling paper flowers.

I LOVE this idea! Unlike your typical candy bar or t-shirt fundraiser, there is a special feeling when you receive a flower, especially a paper flower, because of the time and effort it takes to make it. A paper flower, unlike a real flower, never wilts and you don't ever have to water it. A paper flower doesn't get eaten or turned into an old gym shirt either. A paper flower is a great fund-raising tool because it's a daily reminder to give!

The participating businesses are selling the paper flowers for just a buck to raise money for Lifesteps, a local family-focused nonprofit. I love this idea and I love their slogan, Seeds of Hope, more. What a great message to reach out to the community. It just makes me want to smile while looking up at a rainbow and give a few bucks to build me a paper flower bouquet! Here's a little more about the nonprofit agency selling the paper flowers:

The fundraiser will conclude April 20. Proceeds benefit the Lifesteps’ Family Caring Fund, which is restricted to paying expenditures not otherwise reimbursed by federal, state, or county programs, and supports local programs and services such as free developmental “Child Check” screenings for children birth to 5 years of age. Lifesteps offers family-focused services to Western Pennsylvania communities. Additional programs and services offered to local communities include home-based services for families in need and an adult training facility and 24-hour community homes for adults with mental retardation.

To read more about this paper flower fundraiser, click here.

If you found this blog post while looking for unique fundraiser ideas and you love this idea of selling paper flowers as much as I do, you can check out this popular book on Amazon about making paper flowers. Martha Stewart is also selling a paper flower kit from her crafts line now also you may like (The picture of the tissue paper flowers above was made from her kit)!

I'm just starting this site so I would love to hear from you! Let me know what you think in my comments!