DIY holiday amaryllis

I go back and forth between sharing my flower patterns. I’d much rather you learn it in person with me in a workshop chatting and crafting over an open fire. But seeing as how you live in North Dakota, Nepal or or Neptune, it probably won’t happen anytime soon. AND, this is a time of generosity and gratitude and I AM after all a DIY blogger, so I thought I’d spread the amaryllis joy so you can recreate it for you holiday festivities. It’s the one I did for the West Elm shoot and event (check out more photos here). And if you do create it, I’d love to see it! Put it on Instagram and tag it with #larsflowers

Materials: red paper (I used Canson pastel paper in tomato red), green double sided crepe paper from Castle in the Air, scissors, glue gun, wooden dowel ½” for each flower, stamen pieces (I bought mine vintage but you can use this here) or you can improvise with rolled up crepe paper…like a joint…sorry, that’s the only metaphor I have), paper wrapped wire 18 gauge like this (one per flower), chipboard to cut out the templates, template (download here)

1. Trace the petals onto red paper (there are two sizes, cut 3 of each)

2. Cut out the petals

3. Fold the bottom half of the flower length-wise.

4. Curl the upper half of each petal with a paintbrush or pen or pencil or something.

5. Add a dab of glue to the (smaller sized) petal in the bottom crease and immediately add on a piece of wire.

6. Add a dab of glue onto the right edge of the next petal and attach it to the first petal.

7. Add glue to both the left and right side of the last smaller-sized petals and connect it with the first and middle petals so it becomes a circle.

8. With the larger petals, add glue onto both sides at the bottom of the petal and spread them around the back of the first petals evenly.

9. Glue the end of the stamen bits and add them into the center of the flower.

10. Cut a 1” strip of crepe paper that’s about the length of the whole piece (about 2’) going against the grain

11. Cut out your leaves (if you want leaves) going with the grain

12. Stretch out the leaf a bit at the bottom and at the top to give it some shape.

13. Stretch out the crepe paper (but careful because it’s fragile)

14. Add glue about ¼” above the end of the base of the flower and wrap the crepe paper around all the way and start winding down the wire.

5. Add in the dowel to give the flower stem some thickness about 1” down.

16. Keep on winding the green crepe paper in.

17. Add in a leaf at any point (I show it here at the bottom of the stem, but you can add it in the middle too) by gluing the base of the leaf and slightly folding it onto the stem.

18. Keep on winding the crepe paper around until you get to the bottom.

19. Seal it off with glue.

Optional: adding paint. I sprayed mine with spray paint and I added some gouache (or acrylic is fine) with a thin paint brush along the back petals to create a more realistic flower.

Optional:

1. Put floral foam into the bottom of a pot.

2. Stick the dowel into the foam.

3. Add some moss on top.