Easy Paper Napkin Poinsettia

With Christmas right around the corner here is a quick and easy way to give your gift wrapping a special touch this year, paper napkin poinsettias.

Hi, I’m Julie from Sum of their Stories. I was looking for a super easy way to make paper poinsettias without having to download fancy petal templates or spend ages cutting out. With a little experimenting this is what I came up with this quick way to make pretty flowers in next to no time, perfect if you want lots!

I have picked another project that doesn’t translate well across the Atlantic though. I had this same problem back in the summer when I shared my “popsicle stick” necklace idea with you all. I’m an English lass, and for me they are “lolly sticks”! This time it’s these paper “napkins” that I used to make the poinsettias. For me they are “serviettes”! In the UK a napkin would be very posh and most likely made out of some sort of starched damask. However, when in Rome…I will try to remember to call them napkins, please excuse me if I slip up!

What you need:

• Red Paper Napkins
• Ordinary Paper glue
• Glue gun and glue
• Sharp scissors
• Beads, buttons or sequins for the centre

1. Take your paper napkin and half open it out, leaving the fold at the top
2. Fold in half horizontally bringing the bottom edge up to the centre fold
3. Fold in half vertically, bringing the right edge over to the left
4. Fold in half vertically again. Turn the square round all the flappy unfolded corners are nearest to you and the corner that is all folds is furthest away
5. Cut diagonally as shown from the “flappy” corner to the “fold” corner stopping just under 1 inch from the corner
6. Cut a petal shape away on either side. This is easiest to do from the edge to the folded side rather than the other way round

1. Separate the layers, you should end up with 4 separate “flowers”
2. Glue these layers together with a bit of the paper glue – be careful, paper napkins rip easily
3. Space the petals out as shown, so the flower is full and not gappy
4. Put a blob of glue from the gun glue in the centre
5. Pinch the flower up in the centre at the back as pictured
6. You do need to be fairly quick, the glue gun doesn’t give you very long. Do NOT try to pull the paper apart if you have made a mistake, this is a one chance thing! That said, it is very forgiving and doesn’t have to be perfectly even.

Add some beads, a button or sequins to the glue before it sets. If you miss your chance with the glue, don’t worry, just add a little more glue

The size of the poinsettia will depend on the size of your napkin, as you can see above, the flower will be pretty much the same as the folded napkin. If you want to make smaller flowers just cut down the napkin on the 2 loose edges before you begin (don’t trim the folded edges or the flowers won’t be whole!)

Stick them on gifts, wreaths, garlands – whatever you like. I’m going to pop them onto gifts this year.

I experimented with a few different centres but there are loads of other things you could try. Glitter, seed beads, a little crumple of tissue paper, a punched paper flower shape… My favourite so far is probably the sequins, but as these took about 3 minutes each to make I think I’ll be trying some more ideas before the 25th.

I hope you enjoy making paper serviette (doh!) napkin poinsettias as much as I have.

You can find more of my Christmas Ideas over on Sum of their Stories