DIY Giant Free Standing Paper flowers on Pipe Stems.

If you're looking for cheap and easy decor for a party or outdoor wedding or reception that will make a BIG statement...consider making some of these giant flowers! As promised when I shared the yellow black and white summer storefront window that I created at the shop last week, today I'm showing you how to  DIY  the giant free standing paper flowers on electric conduit pipe stems that I used in the display.

The process for making the flowers is pretty simple. To make the "petals",  make two stacks with 7 sheets of newspaper in each.  Accordion  fold the stacks of paper with each fold about 1 1/2 inches wide.  After folding, place the stacks side by side and  wrap two pieces  of 12 inch long floral wire around the center, twisting once. Cut the ends so that they are rounded for about 2 inches.

To make the centers, accordion fold 4 sheets of tissue paper and cut them in half (enough for two flower centers). Wrap a single piece of 12 inch floral wire around the center of the accordion then cut the ends into "strips" being careful not to cut all the way through the center (I left about an inch in the middle). After cutting the strips, either separate or "scrunch" them with your fingers until they look messy and fluffy.

Add the tissue paper piece to the center of the folded flower petals by twisting the wire around the petals once.

Carefully fan out the petals and begin to fluff them by pulling them toward the center, one piece at a time, working your way around the flower until all layers are separated.

Adjust as needed.  Next, form the stems by cutting electrical conduit pipe to different lengths (mine range in length from 3 feet to 6 feet).  Bend the top of the pipe into a gentle arch using a conduit bender or by standing on the pipe and pulling gently on the end to bend it upwardworking your way slowly down about 1/4 the pipe.  Add a bend in the center if you're adding leaves.

At the curved end of the stem, attach a 1 1/2 inch screw connector. To this, add 4 inch blank octagonal plate with the center punched out and attach it with a locknut.

In the spirit of full disclosure, Kelly's husband, Patrick is an electrician.  I explained what I wanted and he put these together for me but it IS an easy DIY. You can find all of the parts at your local home improvement center.

Last, make a base out of 2x4 wood. Cut two pieces that are 12 to 14 inches long. Form an X. add two 4 to 5 inch long blocks beneath the upper "arm" to stabilize. Glue or nail the base together. Drill a hole through the center to accept the conduit (I used 3/4").

Wire the paper flower to the plate and fasten securely. (You may also want to glue the flower to the plate, I am going to re-use the "stems" so mine are wired on).

Place the flower in the base (add leaves if desired) and wrap the plate and the stem in plastic wrap.  Tape the plastic wrap into place at the bottom where the stem meets the base.

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Stand a few in your living room...or driveway...or use them to decorate your shop...or party.  

 These giant paper flowers are an easy and  inexpensive way to decorate for a party or wedding. They can be made out of tissue paper, newsprint, fabric, or even plastic table cloths.  You'll see these giant flowers again, I promise. I've already got plans to change them for fall...and maybe winter!   Oh...and don't you think that  they'd make fabulous giant daffodils in the spring!?

Summer Store Window with Giant Paper Flowers

I did some restyling at the shop over the holiday weekend (Vintage Fresh in Downers Grove, IL).    I installed a new summer-themed display for the shop window which includes a newsprint banner and GIANT free-standing newsprint flowers with tissue paper centers that I created.  I wanted the window to feel fresh and happy and to focus not only on summer but also on the shop's specialty: painted furniture.

Retail Store Display Staging and An Announcement

Over the last several years, I've had the opportunity to extend my staging services beyond residential and into the market and retail environments. I've had the pleasure of fluffing staging at Nellie's Barn Sale and The Vintage Market. I even did a  little retail display work at my friend Nancy's shop, Twigs and Twine, in Capron when they opened a couple of years ago..

During this time, I learned that I love creating vignettes to display the things that a vendor or store  has for sale. Multiply that by about a million when the store sells painted furniture, vintage and repurposed items and handmade items from local vendors and throw in even more love when my own home is undergoing renovation and the only "staging" going on involves stacking cardboard boxes in every room in the house.

When  my friends, Erin and Kelly opened their store, Vintage-Fresh in downtown Downers Grove early this year, it was pretty much given that I'd love to shop at their store. What I didn't expect was that I'd get along with them so well that they'd allow me to moonlight creating window displays and doing a little store staging.                   
                                                                 But, they did and I love it!

Over the last week or so, we've been chatting and  I've been at the store... playing with vintage linens and lace, crystal, milk glass, ironstone (of course) and all sorts of other vintage and hand made items that make the hours fly by and my heart smile.

I've had so much fun hanging out with Erin and Kelly that I also knew pretty quickly that I wanted to be a part of their fabulous store in whatever way I could (while still renovating the farmhouse and having a family and a full time job).

So, as of April 15th (yesterday), you can now find Serendipity Refined embroidered vintage style dish towels, handmade pillows and buntings at Vintage Fresh with more items added as the opportunity arises

                                                          You'll see them in the window....

                                         and you'll find them tucked into displays around the store.

Of course, I'll still be blogging and writing tutorials (and I'll be hosting my vintage household surplus sale if it ever stops snowing) but now, I'll also have a place to sell some of the things that I create.

Besides being great fun, I also have to believe that selling a few of the things that I create will make life infinitely easier as we embark upon life in about 200 square feet of living area with a dog while the major portion of Phase 2 happens this summer). 

For those of you who aren't local, I am  accepting custom orders for towels, pillows, aprons and buntings and am in the process of setting up an online store. If you have an urgent need, message me and we'll work something out.

I hope that if you're in the south Chicago 'burbs, you'll stop by Vintage-Fresh. There are loads of fabulous ideas for weddings, showers and you'll find end of year teacher's gifts as well as Graduation and Mothers Day ideas! In coming weeks,

I'll also be announcing a couple of workshops that I'll be teaching at the store as well as a very important announcement involving painted furniture classes and PAINT!

There are lots of changes on the horizon here at Serendipity Refined/A French Farmhouse and I'm forever grateful to each of you for being here to share them!