create (with kids): upcycled flowers

I begun this year committed to buying less, and utilizing more of our everyday recyclables- plastic lids, toilet paper rolls, newspaper- into art. It's been a nice creative stretching for me. I find myself daydreaming new ideas and more uses. Which are fun by themselves, but even better when I get to share them with you here! Such as this: 

We began by painting our toilet tissue rolls. Then I flattened it in half and used decorative scissors to create a pretty edge.

 

With the roll still flattened, I cut partly through both sides of the middle and then on each side of the middle. I then flattened it the other way and cut through both sides of that middle too. 

The girls then pulled the pieces of cardboard back, and watched the petals form. They thought this was pretty magical! I then made a slit in the bottom of each flower, and inserted a bamboo skewer through. We glued them at the base of the flower...

 ...and added some glue at the top too. The glue helped hold the skewer in for the most part, but what really helped was stuffing tissue paper in on both sides.

We experimented with leftover tissue paper we had on hand, as well as toilet paper tissue too. The colors of the tissue paper are nice, but- since they're all scrunched up- either would work. Other than the color, you really can't tell a difference.

Gluing on some green construction leaves was our final step, before enjoying our bouquet. An easy way to "grow" something new!

Sidenote: Mine were more interested in turning them into flowers than painting on them again, but I think another coat of paint on the opened petals could be a nice touch. Older children could even add roots to their flowers by gluing on pieces of yarn, then you could discuss the parts of a flower.