Folded Paper Spring crafts.

Yesterday i decided it was finally time to take down our snowflake decorations, and our paper stars which were very faded. i wanted something new and spring themed to decorate our windows. Last week or so, i came across this picture from Little Acorn Learning. i really wanted to make some flowers for our windows, but when i sat down to make them i had completely forgotten where i had seen them. So i ended up creating my own flowers, inspired by the picture i had seen. It wasn't until i found the photo again, that i realized i had made mine very different. My petals are turned the opposite way, giving it the look of a lotus flower.


After making a few of the flowers, i decided to use the same basic folding pattern to create butterflies and dragonflies.

i made all of these using this Checkered Star pattern. i was going to post a tutorial for it, but there is a great tutorial for it here.
This is the main fold i use for stars, butterflies, flowers etc. You will want to practice this fold, as i use it for all of these spring paper tutorials.


First thing you want to do it cut your tissue paper into squares. i used 2 1/2" squares, but you could use 2" or 3", whatever works best for you. Once you have a bunch of squares cut in different colors, you will want to fold them all into the checkered fold.

For the Lotus flower. i used 5 checkered fold squares in Pink, and three in green.


i lined up the back petals first. Use a glue stick, to glue them together at the base.


You can click the above picture to see it closer up. Next i place the side petals, and use glue stick to secure them. Lastly, i add the very center petal and glue it on top of the other four.
Arrange two of your leaves underneath and glue in place.



The last leaf, i place over the other two, but slighty behind the flower. You can arrange the leaves and petals however you like to give the flower a slightly different look.




The butterfly is created using the same fold, with layered tissue paper. Click the picture for a tutorial on how to make it.

Click the dragonfly picture for a tutorial on making it.

i use my washable glue stick to stick these right in the windows. They make a beautiful spring decoration and are easy for kids to put together. You may have to do the checkered fold for younger kids, but older kids will be able to do it themselves.

Feel free to ask questions if anything isn't clear! Happy creating!