How to Make a Flower Pencil

Crepe paper has the right texture for a poppy pencil topper.

Making a flower pencil offers an engaging craft activity for all ages, providing practice in working with paper and scissors for kids or creative expression for adults. The flower pencils make a practical and decorative gift for Mother's Day, birthdays or to decorate a desk. Displaying a group of flower pencils in a small flower pot or vase provides a festive party favor or centerpiece. Using a variety of colors and cutting different kinds of petals into paper allows you to create a bouquet of eye-catching flower pencils to share or keep.

Things You'll Need

• Crepe paper or tissue paper
• New pencils
• Unopened soup can (optional)
• Scissors
• Tape
• Green floral tape

Instructions

1. Cut a piece of tissue paper or crepe paper 4 inches wide by 5 to 6 inches long. The measurements don't have to be exact.

2. Fold the paper in half lengthwise and cut petals into it, leaving 1/2 inch uncut paper at one edge. Cut the paper in thin strips to make narrow petals, or cut petals 1 inch or wider to create the effect of a rose. Alternatively, cut three or four circles 3 or 4 inches in diameter to create a poppy. A soup can or other round object works for a pattern.

3. Wrap the uncut edge of the folded paper around a pencil just below the eraser. Keep wrapping the paper around until it overlaps itself. Apply tape all the way around the the base of the flower to hold it on the pencil. Wrap the tape all the way around four times to secure the flower. Gently fold the petals down to create the appearance of an open flower.

4. Make a poppy pencil topper, if desired, by stacking the paper circles and poking a hole through the center of all of them. Push the pencil eraser through the hole. Wrap tape around the paper just below the eraser. Crumple the paper gently to create the poppy flower effect.

5. Wrap floral tape around the pencil, starting just below the flower petals to give the pencil flower a green stem. Stretch the floral tape gently as you wrap it in an overlapping spiral to within 1 inch of the tip. Cut the floral tap. Stretch the end of the tape and press it against the wrapped part of the pencil. Floral tape adheres to itself and can be easily unwrapped to sharpen the pencil.

Tips & Warnings

• Cut the paper ahead of time for a group project for younger children.

• Round the edges of the paper by cutting a curve with the scissors to create realistic rose petals.

• Don't give sharpened pencils to younger children to avoid the risk of injury. Provide them with new, unsharpened pencils that are blunt on the end.

References

• Enchanted Learning: Pencil Decoration Flower Craft

Resources

• Artists Helping Children: Flower and Garden Crafts for Kids