How to Make a Bouquet out of Paper Money

Origami is a fun art that allows you to make things by folding paper. Instead of just using regular paper you can also use other things, like money. One fun gift idea is a money bouquet. It's a great way to surprise a loved one in your life on their birthday, graduation, anniversary or even as a little wedding present. These paper money bouquets are really fun to make and quite easy.

Things You'll Need

• 36 dollar bills (to make 6 roses)
• Floral wire
• Long nose pliers
• 12 silk flowers
• Floral tape
• Ribbon
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Lay a single bill on a flat surface. Fold it in half from left to right. Unfold and lay it out again, with the open side of the crease face down. Take a piece of floral wire and curl all four corners back to create rolled corners. Make a perpendicular crease in the center by pinching the dollar from the bottom. Crumple the bill, still holding the center, so it looks like a fan with the two long sides pointing outward. Flatten the center crease and cup the sides so it forms a petal look.

2. Repeat Step 1 with four more dollar bills so you are left with five petals. Take another dollar bill and fold it in half, from left to right. Hold the bill in your hand and cup it, then hold the center like you did with the other bills but this time the ends should point out and not be cupped.

3. Take a 20-inch floral wire and bend it in half. Place the wire over the last bill so the ends points upward. Cross the wires and tighten them then twist the wires 90 degrees. Take a pair of long nose pliers and bend the wires down so it leaves a 1 cm gap between the two wires. Take one of the cupped and curled petal dollars and place its center between the two wires. Push it up toward the first dollar. Twist the wires across the bottom of the dollar. Repeat the bend the wire and insert the dollar petal process for the remainder of the dollar petals so you are left with a complete rose.

4. Take the two wires and twist them together all the way to the bottom so they are intertwined and form one thicker wire that looks like a flower stem. There should be two dollars ends in the center of the rose that are uncurled. Take one of these and roll it into a point. Hold in place and roll the other end around the first one. Tape in place.

5. Take apart a silk flower. Remove the green calyx under the bud. Slip this over the wire stem of your paper flower. Secure with floral tape. Repeat these steps to create 5 more roses.

6. Find some decorative ribbon and cut a 1-foot long piece. Take all six of your money roses and hold the stems together to create a bouquet. Wrap the center of the ribbon around the stems a couple times then tie in a bow.

Tips & Warnings

• Use foreign currency to add some color to the bouquet

• Don't use torn or overly worn and old bills as they won't fold correctly

Resources

• Illustrated Instructions