Coffee Filter Poppies

Well it’s that time of year when we’re all pretty much OVER WINTER. It’s only fun for so long… until it’s not fun. It’s just cold.

I’m not usually one to complain about winter (especially when I’m snowboarding), but lately I keep catching myself daydreaming about balmy days… the girls swinging, picnics, sidewalk chalk, and fresh spring blooms.

I found this amazing pic on Instagram via Amanda Rydell last summer and saved it to my ‘Inspiration folder’ …and I remember thinking ‘poppies are SO PRETTY and obnoxious!’

And then my next thought was… ‘’those MUST be made out of coffee filters.’

But, they aren’t! THEY’RE REAL! I even had to do a little Google research to confirm that they just really look like that!

I’m sure you can guess what happened next… I MADE SOME POPPIES.

Here are the supplies you’ll need:

• coffee filters
• food coloring
• scissors
• small paper plates (or cardstock cut in circles)
• black texturous fabric
• glue
• disposable plastic cup (about the size of a red Solo cup)
• small bowl

Put about an inch of water in your bowl, and add several drops of food coloring. I used mostly red with a few drops of yellow to give it a more ‘peach’ color. Be advised that red food coloring will give you a PINK poppy. If you want a true red poppy, you’ll have to use this red food coloring (aff link). It will get them pretty darn red, but even then it’s not a true blood red like red poppies you see in nature.

I made a red one just to show ya… that’s my cute model, Paisley.

Take 4 or 5 coffee filters (still stuck together), fold in half and in half again, then hold them in the dyed water for a few seconds. It’s so fun to watch the color move up the coffee filter before your eyes! At this point, you can still add more dye if you find that the color isn’t as saturated as you want. Keep in mind that they will dry lighter than they appear when wet.

Next, drape them over the plastic cups to dry. This makes them naturally ruffle a bit naturally, and when they dry, they’ll stay in that exact position!

Repeat, repeat, REPEAT! For however many poppies you want to make! Each poppy will only technically need 3 or 4 filters, but I like to use 3 or 4 filters from separate drying cups so they have different ruffles and shape. Does that make sense?

Let this dry until they’re super stiff… a couple hours, depending on how many layers you have stacked. Then peel apart your layers!

Next, dollop some glue on the center of your paper plate, and press on the first coffee filter. (I used Elmer’s, but you could use a hot glue gun too). Then dollop some glue in the center of that filter and add another layer of coffee filter… REPEAT until you have as many layers as you want! I think I did 4 on mine.

While you’re letting that glue dry, cut your black fabric into circles. I had this super texture-y / stringy fabric laying around that was PERFECT. But I don’t remember where I bought it (literally more than 10 years ago) so I can’t help you there. But even if you just use black felt, it will be ok because it’s just going to look dark inside the flower.

Dollop some more glue  and press your fabric circle into place!

Let em dryyyy!

I trimmed off the edges of the paper plate base, and used this tutorial to add the stems… easier than I thought!

Just looking at these makes me feel happy and READY FOR SPRING! And I love that they won’t die.

I popped a few in a clear vase and put them in the twins’ room for now. A vase of flowers always brings a nice touch to any room… and in this case I don’t have to worry about 4-year-olds spilling water and such.

Now that I’m thinking about it, a bouquet of these could be a great Valentine’s gift for a friend, teacher, neighbor, loved one… etc!

There you have it! A fun little crafty tutorial! I can tell you from experience that it’s a great activity to do with the tiny dictators in your life. It’s nearly impossible to mess them up (the poppies, not the children). And my girls love to ‘smell the poppies’… hehe! Maybe I should spritz them with something yummy smelling.

NOW, if I could only get poppies to grow in my garden. I sprinkle seeds every year… and NOTHING! Please advice if you have a good method for getting poppies to grow. They’re so giant! And pretty!.

~Bethany

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…P.S! If you’re curious about the rest of the twins’ room, be sure to check out the rest of it! There are tutorials for EVERYTHING!