My house recently hosted a Midsummer night's dream-themed party and we wanted to decorate our backyard like a magical woodland clearing where fairies might hang out and get up to mischief. We came up with these giant flowers made out of tissue paper to put up all over the yard as well as on our gate to make it easier for guests to find our house. They look really impressive but they are really simple to make! All you need is a few sheets of tissue paper and some pipe cleaners!

Step 1: Fold and Cut Tissue Paper

I found that 5 or 6 pieces of tissue paper per flower was a good amount to make a full-looking flower but also making as many flowers as possible! Fold each color of tissue paper in half and then in half again. Keep folding it in half until you have a long strip about 1 inch wide. Cut the ends at an angle and cut each folded strip slightly shorter than the last one, as shown in the picture.

Step 2: Fold Paper Together

Unfold each strip of paper, starting with the longest one and unfold and center each shorter piece of paper on top of the last one. It's ok if they are not perfect, it won't show at the end.
Fold the paper together by starting at one end and fold the whole stack of paper back and forth accordion style about an inch each way until all the papers are folded together.

Step 3: Attach the Stem

Attach a pipe cleaner around the center of the accordion-folded tissue paper. I found it best to fold the pipe cleaner in half and then twist the two ends of it together to hold the accordion-folded tissue paper together. If you don't have pipe cleaners, any twist-tie or wire will work and you might even be able to use string! I left the two ends long to make it easier to attach the flower to things for decoration.

Step 4: Fluff Up the Petals

For the full, fluffy look of the petals, start by fanning out each side of the tissue paper, then, starting with the shortest, innermost tissue paper, start to carefully separate it from the rest of the stack of paper. Don't be afraid to crumple it a bit. You will probably have to pull on it harder than you think you do. Repeat this process for each side of the flower and with each layer of tissue paper until your flower is as fluffy as can be!