Introduction: How to Make Cherry Blossom Lights

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About: I like sewing and crafts,and trying new things. I'm vegetarian and always looking for new recipes. My cat's name is Mirko and likes to be in the centre of things, so you will see him in several of my instruc…

I love the way the cherry trees outside my building bloom cheerfully each Spring.  I wanted to bring the beauty of those cherry blossoms indoors so I made some out of tissue paper and to make them even more special I added LEDs

These pretty lights are inexpensive and easy to make.  They are made mostly from material found at a dollar store.  You can make several branches for a spray of cherry blossoms to decorate your room. 

Step 1: What You Will Need


  • White LED Christmas lights (battery powered) -you can pick these up on sale after Christmas or here.
  • Tissue paper (shades of white and pink) -you can reuse old tissues from gift bags, it's okay if it's crinkly
  • a Branch (I used dollar store flowers, though a real tree branch will do)
  • Floral stem wrap tape (brown)
  • Vase*
  • Sand/ gravel or small stones
  • Twist ties
  • Glue (glue stick and craft glue)
  • Pliers
  • Scissors/rotary cutting tool

*If you use lights that need to be plugged into an outlet, you need a vase that you can cut a hole in to allow the plug through the bottom.

Step 2: Putting the Lights On

I trimmed off the flowers and excess twigs from the branch so that I can spread the lights out evenly.  Starting from the bottom attach the LED wires to the branch with twist ties.  Try to arrange the lights evenly along the branch with the battery pack at the bottom and the wires pulled taut.

Step 3: Preparing the Tissue Paper

I used four layers of tissue paper, two white and two pink.  You can try more layers of tissue or different colour combinations.
Cut the 4 ply paper into squares 3 by 3 inches in size, you need one for each LED.

Step 4: Cutting the Blossoms

Fold each square (with the 4 layers of tissue) in half. Fold the half square into a cone, lining up the edges.  With scissors cut a half circle off the top of the cone to form the blossom (see images above for guidance).  Glue the four layers of tissue paper together with a glue stick (just put glue at the centre of the blossoms, leave the petals separate) and poke a hole in the centre.

Step 5: Putting the Blossoms on the Branch


The cheap dollar store flowers that I was using had a plastic stamen at the centre. I was able to fit it on the tip of the LEDs so that it diffused the light nicely.  If you don't have anything like this on your flowers or if you are using a real branch and you would like to diffuse the light on your LEDs you can sand the surface or put a dab of glue on it.

To assemble the blossoms on the branch, slip the hole of the blossom through the LEDs and secure on the branch with clear tape. I then glued the plastic stamen on.  When the glue is dry ruffle up the layers of tissue paper so that they resemble a real cherry  blossom

Step 6: Wrapping the Branch

Wrap with floral stem tape beginning from the base of the blossoms down the branch.  Pull the tape taut and try not to layer it too thickly.  Cover the branch and light wires all the way down to the battery pack.

Step 7: Finishing Up

Place the branch and battery pack into the vase and begin pouring the gravel around it.  Cover the battery pack with gravel but make sure you have access to the switch. It would have been more convenient if the switch for my battery pack had been at the top, instead it was on the top edge so I left that area uncovered.  Unfortunately, I will also need to pull the whole thing out when I change the batteries.

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