Book Paper Rose Tutorial

I learned how to make these paper roses out of recycled book paper at an Altered Books workshop I took a few weeks ago.  You can do a million things with them.

Supplies Needed:
1.Book paper 3 4"x4" pieces
2. mini hot glue gun and hot glue sticks
3. scissors
4. toothpic
5. (optional) bone folder

Step One:
Take your first 4x4" square book paper and fold it so it makes a triangle. Do this again and one mor time until you have a small triangle. Then having the closed end facing you snip off a small curve on the right lower corner (this will be the center empty circle to your flower). Then on the other left corner to the upper corner draw then cut a half circle (this will be the petals). When you open it up you should have a one dimensional flower with a small hole in the center. Now cut out one petal from the flower.

Step Two:
Take your second 4x4" square book paper and repeat the first step (trace your half circles from the first flower if you want), except instead of cutting out one petal cut out two and keep them together.

Step Three:
Take your third 4x4" book paper and repeat the first step except cut out three petals all together.

Step 4:
Using the hot glue gun glue the seams of the first flower you made together. Do the same with the 2nd and 3rd flower.

Step 5:
Hot glue the 2nd flower into the first using a bead of glue at the bottom of the flower. Then glue the 3rd flower into the 2nd the same way.  Do the same with the 3 cutout petal and put inside the smallest flower.

Step 6: Take the 2 petal cutout and the 1 petal cut out and using the toothpick curl up the petals. Hot glue the small petal into the other 2 petal and then glue that into the center of the rose.

Step 7: Using the toothpick gently curl the edges of each petal and each layer.

Tadah you've made a recycled book paper rose!

Optional ideas: I used stamp ink pads and a little water to touch a few spots of the rose to add a patina to them. You could you coffee or tea to give it an old look or water color paints.  Another ideas is to make a paper rose wreath or a bouquet or center piece. Starting out with smaller or larger paper squares will give you different size rose.

Please feel free to leave comments and pics of your rose creations!