Spring is Here Tulips!

So springtime is FINALLY here! Hurray!

Ethan's teacher's birthday was this weekend, and I wanted to help Ethan do something special for her. I was thinking maybe he could paint a card. With some of the fun things for babies to do that we've shared, I knew that just wouldn't do. I was in the car, driving home with a vase full of daffodils in my cup holder. It was 70 degrees out, and I had a serious case of spring fever...long story short... I started thinking about making flowers and remembered this lily craft that I had seen. At that point, I said "Self...this is on the right track."

Lilies, no. But TULIPS...yes! Off to the craft store for more pipe cleaners I went...

How to Make Baby Spring Handprint Tulips
Supplies:
Baby (or kid...or adult...)
Construction Paper
Pen or Pencil
Scissors
Pipe cleaners- Green variety best.
Clear tape
Glue stick
Vase (optional)
Easter Grass or Gift Shred (optional)
Oasis (optional)
**Did I mention this project is done on the cheap! You can even sub drinking straws for pipe cleaners**


1. Trace one of baby's hands onto construction paper and cut out. This ends baby involvement (unless you're using an older child), but don't underestimate the excitement to be found in playing with a piece of construction paper while you continue making tulips. Left over paper remnants were popular with Ethan ALL weekend!

BTW, he's squealing!

2. Using the print you just cut as a template, trace multiple handprints onto different colored construction paper. Remember, you will need two prints to make one tulip.

3. Cut out your handprints. I found that I was easily able to stack two pieces of paper to cut out two prints at a time.

(Steps 4-6)

4. Now you will glue two of the handprints together. Glue together placing one pinky finger directly over the other pinky finger (thumbs facing away from each other). Wait for the glue to dry before proceeding.

5. To add the stem, take a green pipe cleaner and tape it up the center of the two handprints. It should go about half way up the center of the tulip (less for larger hands).

6. Two strips of glue now get applied to the opposite sides of both thumbs (see the photo above).

7. Shape the paper into a cone, overlapping the ends, and press down firmly to adhere the glue. It's a good idea to hold the seams for a minute until the glue sets.

8. Your first tulip is now ready! Repeat until you've created the desired number of tulips. Odd numbers usually look best in a vase, although I was very happy with 8 in each of mine (two of each color).

9. To stagger the height of the flowers, bend up the end of the stem 180 degrees at varying heights. When you're happy with the way they look, wrap on of the tulip stems tightly around the rest of the stems to keep all of your flowers in a tight bunch.

10. Place the tulips in a vase. (I used a plastic mug to be safe at Ethan's daycare, and a vase we received "welcome baby flowers" in for my desk at work). If you want, you can put some oasis in the bottom of the vase to keep the flowers stable.

11. Use Easter Basket grass or Gift shred around the stems in the vase to hold them securely upright and finish the look of the vase.

12. Finesse the arrangement by gently bending any of the tulip stems, as needed.

13. Sit back and enjoy! (And don't forget to share the finished product with baby, and most importantly, pride them on a job well done!!)

The finished tulips are so bright and colorful. They make great gifts...and Mother's Day is just around the corner!!