Paper Flowers with Lace Petals: Easy DIY Wall Art

Instructions

STEP 1: GET MY FREE PAPER FLOWER WITH LACE PETALS DESIGNS

First, download my Paper Flower with Lace Petals files from my free library – look for Design #735. Alternatively, you can use the Save This Project form near the top of this post and the design link will be emailed to you.

In the SVG folder, there are three versions of my lace flower design: a rolled peony, a layered rose with a heart design, and a layered rose with a scalloped edge design. I’ve included a design with a variety of leaves for your flowers, as well.

The PDF folder has versions you can print and cut by hand, as well as a handy reference sheet for the peony pieces.

There is also a DXF folder with additional cut files for different machines.

TIP: If you’re not sure how to upload, go to jennifermaker.com/svgs to learn how to unzip and upload SVG files.

STEP 2: PREPARE AND CUT YOUR PAPER FLOWER WITH LACE PETALS

CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

1. In Cricut Design Space, open a blank Canvas.
   NOTE: If you’re new to using Cricut Design Space, go to cricutkickoff.com for my introductory tutorial on Design Space basics.
2. Click “Upload” and then “Upload Image.”
3. Click “Browse” and select the flower SVG file you want to use.
   NOTE: I’ll demonstrate with the “peony” file, but the preparation and cutting steps are the same for the rose designs, too.
4. Click “Open,” and then “Continue.”
5. Click “Upload” to add the design to your Canvas.
   
   
   
   NOTE: The peony has two connected heart pieces for the bud bowl, three groups of eight simple inner petals, two groups of six petals with lacy outer details, and one group of eight petals with lacy outer details.
   NOTE: The layered roses have four large pieces with lacy petals, three small pieces with smooth petals, and one large piece with smooth petals.
6. Repeat Steps 2-5 to add the “leaves” SVG to your Canvas, as well.
   
   
   
   NOTE: The leaves include a large serrated edge leaf, a symmetrical smooth leaf, a smooth leaf with a curved tip, a straight stem with leaves, and a curved stem with leaves.
7. Click “Save” and give your project a name so you can find it easily.
8. Drag the leaves design to an empty space on your Canvas.
9. If you want to resize the flower, select the design and keep the “Lock” icon closed to maintain proportions. Drag the corner Resize handles in and out to adjust the size as desired.
   NOTE: The assembled rose will be slightly smaller than its lace petal pieces.
   NOTE: I don’t recommend reducing the size of the rose designs any more than necessary to fit the Cricut Joy (the peony already fits on a Joy mat).
10. Select the leaves and click “Ungroup” to work with the elements separately.
11. Delete any leaves you don’t want to use.
    NOTE: I’ll delete all but the two single leaves with smooth edges.
    
    
    
12. Select and “Duplicate” any leaf layers to create copies as needed.
    NOTE: I’ll duplicate the symmetrical leaf once, and the leaf with the curved tip twice, for a total of five leaves for my peony.
    
    
    
13. If you want to resize a leaf, select it and keep the “Lock” icon closed, then drag its corner Resize handles to adjust the size, or type in a specific measurement in the “Width (W)” or “Height (H)” field and press “Return/Enter” on your keyboard.
    NOTE: I’ll enter “3.5” in the “Height (H)” field for each of my leaves.
    
    
    
14. If you want to change the color of a layer to match the cardstock you’ll cut it from, select it and use the Color Box next to “Operation” to pick a new option.
15. You’re ready to cut!
    
    
    

CUTTING

1. Make sure the correct machine is selected in the top right.
2. Click “Make.”
3. On the Prepare Screen, make sure the Material Size matches the material you’re using.
   NOTE: I’m using the "12 in x 12 in” Material Size for everything.
   
   
   
4. Select the first mat so it loads first on the next screen and click “Continue.”
5. On the Make Screen, set the Base Material for your first mat. I’m using the “Medium Cardstock - 80 lb (216 gsm)” setting with “More” pressure for all my mats.
   NOTE: If you don’t see “Medium Cardstock - 80 lb (216 gsm)” in your materials list, click on “Browse All Materials.” Enter “medium cardstock” in the search box, select the correct option from the results list, and click “Done.”
   TIP: Changing the Pressure to “More” results in a cleaner cut.
   TIP: To save time between cuts of the same material, check the box next to “Remember material settings.”
   
   
   
6. Place your first mat’s cardstock face up on a green StandardGrip machine mat.
   
   
   
7. Use a brayer to make sure it’s fully adhered.
8. Check that your Fine-Point Blade is clean and in the clamp.
9. Press the flashing “Load/Unload” button to load the prepared mat into your Cricut.
10. Press the flashing middle button to begin cutting.
11. When it has finished cutting, don’t unload the mat right away. Gently lift a corner of the material to make sure the cuts went all the way through. If not, press the middle button again to make a second pass of cuts in the same spots.
12. When the cuts are complete, unload the mat, flip it over onto your work surface, and roll it back to release the cardstock.
    TIP: Be careful when removing intricate pieces. Use a spatula to carefully remove any intricate parts and a weeding tool to pop out any small stuck pieces. If you have trouble with any of your cuts, check out my Cricut Tips & Tricks for Cleaner Cuts.
    
    
    
13. Repeat Steps 6-12 to cut the rest of your mats.

STEP 3: ASSEMBLE YOUR PAPER FLOWER WITH LACE PETALS

OPTION 1: PEONY

1. Gather your flower pieces and place them face up in piles by size to make sure you have everything.
   
   
   
2. Plug in your hot glue gun and put on your finger protectors as needed.
3. Hold a peony bud bowl piece face up with the tab accessible.
4. Add a dab of hot glue to the tab, then carefully align the bud bowl’s other piece to create a line of four pointed petals. Hold the pieces in place until the glue sets.
   
   
   
5. Bring the remaining tab to meet the other pointed petal and create a loop.
   
   
   
6. Hot glue the tab to the other pointed petal and hold it to set.
7. Hold the bud bowl upside down so the petals’ points face up.
8. Bring two opposite tips together so the points align and use clear tape to secure them.
   TIP: Let the remaining sticky sections of the tape stay flat.
   
   
   
9. Carefully bring the other points under the tape to meet at the middle and press them to the tape to form a bowl.
   TIP: If the tabs won’t stay attached, you can reinforce them with another piece of tape.
   
   
   
10. Next, take one of the eight large inner petal pieces (Inner Petal A) and use a curling tool (like a marker or Scoring Stylus) to roll the edge of the petal halfway toward the tabs.
    
    
    
11. Add a small dab of hot glue to one of the tabs, then overlap it with the other tab.
    
    
    
12. Press and hold until the glue sets to adhere the tabs together.
13. Curl and glue the remaining large petals the same way.
14. Hold a shaped large inner petal with the curved edge facing away from you and add a dab of hot glue to the tab area.
    
    
    
15. Place the petal’s glued tab halfway down the inside of one of the bud bowl’s sides, then press and hold until the glue sets to adhere.
    NOTE: The top half of the large petals should extend above the bowl.
    
    
    
16. Adhere a large petal to the bowl’s remaining three sides the same way.
17. Then adhere a large petal about 3/4 of the way down in each of the bowl’s four corners the same way.
    
    
    
18. Repeat Steps 10-17 to shape, glue, and adhere the eight medium inner petals inside the bowl (Inner Petal B), then again for the eight small inner petals (Inner Petal C).
    NOTE: Each layer of petals will nest further inside the flower.
    
    
    
19. Use your fingers to curl the innermost petals inward around the center.
    
    
    
20. Next, use your curling tool to curl the decorative edges of the six small outer petal pieces (Outer Petal A), and hot glue the overlapping tabs the same way as the inner petal pieces.
    
    
    
21. Hold a shaped outer petal with the curved edge facing toward you and add hot glue to the inner tab area.
22. Place the outer petal’s glued area against one of the bud bowl’s outer corners, then press and hold until the glue sets to adhere it.
    
    
    
23. Add hot glue to the tab area of another small outer petal, and adhere it to the opposite outer corner of the bowl.
    
    
    
24. Adhere the four remaining small outer petals evenly around the outside.
    
    
    
25. Repeat Steps 20-24 to shape the edges, glue the tabs, and adhere the six medium outer petals (Outer Petal B) to the outside of the bowl, then again for the eight largest outer petals (Outer Petal C).
    
    
    
26. Your lacy paper peony is ready to mount for display!

OPTION 2: HEART LAYERED ROSE OR SCALLOPED LAYERED ROSE

1. Gather your flower pieces and place them face up in piles by size to make sure you have everything.
   
   
   
   NOTE: You should have four large pieces with lacy petals, three small pieces with smooth petals, and one large piece with smooth petals.
2. Plug in your hot glue gun and put on your finger protectors as needed.
3. Take one of your inner bud petal pieces and use a curling tool (like a marker or Scoring Stylus) to roll both sides of each petal inward.
   
   
   
4. Roll the other two inner bud petal pieces the same way.
5. Lay one of the curled inner bud pieces with the curls face up and fold up each of the petals to make a light crease line around the center.
   
   
   
6. Then pull all five petals toward the center and roll them up to form the bud.
   
   
   
7. Use hot glue between each of the petals to hold them in place.
   
   
   
8. Lay the next inner bud piece with the curls face up and add a dab of hot glue in the center.
9. Adhere the bottom of the rolled bud in the center.
   
   
   
10. Add hot glue to both sides of one petal.
    
    
    
11. Then adhere the sides of the petal to the center bud.
    NOTE: There should be some space between the petal and the center bud.
    
    
    
12. Fold and adhere the remaining petals to the bud the same way.
    NOTE: To achieve a more natural look, alternate gluing petals on opposite sides.
13. Repeat Steps 8-12 to adhere the bud to the third inner bud piece and attach the petals.
    
    
    
14. Lay the outer bud piece on your work surface.
15. Fold up each of the petals to create a light crease line around the center, then lay them back down on your work surface.
16. Add hot glue to the center of the outer bud piece, then adhere the bottom of the rolled inner bud to the center.
17. Add a small amount of hot glue along the lower edge of one of the outer petals.
    
    
    
18. Then bring the petal up and adhere the glued edge to the rolled bud.
    
    
    
19. Use your finger to curl back the opposite edge of the petal to shape it.
    
    
    
20. Working your way around the flower, repeat Steps 17-19 to add the remaining outer bud petals.
    NOTE: When you get to the last petal, you might need to tuck the glued edge under the first petal to adhere it to the center bud.
    NOTE: We’ll finish closing up the bud after attaching it to the base.
    
    
    
21. Next, take one of your lace petal pieces and use your curling tool to curl its decorative edges toward the center.
    
    
    
22. Flip the piece over and fold each of the petals upward, leaving a crease line around the center.
    
    
    
23. Curl and fold the remaining three lace petal pieces the same way.
24. Take the first lace petal piece and, with the curved petals facing down, add a dab of hot glue to the center.
    
    
    
25. Hold the second lace petal piece over the first and rotate it so it fills the gaps between the first piece’s petals.
    
    
    
26. Center and lower the second piece onto the first piece, then press and hold the center to adhere.
27. Adhere the third and fourth lace petal pieces the same way, rotating to fill in the gaps each time.
    
    
    
28. Add hot glue to the center of the assembled lace petal pieces and place the bottom of the rolled bud onto it. Press and hold to adhere.
29. To finish closing up the bud petals, add glue to the inside lower edge of one of the outer bud petals, then attach it to the back of the adjacent outer bud petal.
    
    
    
30. Press and hold until the glue sets.
    NOTE: You might need to reshape the petal as you wait for the glue to set.
31. Repeat Steps 29-30 for the remaining outer bud petals.
32. Next, to add some lift and fan out your lacy petals evenly, add a dab of hot glue to the outside of the center bud where it meets the bottom of a petal on the top layer of lace petals.
    TIP: Don’t add the glue too high or the petal won’t fan out well.
    
    
    
33. Fold the petal up toward the bud, and press and hold the glued area to adhere the petal to the bud.
    TIP: Be patient when adhering the petals to the bud! Let each one set before moving to the next to prevent having to glue the same petals again.
    
    
    
34. Rotate the flower and adhere the opposite petal the same way.
35. Then adhere the three other petals on the top layer the same way.
36. Repeat Steps 32-35 to hot glue the second layer of lace petals behind the first.
    NOTE: The second layer of petals won’t be as uniform as the first, so you may need to find the best contact point between the layers and add hot glue there.
    
    
    
37. Once your petals have set, use your cylindrical curling tool to reshape the flowers as needed.
38. Your Layered Rose is ready to mount for display!
    
    
    

STEP 4: MOUNT YOUR PAPER FLOWER FOR DISPLAY

1. Lay your blank wooden sign face up on your work surface with the hanging hardware at the top.
2. Place your paper flower in the center of your blank wooden sign.
3. Arrange the leaves around the flower as desired.
   NOTE: I like to lightly fold the leaves in half to add dimension.
   
   
   
4. Put on your finger protectors if needed.
5. Remove the flower, then use hot glue to secure the bottoms of the leaves to the wood.
   NOTE: You can also secure the tops of the leaves, if desired.
   
   
   
6. Turn your flower upside down and apply hot glue to its center.
7. Flip your flower right side up and press it into the center of your sign. Hold in place until the glue sets.
   
   
   
8. Your paper flower with lace petals is ready to hang!

STEP 5: SHOW IT OFF!

You now have a beautiful paper flower with lace petals ready to hang on your wall!