| | | | | | | |

Recycled Magazine Flowers

Here is another unique project that we used for Mother’s Day cards, but would be fun to do anytime! My 5th graders had a blast making these (even the boys, who usually resist anything to do with flowers!) and it gave me the opportunity to review the concept of radial symmetry. I even had parents ask me how we did it so they could go home and make some recycled magazine flowers of their own!


To make a Recycled Magazine Flower:
1. Find a page in a magazine that has color printed right to the edge (this is called a “bleed”) and carefully tear it out.
2. Roll this page around a pencil, with the torn edge on the inside. Shake your pencil out and glue the loose edge down.
3. Use a 1/8″ paper punch to punch a hole at one end. This will become your stem!
4. Now, trace at least three circles using plastic lids or old CD’s as templates.
5. Fold each circle in half several times, like you would to make a paper snowflake.
6. Cut your folded circles into petal shapes, varying the sizes and/or shapes of each one. (Be careful not to cut through the folded point!)
7. Stack your circles and push a brass paper fastener through the center, then through the hole in your stem, and secure in back.
8. Add some leaves and glue them to your stem. (Cut two matching leaves and glue together for added strength!)



Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

11 Comments

  1. I love these and can't wait to try them with my kids who continousy still rip out pages from books.

  2. Super FUN! We've been doing magazine art projects the last two weeks AND I'm definitely going to add this one to the others (magazine bowls and magazine animals….will be posting both soon) for lessons next year. I'll let you know when we do it and link, back too:)
    A big “recycling thanks” for sharing.

  3. thanks for sharing this lesson! I did it today with newspaper- it was on the fly so I had no time to collect magazines. They turned out great I will post pics soon

  4. This is my new happy place! I have a six year old that adores art. I am always searching for new projects for her because she loves it so much. Any tips on helping a budding artist fighting the desire for perfection? Some days she gets so frustrated when she can't create something exactly the way she wants. I would love some advice.

  5. I just found your blog and am enjoying looking through all your photos of the kids' artworks. Art is my favorite thing! I like your recycling project and your 3D flowers among many many!!!others.

    I would like to invite your readers to visit my new blog: http://maryannfkohl.typepad.com/blog/
    and my website: http://www.brightring.com
    I share lots of art ideas from all of the 25 books I have written, including “Discovering Great Artists” and “Great American Artists for Kids”.
    Thank you again for all you do for children.

    Yours truly, MaryAnn F. Kohl
    art author

  6. Great use of recycled materials. We'll have to try this one for sure.

  7. As a teacher, I am always looking for new presents for mothers day. This one is so cute, and FREE!!! Thanks for sharing!