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DIY Tutorial: Eco-Chic Bouquet Alternative

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eco-chic bouquet alternative

This fabulous new DIY Tutorial comes from the ultra-creative Jesi of Jesi Haack Weddings and features clever “paper bag flowers” crafted from brown Trader Joe’s grocery bags.

While the paper flowers are cool on their own, they also look fabulous when mixed with a few tissue flowers and fresh flowers for an eco-chic wedding bouquet or party centerpiece. Read on for all the step-by-step details (with gorgeous images!), as told by Jesi

eco-chic bouquet alternative

1. Start off with a grocery bag. (I love Trader Joe’s, but Whole Foods or Henry’s will suffice too.)

2. Draw a circle (the larger the circle, the leafier the flower) and slowly taper it in to the center like a spiral keeping the lines about 1/2 inch away from each other.

eco-chic bouquet alternative

eco-chic bouquet alternative

3. Take your scissors and begin cutting along the line you just drew, furthest away from the center.

eco-chic bouquet alternative

4. Continue cutting, following on the drawn line until you reach the center of your spiral.

eco-chic bouquet alternative

eco-chic bouquet alternative

eco-chic bouquet alternative

5. Snip off the end of your spiral at the point that it begins to turn back into the bag.

eco-chic bouquet alternative

6. Beginning at the end of the spiral, start to roll up the paper until you reach the center of your spiral.

eco-chic bouquet alternative

7. When you are finished rolling it, it should look like a tightly rolled up piece of paper.

eco-chic bouquet alternative

8. Place the rolled up paper in the palm of your hand and let it fall loosely apart. You may have to gently “help” it by turning the center of the flower to open it up a bit more.

eco-chic bouquet alternative

9. For the stem, I chose a green pipe cleaner, but you could use your imagination and come up with something different or funky depending on your project. Flip the flower upside down, and tape the pipe cleaner to the base of the flower.

eco-chic bouquet alternative

10. And here is the finished product…

eco-chic bouquet alternative

11. Add a few paper flowers and it becomes a unique bouquet!

eco-chic bouquet alternative

eco-chic bouquet alternative

eco-chic bouquet alternative

12. And to step it up a notch, we added a few tulips and a hydrangea…DONE! =)

eco-chic bouquet alternative

Thanks again to Jesi for the fabulous inspiration!

P.S. Love this look? Check out Jesi’s Owl Drink Stir Sticks video tutorial too!

38 Comments

  1. Kelly January 4, 2010 at 11:34 pm

    I love it! It is so easy to get caught up with events and forget the environmental impact of every goody bag and balloon. This is great.

  2. Carmen January 5, 2010 at 12:35 am

    Great way to “upcycle”! I just made 3-D stars and a birthday banner from TJ bags. I’m trying this next.

  3. Jenna January 5, 2010 at 9:25 am

    This is gorgeous! My best friend is having an eco-themed wedding in DC next October and this would be perfect for her bouquet.

  4. jesi haack weddings January 5, 2010 at 8:27 am

    awwww, thanks so much Jenn!!!!!

  5. Andrea January 5, 2010 at 9:51 am

    I love that Trader Joe’s bag {happen to have a few I can’t part with}. Such a neat idea, makes me want to make a few brown flowers for my house!

  6. Carter & Cook Event Co. January 5, 2010 at 11:12 am

    Love this! Jesi is the best!!! :)

  7. Rachel January 5, 2010 at 3:01 pm

    Wow, I love this! I’ll be linking in my next Wedding Roundup. I’m off to check out Jesi’s site!

  8. Eron Napier January 5, 2010 at 9:10 pm

    This is so creative! I have a bit of a tree-theme in my wedding, so the idea of re-using paper bags kind of plays into the theme.

  9. michelle January 6, 2010 at 7:17 am

    This is fantastic! I made some like this before with construction paper but I love the natural look of the paper bags.

  10. rubybrite January 7, 2010 at 10:36 am

    Thats it! I’m making some of these to take to school next week. When the fresh flowers wilt, I’ll still have my homemade varieties! Thank you.

  11. Shevon S January 7, 2010 at 8:31 pm

    I LOVE THIS!!! I’m so making this!

  12. Debbie - Bridalhood January 8, 2010 at 8:24 am

    I love this project – really like the look of mixing paper flowers in with real blooms.

  13. Julianne January 8, 2010 at 8:04 am

    WOW, those are phenomenal! Great job and I love the tutorial.

    http://www.amodernproposal.com

  14. Sandra @ ribbonsandfavors.com January 8, 2010 at 8:35 am

    Hmmmm…..possibly one of these Kraft Bag Flowers glued to the top of a Kraft Brown favor or gift box, with additional strips cut from the brown paper bag of choice, and used like ribbon around the box. You have my mind thinking in a new direction!!! Thank you.

  15. Darlene January 10, 2010 at 8:02 am

    Beautiful. I love this tutorial. Very creative..

  16. krasnodar January 12, 2010 at 11:18 pm

    great idea! thanks so much

  17. Wedding Officiant Long Island January 13, 2010 at 12:20 am

    Very Creative.. Nice way to make such good flower..

  18. wall flowers January 19, 2010 at 6:52 pm

    Oh man this is great. Ur the man! Ur such a genius, i salute you. more info about bouquet and flowers. Flowers

  19. Aimee Boyle January 21, 2010 at 2:57 pm

    Its really beautiful! so many ways to do things the eco-friendly way.

    Some great ideas, check our website/s and Blogs:
    http://www.ecofriendlymarket.net
    http://www.ecofriendlypackaging.net
    http://www.pandancollection.com

    GREEN WEDDING IDEAS:
    http://www.ecofriendlymarket.blogspot.com

    Other ec0-friendly ideas:
    http://www.ecofriendlypackaging.blogspot.com

  20. Smeeeff January 22, 2010 at 5:59 am

    This is really really cool! I love paper things and I might make some just for myself!

  21. amber kane January 29, 2010 at 1:59 pm

    cool idea, these look like so much fun to make

  22. lori February 5, 2010 at 10:21 am

    I linked to this tutorial in a blog post about floral industry alternatives… I thought it would be polite to let you know.
    This is the post, in case you have any questions or concerns.
    https://lorigami.wordpress.com/2010/02/05/i-want-to-buy-you-flowers-part-2/

    xo
    Lori

  23. Ice Luges March 11, 2010 at 9:39 pm

    Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! I just Love it….

  24. melinda May 29, 2010 at 7:55 pm

    Love it…..how can you secure it so the spirals don’t just flop inside out if the flower gets turned sideways or upside down?

    • Marie September 23, 2012 at 8:04 pm

      I was wondering the same thing–that’s why I’m reading the comments, actually. The only thing I’ve come up with so far is to put glue inside, and see if that will hold it when it dries. I was worried about the glue dripping through the bottom, but, happily (and weirdly), the only craft-type glue I have on hand is glitter glue, which is viscous enough that it doesn’t drip. (I tried poking holes through the side in hopes of inserting ornamental wire petals that would hold the whole thing in place, but it turns out that poking holes through a bunch of layers of paper bag with a safety pin is pretty difficult.)

  25. freddi July 29, 2010 at 8:12 am

    thanks for help!

  26. wedding invitation kits September 16, 2010 at 8:44 pm

    What an amazing idea. And they are absolutely enchanting and lovely too.

  27. www.canadawideflowers.ca November 2, 2010 at 1:02 pm

    Those look very pretty, it’s a great example of an unconventional approach to flower arranging that ends up looking fantastic.

  28. wedding invitation kits November 21, 2010 at 6:50 pm

    What a terrifc and clever idea. Very creative.

  29. shredding Houston March 25, 2011 at 12:26 am

    I find these ideas and tips very creative. These ideas also inspire me to adopt environmentally-friendly practices at home and for my parties or special events. Using recycled materials is inventive and unique. I also bring my paper waste to recycling facilities after I destroy them with a paper shredder. This way, I am not only contributing to eco-friendly practices, I’m also keeping my personal information secure.

  30. Sara Faisal October 4, 2012 at 4:13 pm

    Marvelous art

    • Tasneem Haider October 31, 2012 at 1:25 pm

      Want to b a facebook friend would u like to b

    • Artist Soha November 7, 2012 at 3:46 pm

      sara this is your friend here .

    • Artist Soha November 7, 2012 at 3:46 pm

      sara this is your friend here .

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