Cupcake liner poppies are a beautiful way to turn a simple craft supply into a bouquet of bright red flowers. The ruffled cupcake liners naturally create soft, layered petals, while a fluffy pom pom gives each poppy its bold, recognizable center.
With just cupcake wrappers, paper straws, and a few other basic craft supplies, these poppies are easy enough for kids to make at home or at school. Create a single flower or make a whole bouquet for a vase, classroom bulletin board, or Remembrance Day craft. They’re fun to make, simple to put together, and the finished poppies look surprisingly striking on display!
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How to Make Cupcake Liner Poppies
Watch the step-by-step video tutorial:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Make the petals
- Fold a red cupcake liner in half.
- Then fold it in half again.
- Cut the corners off the open edge of the liner, making a “U” shaped petal.
- Here’s the shape you should have when you open up the cupcake wrapper.
- Repeat with 2 other cupcake liners.
Step 3: Put the flower together
- Add a dot of hot glue to the center of one liner.
- Place one of the other wrappers into the glue, offsetting the petals a bit so they overlap slightly.
- Repeat with the third liner, creating a full-looking flower.
Step 4: Add the flower center
- Wrap black yarn around 2 fingers 30 times, keeping your fingers a bit separated as you wrap.
- Cut a piece of yarn about 8 inches long. Slide it between your fingers and tie it around the bundle.
- Slide the bundle off your fingers and secure the yarn in a double knot. Then cut the loops of yarn apart.
- Trim the ends of the pom pom so it’s neat and even.
- Arrange the pom pom so that it’s a half-sphere shape. Add glue to the flat bottom part.
- Attach the pom pom to the center of the flower.
Step 5: Make a stem
- Cut a cross into one end of a green paper straw, going down at least 3/8 inch.
- Bend the ends of the straw back. There should be 4 sections, going in each direction.
- Add hot glue to the bent sections of the straw.
- Attach it to the bottom center of the flower.
- Your cupcake liner poppy is complete!
Helpful Tips:
- Add extra cupcake liners for a fuller flower: We used a few liners for each poppy, but you can add another 1 or 2 layers if you want the petals to look even fuller and more ruffled.
- Glue only the centers together: Add a small amount of glue to the middle of each cupcake liner instead of gluing the whole surface. This keeps the outer edges loose so they can flare out and look more like real flower petals.
What can I use for the center of these cupcake liner poppies?
We made a yarn pom pom, but a large black craft pom pom works really well for the center of the flower too. But if you don’t have one, there are lots of easy substitutes you can use instead.
Try gluing together a few smaller black pom poms, curling a black pipe cleaner into a tight spiral, or crumpling a small piece of black tissue paper into a ball. Any of these will give the poppy a dark, textured center!
What can I use for the stem for my cupcake liner poppy?
We used a green paper straw because it’s lightweight but still sturdy enough to hold the flower upright. A plastic straw will also work.
You can also use several green pipe cleaners twisted together, creating a stronger stem than one single single pipe cleaner by itself. Other options include wire wrapped with green yarn or floral tape, a thin wooden dowel painted green, or cardstock rolled into a narrow tube.
Do I need red cupcake liners to make this poppy craft?
No. Red cupcake liners make this craft quick and easy, but you can also colour plain white liners yourself.
Try painting them with liquid watercolour paint, or colour them with washable markers and lightly brush or spray them with water to blend the colour. Let the liners dry completely before assembling the poppies so they hold their shape better.
These cupcake liner poppies are a simple way to create a bright bouquet that lasts much longer than real flowers! Make just a few or fill a whole vase, then display them for Remembrance Day, use them in a classroom unit, or give them as a thoughtful handmade decoration.
Here’s even more poppy craft ideas:
Now available
Low-Mess Crafts for Kids Book
72 cute and fun crafts that kids and parents alike can enjoy. All with as little mess as possible!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon Canada
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