Materials

• Basket coffee filters
• Chenille stems (red, white, blue, gold and/or silver)
• Red and blue watercolor paint
• Paintbrush
• Scissors
• 2 pieces of paper towel or a kitchen towel

Instructions

1. Place one of the coffee filters onto the paper plate and flatten.
2. Paint the coffee filter with watercolor paint – some solid red or blue and others a combination of blue and red. Leave some areas unpainted.
3. Move the coffee filter to the towel and lay flat to dry. Repeat with the second coffee filter.
4. Leaving the center of the filter intact, cut the coffee filter into strips, working your way around the circle.
5. Cut a 1.5″ piece off of one end of a chenille stem, then set aside.
6. Take the longer piece of chenille and poke it through the center of the coffee filter. There should be about 2″ of chenille poked through.
7. Turn the entire thing upside down, grasp the filter with your fingers then gather it around the chenille.  Secure it by wrapping the extra piece of chenille stem that you cut off in an earlier step.  Twist it around the part you are holding and turn the flower back upright.
8. Gently spread out the strips to make it look like flowers.  Happy 4th!

DESIGNED BY AMANDA FORMARO

Amanda is a mother of four and the craft expert for Disney’s Kaboose.com.  Find more crafts, recipes and activities at craftsbyamanda.com.

Have a fun craft to share?  Send it to us at info@greenlivingaz.com.