We have been busy making gifts and cards around here with both Teacher Appreciation Week and Mother’s Day falling at the same time. Originally we were making a handprint banner for the kids’ grandmother’s, but it got way too large and I could not figure out what I wanted to do with it. To simplify things the kids traced their hands on scrapbook paper and we made them into flowers on these cards. Much cuter and easier!
We had a gift we made for their Grandma, but didn’t have any ideas for their Nana. We decided to send her money to buy flowers for her yard and then took it one step further and made the money into a flower!
I googled how to do it and found lots of videos, but was not able to get them to play on my computer. So I played around with some dollar bills until I came up with something that resembled a flower. Here’s what I did…
How to Make a Flower out of Dollar Bills:
1. Fold the corners of the bill in so it has more of a petal shape.
2. Repeat with two more dollar bills. Three are need for each flower.
3. Wrap the end of a pipe cleaner around the middle of one of the dollars and twist to hold.
4. Layer another bill on top diagonally and loop the pipe cleaner over the second bill. Twist underneath, then repeat with the last dollar.
Spread the petals apart and you have a fancy money flower! It would look even cuter if you used a longer pipe cleaner or bendy tube and added in some paper leaves. Or even tied a button around the middle with some fishing wire.
(I wish I thought of these ideas before I sent ours in the mail!)
Our flower card and money flower–cute and simple!
tricia says
May 18, 2012 at 10:23 amWHAT A GREAT IDEA! You must know that we are origami nuts over here!!!! I+I love card and I just love the idea behind the money flower! Wonderful!
Megan says
May 21, 2012 at 8:45 amHey thanks! You’re origami posts are the reason that learning how to make origami made it to our summer activities list! Your party was amazing! And I am loving sending money shapes instead of gift cards or cash for gifts. A homemade gift you can spend! I do see some ripped dollar bills in our future though. 🙂
Joyce @Childhood Beckons says
May 19, 2012 at 5:24 amWhat a great idea! I love that you personalized the entire thing in such a creative way. I’m sure she loved that!
Megan says
May 21, 2012 at 8:29 amI always think sending money is appreciated, but a little boring. I was definitely excited that it worked and we could jazz it up a bit! Thanks so much for stopping by! And she did love it. 🙂
Arnoldy says
June 16, 2012 at 2:29 amYou’re right .Who wouldn’t want a cute card like that. What a great idea. My dgthauer made 1000 paper cranes after reading a book about them in 6th grade. We still have a box filled with these little origami creations in the basement. We’re not sure what to do with them, but we’re forbidden from throwing them out!
Megan says
November 6, 2012 at 4:50 pmArnoldy that is fantastic!
Carolyn @ Pleasantest Thing says
May 5, 2013 at 2:09 pmThe money flower is so cute. My mom made me a money fan and my brother a money shirt one year for Christmas!
Megan Sheakoski says
May 5, 2013 at 9:43 pmThat is awesome!