MAKE IT: Coffee Filter Watercolor Flowers

These coffee filter flowers are so cute and so fun to make! My kids were mesmerized watching the color spread from the bottom of the filter to the tips. When they’re done they make the perfect bouquet for mom!

SUPPLIES: 

3 coffee filters per flower | Water-based, washable markers (like your traditional Crayola makers, sharpies and dry erase makers WILL NOT WORK) Pipe Cleaners | Medium to large sized beads (optional) | Small pot (optional) | Glue | Craft Foam (optional) | Fake moss/grass (optional)

Take the coffee filter and draw a ring close to the center of the coffee filter, and another ring between that ring and the edge of the filter. We found this to work really well for getting the colors to bleed. You can also let your little draw whatever designs they like on their filters

Take the coffee filter and fold it in half, and then half again, and then half again, so it looks like a skinny piece of pizza. 

Put a half inch of water in the bottom of a clear glass. Dip the pointed tip of the coffee filter into the water and let it sit for a few minutes, until all the water has traveled up the coffee filter, spreading and blurring the marker.

Take the filter out of the water, and open it all the way up. Lay it on a flat surface to dry (around 30-45 minutes). To speed up the drying process, you can set the filters outside, or in the sun. You can also use a blow dryer, or place them in an oven on the "warm" setting. Once all the coffee filters are dry, take three that will form your first flower, and stack them on top of each other. Take the pipe cleaner and thread it through a yellow bead, moving the bead to the center of the pipe cleaner, bending the pipe cleaner around the bead (you can also make these without a bead, but the beads add a cute look when you are done).

Poke each end of the pipe cleaner through the center of the coffee filters, the two holes about a quarter inch apart from each other.

Once all the way through, twist the two sides of the pipe cleaner together to form a stem.

Now the pipe cleaners are lying flat around the bead. To add texture, crunch up each pipe cleaner around the bead. Squeeze them gently, and then carefully unfold them again. 

Take the pot and push the floral craft foam to the pot (you also don't have to have a pot. You can make a few and wrap a ribbon or twine around them to make a bouqet). 

Use a some glue or glue dots to add fake grass on top of the craft foam. Stick the pipe cleaner ends of the coffee filter flowers into the pot, straightening moving the pipe cleaners around until they are arranged how you like. 

Now you can give it to your mom, or use it as a centerpiece for your Mother's Day dinner!