Iris Folding Flower Card

A lovely iris folded flower when accented by a few other paper details, make a beautiful card for spring or any other time of the year.

You will need:

• 4"x5" piece of any cardstock
• 4" x 6" green colored notecard
• Flower template or pattern and a craft knife for cutting an aperture in the colored cardstock. A Coluzzle or Sizzix works very well for this.
• scissors
• scraps of decorative paper in various colors cut in 1" strips and folded in half lengthwise
• Flower Iris folding template
• Cellophane tape
• Decorative felt flowers
• Daisy punchouts
• Green craft paper to cut leaves
• Flat-backed gemstones for daisy centers
• Acrylic 3d paint in tube

1. Cut out an aperture (a flower shape, in this case) in the colored cardstock using a craft knife. Use the outline of the template for the purpose.

2. Print out the flower iris folding pattern. Position the card with the aperture cut-out over the iris folding template above, face down. You will be working on the back side of the card.
Tape the card to the template using non-permanent tape.

3. Select 4 different colors of paper to complete your design with. Arrange your folded paper strips in the order that you want to apply them to the card.

For a four color iris, you will need 6 strips of each color. Some strips will be needed in only a very small area leaving the rest free for use again.

Match the colors to the numbers as follows:

Color A: 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29
Color B: 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 30
Color C: 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31
Color D: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32

4. Start with #1 on the template. Glue strips on the card wherever you see no. 1. Use glue only on the ends out of the aperture.

5. Using the next color, follow the same instructions for #2. Repeat all the way around the aperture, following the numbers and working inward as you complete each round. Stop when you have the desired size for the aperture opening.

6. Cut out the flower shape closely. You may keep it within the notecard and use for a different type of card.

7. Outline the iris folded flower with a 3D tube paint writing directly from the tube nozzle. Allow to dry.

8. Fold green craft paper twice and then cut free hand shapes of leaves to get 4 identical shapes.

9. Punch out daisies using a daisy punch and glue flat backed stones for centers.

10. Glue the iris folded flower, leaves and daisies as shown to complete your card.

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