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These coffee filters flowers are so delicate and beautiful you won’t believe they started as plain old coffee filters. These coffee filter crafts are perfect for gift giving or setting the perfect table with these dreamy blooms!
Why coffee filter crafts…
I love using everyday household materials to make with. I make a point of showing kids that you don’t need anything special to be an artist. You can and should make with anything that’s available to you!
In terms of kid’s art supplies coffee filters are a home run. Their absorbent nature means they readily accept color of all kinds and are a whole new sensory experience to draw and paint on!And cheap…. Coffee filters are about as cheap as they come which means there is no need to be stingy. Give your kiddos a few supplies and set them free!
Creating colorful, watercolor coffee filters….
Stack three to four coffee filters together. Fold your stack of coffee filters into fourths. Use washable markers to make marks all over the folded coffee filters. This coffee filter craft does not require caution or careful mark making. Make marks, any kind of marks. Draw slowly so that the marker has time to staurate through the layers of coffee filters a bit.
Usually I try to get students to fill in all the white space in their artwork. These coffee filter flowers will spread their color during the next step so white space is totally acceptable here!
Watch the magic…
Use a spray bottle full of water to saturate the still folded coffee filters. Spray them and then turn them over and spray them from the other side. Lay them on paper towels or scrap paper until dry.
Cutting flowers from coffee filters…
This step will be easier if your watercolor coffee filters are completely dry. (Ask me how I know that cutting through many layers of damp coffee filters is tough. I’m not known for my patience.)
Keep the filter folded into fourths (for easier cutting) or fold again so that your coffee filter is folded into eighths. This coffee filter craft is pretty speedy. Chances are your kiddos will make more than one of these pretty flowers. There is no right or wrong way to cut the flower petals. Encourage kids to try something different with each flower. Try rounded petals, short and long petals together, and straight cuts that make fringe-y petals.
When you’re done cutting open up the stack of coffee filters and separate them.
Making coffee filter flowers…
Use a pipe cleaner (or half a pipe cleaner) to poke through the center of a single coffee filter. Curl the top of the pipe cleaner over to form a little loop where the center of the flower be. This little loop will act as a “stopper” from letting the layers of coffee filters slide right off the end of the pipe cleaner. Put a few dots of white glue around the pipe cleaner loop. Gently fold the coffee filter around the pipe cleaner and glue.
Add a few drops of glue around the bottom of the flower that created the first layer. Poke the second coffee filter over the stem and fold down around the first layer, making sure to squeeze the bottom of the coffee filter flower where the glue meets. Keep adding one filter after another and squeezing at the base.
While the glue is drying these coffee filter flowers are still fragile. Lay them on their side and let the glue dry. As the glue dries it will firm up creating a firmer base for each coffee filter flower.
My favorite coffee filter crafts…
I’ve witnessed and made a lot of coffee filter crafts in my years but these pretty watercolor coffee filter flowers take the cake. They are just so pretty I can’t stop looking at them. These flowers would be so special for a child to give as a gift or decorate the table for a special meal. They are definitely far removed from their coffee filter beginnings.
Color mixing on coffee filters….
Experiment with mixing colors on coffee filters. Of course, this is where these coffee filter flowers got their beginning. Check out this post for books and other activities to turn this into a complete color mixing exercise! The colorful results of this coffee filter craft stand alone or can be used for so many things!
Coffee filter snowflakes….
These dreamy watercolor snowflakes will brighten up any winter day. Bonus- the thin coffee filter paper makes these even easier to cut than regular paper snowflakes!
Coffee filter butterflies…
This sweet coffee filter craft from Fireflies and Mud Pies uses “dot markers” to create beautiful bright patterns on coffee filter butterflies. These markers are something I haven’t tried yet but the results look stunning!
Salad spinner coffee filter art….
Ana from Babble Dabble Do shows you how to create an amazing color mixing experience using coffee filters, paint, and….. a salad spinner. Let’s just say I’m on the hunt for a salad spinner now because we have to try this! These are so striking and you can just tell how fun they are to make!
Chromatography butterflies…
Buggy and Buddy adds a little science to art class in this chromatography experiment. This is a simple experiment, is super fun to witness, and results in a sweet butterfly!
Rainbow tassels…
These showy tassels start with the same washable marker/ water combination as the flowers above but turn into rainbow tassels perfect for a garland or other celebration!
Coffee filter flowers
Let Mary Catherine at Fun-A-Day walk you through making a different type of coffee filter flower using liquid watercolor! Liquid watercolor is so vibrant and beautiful. (And if you don’t have any on hand try this coffee filter craft using liquid food coloring- an excellent substitute!)
Coffee filter butterflies….
Maggy at Red Ted Art shows you how to create a super fun color mixing experience for your preschooler using liquid watercolors and pipette droppers. Use your colorful coffee filters to create beautiful butterflies!
Coffee filter spider webs….
Why didn’t I think of this?!? If coffee filters make the best snowflakes then why wouldn’t they make amazing spiderwebs too? Check out the Artful Parent’s tutorial for making this spooky spider webs!
