COFFEE FILTER FLOWER

This makes a great kids craft as the coffee filters hold up much better than tissue paper when making them. Items used:

• 4 white coffee filters
• 1 pipe cleaner, cut in half
• 2 small bowls
• 3/4 cup water
• Food coloring
• Plate, wax paper or plastic surface to dry the filters

Keep the coffee filter together and press them down flat.

Fold the coffee filters up accordion style (I folded about an inch in and ended up with three pleats total, but you could make the folds larger or smaller). Continue folding until you get to the end of the filter

Fold in half an snip the corner in the center diagonally on each side slightly (this will be where you will twist the pipe cleaner later. For now, leave the filters folded.

Put approximately 1/2 cut water in a bowl and 6 -10 drops of food coloring and mix it up.

Stick the ends in the food coloring and allow it to saturate for a few minutes.

Take out and allow to dry.

Next, mix approx 1/4 cut water in a bowl and 6-10 drops of food coloring

Stick the folded center into the mixture, allow it to saturate until the color starts to meet up the color from the ends. Remove and unbend at center but leave the pleats folded. Allow to dry.

Once dry, take the 1/2 piece of pipe cleaner and twist around the center to make the stamens. You can leave up or twist the two sides into loops.

Start separating the layers on one side of the pipe cleaner, pulling the top layer to the right, the 2nd layer to the left, the 3rd layer to the right and 4th layer to right. Repeat on the other side of the pipe cleaner and you are done.