DIY Money Book Page Posies

Graduation season is here and that means being prepared with lots of great gifts for the amazing grads in our life. It probably goes without saying that one of the most useful gifts to a poor college student is money. Of course, giving just money can sometimes feel less personal than I would like. So, I crafted up some adorable money book page posies that you can create out of a few supplies you probably already have on hand, to make one beautiful posy or a bouquet for the graduate in your life.

PS: Moms, you can bring your little helpers in to cut and create the petals with you! It’s a great craft to practice tracing skills and mastering scissors. How fun is that?

Supplies Needed

• Book pages
• Lollipop sticks (found at the craft store by the candy/cake decorating supplies- you might have some leftover from our Shamrock Pretzel Pops we created together!)
• Scissors
• Glue gun & glue sticks
• Floral wire
• Floral Wire Cutters
• Petal Template (download here)
• Money
• Ribbon

Directions

1. Using the provided template, cut out the five petal shapes that you will be using to trace your petals.
2. Begin by pulling out five pages of your book and leave them stacked. Using one of your flower petal templates as a guide, cut out your first petals for your flower. Since you are cutting through the stack of papers, you should have five petals cut. Repeat this process with the other four petal templates until you have five of each kind.
3. Using your lollipop stick as a paper shaper, roll each of the petals to create curving of the petals around it. I simply rolled these around the stick and then released them.
4. Pull out another page from your book and tear a strip lengthwise from the book. Just as you would with floral tape, wrap the page around and pull down gently covering your lollipop stick. You may need two strips to cover the entire length.
5. Tear another strip lengthwise and roll this at the top of your skewer to create the center of your flower. I just add a bit of glue at the beginning and then a bit of glue at the end to hold it together. Now you are ready to start adding your petals.
6.  Add a drop of glue almost at the edge of the bottom of your petal and begin with the smallest layer. Add these petals all around the flower center. Repeat this process with the petals the next size up. Repeat again, again, and again until all of the petals are attached to your flower. If the base feels loose at all, add a little dab of hot glue around the bottom of the flower with your hot glue gun.

Here are a couple of important things I have learned from making these. One, make sure to not get your petals in too tightly together so that the shape of the flower can really blossom. The other thing I have learned is to shape and fan out the petals as I go. The paper should be fairly forgiving since you have shaped it and softened the petals already. Shaping and allowing the petals to be spaced really creates a beautiful bloom.

7. Now using your money, add this to the center of your stem and secure with a little floral wire to create your money stem. Cover with wide grosgrain ribbon to finish the posies, tying the ribbon loosely to protect the money from tearing. Add this adorable Book Money tag to your gift for a final finishing touch! (download here).

What graduate wouldn’t love this? This gift doesn’t have to be just for graduations though. This is a sweet end-of-year teacher gift, a beautiful little wedding gift, or a fantastic Mother’s Day gift for someone in your life. Make one or make a bouquet for a gift with a lot of wow that doesn’t cost a lot to create!

Congratulations to ALL our graduates this year- you are incredible!