Happy May Day, everyone! May Day (May 1st) is
celebrated in many places around the world. The traditions and stories
surrounding May Day vary from place to place but there is one thing that
is similar in most celebrations - the use of flowers! One of the most
popularly known May Day traditions is to hang spring flowers and/or
other small gifts on a neighbor's doorknob. One fun and easy way to do
this is by using homemade paper cones. Here I show you how to make a
small one but you can easily adjust the size by starting with a larger
piece of paper.
What you'll need:
7" square of paper (or larger if desired, 8" - 10" work well)
30" length of ribbon (longer for bigger cone)
decorative edged scissors
hole punch
craft glue or glue stick
flowers - fresh, silk, even
paper
Use the decorative scissors to cut a scalloped edge (or other
design of your choice) along two sides of the paper. These will be the
top.
Lay the square flat, face side down, in a diamond
shape and apply a dab of glue to the left point. Begin rolling the cone
using a pencil to shape the bottom point and hold the glue corner in
place until secure.
Next you will punch the holes for the ribbon. Punch three in the
front, one on either side and two in the back (see photos for
reference). Begin threading the ribbon from the back, putting one end in
each back hole, leaving a length to use as the hanging loop.
From the inside, thread the ribbon back out through
the next holes, back inside through the outer front holes and finally
both ends to the front through the middle hole. Tie a bow and you are
done! This size cone will hold a small sprig or a handful of daises or
tulips but you can start with a larger square of paper to hang a more
impressive bouquet. About 10" is the largest piece of paper you would
want to use.
Now all you have to do is fill it and find a
doorknob to hang it on! Wouldn't it be a lovely surprise to come home to
or wake up to tomorrow morning? And don't worry if you are a day or two
late, this May Day tradition can be celebrated through the weekend.
