Use Tissue Puffs to Create an Inexpensive Centerpiece

At the moment, one of my favorite centerpieces to make is with tissue puffs.  They’re so easy to construct and the cost is minimal.  These centerpieces can be as casual or elaborate as you want simply by adding ribbon, changing the vase/container, or changing the vase filler.  They’ve been used as bright festive centerpieces for my son’s 1^st birthday fiesta and created for an elegant ladies’ brunch.  The best part is that by using materials I have on hand, these centerpieces only cost between $3-5 each!

Materials:

Tissue paper (1 package per centerpiece)
Pipe cleaners or yarn / string
Wooden dowel
Vase
Vase filler (shredded paper, coffee beans, rocks, etc.)
Paint (spray paint or acrylic) – optional
Ribbon – optional
Hot glue gun – optional
Double sided tape
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil 

Directions are for one centerpiece.  Repeat steps as necessary to make additional centerpieces.

Step 1: Optional
Wooden dowels come in a variety of sizes and are usually a natural wood color.  To change the look of the centerpiece or customize it to fit your event, simply paint the wooden dowel with spray paint or acrylic paint.  Let the dowel dry completely before attaching the tissue paper puff.

Step 2:  
Decide what size tissue paper puff would compliment your vase / container.  I normally cut a square with 8-12 inch sides. Remove the tissue paper from the packaging, unfold, and layout on a clean flat surface.  Keep the tissue paper layers stacked one on top of the other.   Use a ruler to draw out a square on the top layer of tissue; make sure each side of the square is the same length.  Cut out the square with scissors, making sure to cut through all the layers of tissue paper with eat cut. 

Step 3: 
Keep the tissue papers stacked together as you begin these next steps.  Do not separate the layers of tissue paper.  Once the squares have been cut out, remove all excess tissue paper from your work surface.   Next, begin folding the square stacks of tissue.  Start with one side, folding it like an accordion every 1-2 inches back and forth until the entire square has been folded.  Optional: to give your puff some added texture, keep the tissue square folded and cut each end to make it rounded or pointed.  Find the center of your folded tissue square and tie the yarn, string, or pipe cleaner tightly around the center and secure it leaving some extra to tie around the wooden dowel.   Then, starting with the top layer of tissue paper carefully pull the top layer of tissue paper toward the center.  Continue with each layer to create a rose like tissue puff.  This will be ½ of the tissue puff. Repeat with the remaining square of tissue paper to create a sphere shaped tissue puff.

Step 4: 
Tightly secure the first tissue puff to the top of the wooden dowel using the extra yarn, string, or pipe cleaner.   Use double-sided tape or hot glue to help secure the string to the dowel, if needed.  Attach the second puff to the opposite side of the dowel so that the backs of each puff are together.  Tear off pieces of double-sided tape and attach to the back of the puffs to connect the back layers to one another.  This will help eliminate the seam between the two puffs and create a sphere shaped tissue puff.

Step 5: 
Fill the vase with desired vase filler and place dowel in the center of the vase.

Step 6: 
Add matching ribbon around the center of the vase using double-sided tape or a hot glue gun or tie ribbon around the  wooden dowel.