​Letter Buds
by Vanessa Sarabio-Torres

Step#1: Gather your materials
An X-acto knife (or scissors), a cutting board (optional), book paper, hot glue gun, toothpick, green acrylic paint, paintbrush, a Capri Sun straw (or something similar)and pencil.

Step#2: Cut
Cut out four 4x4’ squares and fold them. Fold each square into a triangle three times.

Step#3: Outline
Outline a petal on all the triangles and cut them out. When you unfold the triangle, it should have 8 petals.

Step#4: Cut off a petal
​The first flower should have one petal cut off so you have a flower with 7 petals, and a petal by itself.

Step#5: Cut off 2 petals
Then, for the second flower, cut off 2 petals.

Step#6: Cut off 3 petals
Then, for the third flower, cut off three petals.

Step#7: Cut the last flower
Finally, cut the last flower in half so each half has four petals.

Step#8: Glue and curl the petals
Using the hot glue gun, glue the last petal on top of the first petal for each flower. Then, use a toothpick to curl the petals. For the singular petal and the 2 petals, use the toothpick to have it curl around itself. Be careful!!

Step#9: Glue
Glue the layers on top of one another. Glue them from biggest to smallest.

Step#10: Make the stem
Start making the stem. Using the Capri Sun straw, roll a small piece of paper like you did with the petals over and over again until it stays into the shape of the straw.

Step#11: Take out the straw
Take out the straw and add a bit of hot glue to the paper so it stays put. You might need to add a lot depending on the way you rolled it.

Step#12: Glue
Glue the paper to the bottom of the rose. You can add as much hot glue as you want over it so it stays stable.

Step#13: Cut out a heart
Cut out a heart on another piece of paper. Cut it in half, these are your leaves.

Step#14: Attach
Attach them to the stem. This is optional, but you can also put hot glue over it.

Step#15: Attach triangles around rose
Put small triangle strips of hot glue around your rose. This is so that it can remain stable and not fall of the stem.

Step#16: Paint
Paint the stem  green. And voila! You’re done!

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