Decorate your summer table with these fun and patriotic flowers that kids can create and decorate!

Coffee Filter Flowers

Materials:

• White coffee filters
• Red and blue food coloring
• Pipe cleaners
• Water
• 2 plastic cups
• Newspaper
• Vase or container to place finished “bouquet” in

Directions:

Put red food coloring into plastic cup, and add a small amount of water. Test the color intensity by dipping coffee filter into cup. To enhance color, add more food coloring to cup (in this example, I used 1 bottle of food coloring diluted in about 4 tablespoons of water). Repeat with blue food coloring in second cup.

Fold coffee filters into triangular shapes and dip into cups of food coloring. To save time, fold many filters together and dip. Lay flat on newspaper to let them dry.

To create different looks for your flowers, try the following techniques:

• Use a small paintbrush to dip into the food coloring and dab onto the filter to create spots or polka dots.

• Take the triangular coffee filter and fold in half (see picture below). Dip the center into one color (which will create a “stripe”, and then unfold to triangular shape and dip one end in the other color.

After filters are dried, create the flower by stacking 3 coffee filters, pulling them together in the center, and twisting the center.

Wrap pipe cleaner tightly around the twisted area to create a stem.

Add shape and fullness to the flower by carefully separating each filter.

Arrange flowers in vase or container and place on your table to admire!