I decided to make a paper interpretation of each of the 12 Days of Christmas, in a mixture of flat papercuts and 3D paper sculptures, some more literal than others. It was quite a challenge, but I loved setting myself a design task ‘just for fun’…. Perhaps I’ll set myself another challenge soon!

12 Drummers Drumming

11 Pipers Piping

10 Lords A-Leaping

9 Ladies Dancing

8 Maids A-Milking

7 Swans A-Swimming

6 Geese A-Laying

5 Goooold Riiiiiiings

4 Calling Birds

3 French Hens

2 Turtle Doves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Here is the full step-by-step tutorial for my cute ‘Plants You Can’t Kill’ DIY Cardboard Cactus and Succulent Pots, as featured in Lucky Dip Club’s ‘Girl Planet’!

Click here for the template and keep reading for the instructions!

You will need:
Your Lucky Dip Club box (Or any single wall cardboard!)
Pencil
Ruler
Craft knife & cutting mat (or scissors)
Double sided tape or glue
Sticky tape
Paint brushes and paints (or marker pens or coloured paper)
Printed template

Step 1

Download the template, then print out and draw out the pieces onto your cardboard as shown – the cactus and succulent pieces, plus two rectangles, one measuring 22x7cm and the other 22×5.5cm. Both rectangles are divided into 8 equal sections as shown, at 2.75cm increments, which will be score lines.

Step 2

Cut out all of the cactus and succulent pieces. Cut out the two rectangles, only cutting around the edge of each. Then, using the craft knife carefully score along the score lines. Paint the pieces as shown on both sides, colour with markers or cover the pieces with coloured paper.

Step 3

Use glue or double sided tape to stick one end of each rectangle onto the other, to create two hexagonal tubes. Draw around the inside of the end of each onto the left over cardboard, and cut out.

Step 4

Cut a slit in the centre of one hexagon to fit the bottom of the largest cactus piece and push this through, folding the tabs in either direction. Secure with tape or glue.

Step 5

Fold each ‘petal’ of the succulent pieces upwards. Glue the smallest succulent piece centrally onto the medium sized piece, then the medium onto the largest.

Step 6

Decide which plant you want in which tube. Push one hexagon slightly down into each tube and attach with tape from underneath the hexagon, inside the tube.

Step 7

Attach the succulent to the plain hexagon using either double-sided tape or glue, and slot the remaining cactus pieces on to the cactus. Voila, two plants you can’t kill!

It was so much fun working on these paper flowers with Knot & Pop for this beautiful paper anniversary shoot, photographed by Gary Didsbury featured on 100 Layer Cake and in Wedding Flowers Magazine…

100 Layer Cake Aug 2013 – Paper Flowers in Collaboration with Knot & Pop

Wedding Flowers Magazine Nov/Dec 2013 – Paper Flowers