Wednesday, August 08, 2007

My Bouquet of Coffee Filters

Pin It Now!

I've now made enough coffee filter roses to fill a small vase. Five roses to be exact. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, click here to see my first post on how to make these out of coffee filters. I'm still blown away that these are coffee filters!
I took this little bouquet to work to put on my counter. EVERY SINGLE person that came up to my desk thought they were real. It's so funny, a couple people picked them up to smell them! Even up close they look real...it is amazing! They even look more real in person than they look in the photographs because the coffee filters have a texture to them that is similar to a rose petal when it's fully bloomed. A coworker who was wearing rose cologne was at my desk. She walked away but her cologne lingered around awhile and another coworker walked up and said "Wow, those roses smell great"...it was so funny! All day I was waiting for someone to ask me if they were from my garden so I could say, "no they're from my kitchen cabinet!" I didn't even get to say it because everyone assumed they were real until they touched them or smelled them.
Are they easy to make? Well, sometimes they are and sometimes I really struggle with them. I've had a couple that I just had to throw away and start over. A couple of times the wire stem has come out as I'm almost finished and it's really hard to get it back in right. I think they are definitely worth the effort though.

Helen: Your comment yesterday really touched me. I hope you find all the happiness I have in being a single mom. Sometimes we don't choose these paths but that doesn't mean we will never find happiness...we just need to make our own happiness.

44 comments:

Kathleen Grace said...

I can't believe how real those coffe filter roses look! They are amazing!

Becca said...

You may convince me to try those one day. They're beautiful.

Bertie said...

How amazing are those roses!! They look so real. I've gathered the supplies and was waiting until winter to make it a project, but I just may have to start NOW.

I love your blog and your way of decorating on a budget. YOu have many good ideas!

Thanks for sharing.

Bertie
Aunt May's Cottage

a pink-bee said...

I love those roses, have made a few too, haven't painted them yet. Will post them when I do. Am so glad you shared how sometimes they are a bit tricky, had the wire come out on one of mine and have already pitched a few to the trash bin but, they are fun and yours do look real:)

Gayla said...

I LOVE those roses. So far, to date 16 coffee filters have sacrificed their little lives in a futile attempt to make even one little bud at my house. I don't think I have the right kind of wire. But yours are sooooo tempting. I will probably try again.... Hope, like roses... scents the air.

bren said...

I agree with the otherss, they look sooo real. It is hard to believe that something that beautiful is made from a coffee filter. Everything on your blog is beautiful

Unknown said...

Cindy those are absolutely gorgeous!! You would never know they werent real if you didnt say it!! You really do a good job with those. They sure do look worth the effort! I want to give them a try :)

Amy

Sue said...

Cindy,
Seriously, your pictures are amazing. Those roses you made are about jumping off the page, beautiful job.
I tagged you on my blog. Stop by for a look.
Sue

Adrienne said...

Your roses are gorgeous. I may have to try making some later this fall when my sweetheart is away on his annual deer hunting trip. That's always a good time for me to have a new project to work on. Thanks for sharing yours with us. They look very real. ~Adrienne~

The Weathered Pane said...

Cindy, I'm just in awe of these roses.... practically speechless.... You need to have a giveaway! :)

Sharon said...

The most beautiful roses I have ever seen, I can smell them from here. Such Beauty!

Terri Steffes said...

Now that is lovely! I will give these a try!

Anonymous said...

Hi Cindy, those roses are beautiful and in fact your entire site is beautiful and elegant and I so look forward to seeing it everyday! Your home is awesome and your vignettes as well. Sue

Anita said...

I am with you...they look real and absolutely stunning!! Beautiful work!

Lallee said...

Cindy, first I have to say that I am having a stressed day and when I saw your picture I took in a deep breath and just relaxed. These are so beautiful! I knew you were making these and they still fooled me as real. LOL I have my filters and the printed out instructions. I bought a simple water color paint set last weekend. Can you tell me what you are using to color yours? When I looked at all the paints I just got so confused and ended up just bying a child's set.

Cottage said...

Cindy, they turned out lovely! I picked up the things I needed to give them a try...hopefully they will be a pretty as yours. You are an inspiration! Melissa

Cindy said...

Lallee, I just used a simple water color set that I got at Michaels Craft Store. It was in the art section but it looks just like the children's classic water color set. Also, I didn't give mine a base coat of white like the instructions say, I just painted on the color.

Warning...they don't look like roses until you do the last step of curling the petals. Once you start curling the petals a rose emerges...it's amazing!

Melissa said...

These are unbelievable!

Anonymous said...

They really are beautiful and don't look at all like coffee filters! Love your new blog layout, too! ♥

Lallee said...

Thank you for the painting info, Cindy. I'm ready to give this a try. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Rosemary said...

Cindy,
Simply amazing!!
I can't believe those are coffee filters.
Maybe you should start selling them.
Rosemary

Anonymous said...

OMGosh! I saw Martha doing this on TV a while back, and they looked awesome. Yours look incredible!! Congrats on hanging in there to get five made. LOL, that is so fun, about the responses of your coworkers! That says it all. In the winter, I just may get into this. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing these, and the links. Have a great day. :-)

Sadie said...

These look so beautiful! I can't wait to try it for myself. I showed my husband your pictures and he couldn't believe that I was really saying they were made out of coffee filters. Great idea!

LivingTheLife said...

Well...Cindy...you've gone and done it!! You've made those coffee filter roses look so "real"....NOW I'm going to have to add another craft to attempt in my ever-growing collection of crafts...Geez...I don't think I can stand NOT making them...I'm going to have to copy down the instructions...and wait till things slow down here...but IF...and that's a biggy...I can get them to look as real and beautiful as yours...I may have to use them in my "wedding ministry"...Thanks...I was trying really hard not to fall for these roses...I've seen you post them a couple of times...and they were always eye-cathcing...but since you put several together...well, that just won me over...

Thanks for sharing...keep em' coming!!

blessings
"T"
LivingTheLife
aka
http://www.tpmom4ever.blogspot.com

Meg said...

Those are beautiful, Cindy, and I am very inspired to try something like that for someone I know and love! I was just thinking, wouldn't this be a great gift for an older person...those nursing home rooms or assisted living places are so small and this is just the kind of gift that would bring a real smile to someone's face. Thank you for sharing.

Betty Jo said...

Your coffee filter roses truly look real Cindy. I may give it try one of these days. xoxo

Sandy McTier Designs said...

Those looks so REAL! I made a while back but painted it too dark, didn't have floral wire so I used a skewer and well, let's just say it didn't turn out like yours.
GORGEOUS! Thanks for sharing ~ now that I have all the right stuff I think I'll give it another try.

Have a wonderful day.

Linda aka yellowroseli said...

I love your rosesw. I put all the supplies together to do these, but have not gotten around to it yet. But I must say, You inspire me.
I also love your new blog design.

Val said...

Very nice... I´ll try to make some roses...they look so real. Best wishes from south Brasil. Val

bethy said...

oh i am still amazed by this project. i have to do it. and your blog looks great!!

Anonymous said...

Oh they are so pretty! i WAS SO INSPIRED to give this a try and lets just say....not so pretty! I'll give it another try, but my petals all fell apart!

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

Cindy, those absolutely DO look real! You're doing a great job with that project. Very nice.

Rhoda

Anonymous said...

Cindy,

Your roses are beautiful.

Do you think it would be easier to
paint the petals before wrapping and forming them into the roses?

It looks like painting them white is an unecessary step.

I haven't tried making them, yet.

~elaine~ from SoCal

Anonymous said...

I am amazed at how lovely these roses look!They look so real! Love your blog!

Unknown said...

I just had to tell you that you inspire me! I love to find women...strong women, who just love life and grab it by the horns. I have loved your blog the moment I stepped into it! I love your photos and stories. I just wanted you to know that you have touched someone, a stranger. Thanks again for sharing some of your life with us! It has been a lovely pleasure!

Lisa said...

Are you sure you are not a photographer??? The roses are amazing! I am going to give it a try and give them to my daughter for her desk at work. I have been wanting to send her flowers but she is so allergic to them! These will fit the bill and I have those little silver holders too! Have the best week! Lisa

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Those are amazing!

Heather said...

I haven't been by in a while and everything looks great! I love the new blog look and the roses are just amazing.
Heather

Mrs. Jones said...

Those are just beautiful. I can't wait to try making some for myself.

Priscilla said...

Oh my.... The roses are beautiful, what a great idea, thay look so real! I have been viewing your wonderful blog a while now and just wanted to say thank you for sharing....

Priscilla x

Abbi said...

Very Very beautiful. I am a wedding floral specialist and am very partial to real flowers but I was very impressed with the look of those! Great Job!

Anonymous said...

These flowers are absolutely incredible! Gorgeous indeed!

Anonymous said...

You're roses turned out beautifully! And your photography and staging of them is lovely as well. I am so glad that you have found joy in making these roses.
Cassie Chappell
Mommy Makes Roses

Home and Heart said...

These are AMAZING!! You could NEVER tell they were faux, let alone coffee filters!!