Cute Paper Flower Ornament With Tassel Beginner DIY

Imagine a little flower with rosy cheeks and a happy winking face, hanging from a loop of ribbon with a fluffy tassel swaying below it. Now imagine you made it yourself in one sitting, from a single sheet of coloured cardstock. That is exactly what this project is, and it is every bit as charming in real life as it sounds right now.

You do not need any crafting experience to make this. You do not need a cutting machine, a special punch, or any tools you do not already own. By the end of this post, you will have a complete video tutorial, written step-by-step instructions, and a finished paper flower ornament ready to hang, gift, or display.

Pick your favourite colour of cardstock yellow, purple, pink, or any shade you love and grab your scissors. You will need about 15–20 minutes from start to finish.

Why You Will Love This Project

This project uses nothing but paper, scissors, and glue, yet the finished ornament looks like something you would find in a handmade gift shop and that is the joy of it. The scalloped flower shape is traced from a round object you already have at home, so there is no template to print and no cutting machine required. It makes a genuinely beautiful room decoration, a gift topper, or a bag charm, and the video walks you through every single step so you can see exactly what it should look like before you try it yourself.

What You Will Need

• Coloured cardstock (2 sheets, same colour e.g. yellow or purple) [or use thick construction paper from a pack; standard 160 gsm works well]
• White copy paper or thin cardstock (one strip approx. 2 cm × 20 cm / 1 in × 8 in) [cut a strip from the edge of a plain white sheet of printer paper]
• Scissors [any household scissors will do]
• Glue stick or craft glue [a glue stick is easiest for clean edges; a small amount of PVA also works]
• Black marker [for drawing the cute face; a fine-tip marker gives the neatest result]
• Red marker or crayon [for the rosy cheek dots]
• String, thin ribbon, or yarn (approx. 20 cm / 8 in) [for the hanging loop; any colour that matches your cardstock]
• A round object to trace (approx. 8–10 cm / 3–4 in diameter) [a mug, a small bowl, a roll of tape, or a jar lid all work perfectly]
• Pencil [for tracing the flower shape before cutting]

Total estimated cost: $0–$4 (most people already have everything at home)

All materials can be found at your local craft store or ordered online.

Watch the full tutorial above before reading the written steps. The written steps below match the video exactly so you can follow along at your own pace.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the Paper Ring

Roll your white paper strip into a small cylinder and glue the ends together to form a ring. The ring should be roughly 3–4 cm (about 1.5 inches) in diameter; this will become the inner structure that gives your ornament its shape and dimension. Hold the overlapping ends firmly together for 20–30 seconds while the glue sets. Take your time here. A neat, round ring will make all the remaining steps easier.

Pro Tip: Wrap the strip around a glue stick, marker pen, or lip balm tube to get a consistent circular shape. Slip it off once the glue has dried.

Step 2: Wrap the Ring With Your Coloured Paper Strip

Cut a narrow strip of your coloured cardstock about 2 cm (1 inch) wide and glue it around the outside of the white paper ring. This covers the white ring completely and gives the ornament a tidy, colour-matched edge when the two flower faces are attached on either side. Wrap it slowly, pressing as you go, and trim off any excess at the end. The loop of string for hanging goes on at this stage too fold your ribbon or string into a loop and tuck the two ends inside the ring at the top before the glue sets, so the loop sticks out above the ring.

Pro Tip: Place the string loop so it sits exactly at the top centre of the ring. Hold it in place with a small piece of tape while the glue dries, then remove the tape.

Step 3: Trace the Flower Shape Onto Your Cardstock

Place your round object (mug, jar lid, or roll of tape) in the centre of your coloured cardstock sheet and trace around it lightly with a pencil. This circle will become the centre of your flower. Around the outside of the circle, draw small rounded bumps about 10–12 of them all the way around the edge to create the scalloped flower petal effect. Space them as evenly as you can, but do not worry if they vary slightly in size. Repeat on a second piece of cardstock so you have two matching flower shapes. These will become the front and back faces of your ornament.

Pro Tip: The bumps do not need to be identical, slightly varied scallops actually look more natural and handmade. If you find freehand drawing tricky, fold the cardstock in half and draw half the flower, then cut through both layers at once so both sides match.

Step 4: Cut Out Both Flower Shapes

Pick up your scissors and carefully cut along the scalloped outline you drew, following the bumpy flower edge all the way around. Cut with smooth, controlled snips rather than long slicing cuts this gives the rounded petal bumps a cleaner, rounder edge. Repeat the cutting on your second piece of cardstock so you have two identical scalloped flower circles. Hold them up together and check they are roughly the same size before moving on.

Pro Tip: If the two flower shapes look slightly different in size, place one on top of the other and trim the larger one down to match. A small difference will not be visible in the finished ornament.

Step 5: Make the Paper Tassel

Cut a rectangle of your coloured cardstock approximately 6 cm × 12 cm (2.5 in × 5 in) and make a series of parallel cuts along the long edge, stopping about 1.5 cm (half an inch) from the top. These cuts create the fringe of the tassel. Make the cuts as close together as you can thin fringes look fuller and more tassel-like. Once you have cut all the fringe, roll the uncut top edge tightly into a small bundle and secure it with a small piece of glue or tape. This rolled-up top becomes the head of the tassel.

Pro Tip: The more cuts you make in the fringe and the thinner each strip the fluffier and more luxurious the finished tassel will look. Take your time on this step; it is worth it.

Step 6: Attach the Tassel to the Ring

Thread a short piece of string or a thin strip of paper through the top of the tassel bundle and tie or glue it to the bottom of your paper ring. The tassel should hang directly below the ring, with the fringes falling loosely downward. Pull the string gently to make sure the tassel is secure before moving on. You can also glue the tassel head directly to the bottom inner edge of the ring if you prefer not to use string.

Pro Tip: Wrap a small strip of the same coloured cardstock tightly around the very top of the tassel just below where the fringe begins to create a neat collar. This gives the tassel a more polished, finished look.

Step 7: Glue the Flower Faces to the Ring

Apply glue to the front and back surfaces of the paper ring and press one scalloped flower shape onto each side, sandwiching the ring between them. Line up the top of each flower shape with the top of the ring so the hanging string loop emerges cleanly from the centre top. Press both flower faces firmly against the ring and hold for about 30 seconds. Set the ornament down and allow it to dry fully before drawing the face.

Pro Tip: Before the glue sets, check from the side that both flower shapes are aligned; they should sit directly opposite each other with the ring hidden neatly between them. Slide them gently into position if needed while the glue is still wet.

Step 8: Draw the Kawaii Face

Take your black marker and draw a simple kawaii-style face on the front flower, two small round eyes (or one open eye and one winking closed eye), a curved smile, and a small round nose. The face goes in the centre of the flower, within the inner circle area. Then take your red marker or crayon and add two small round rosy cheek dots, one on each side of the nose. Keep the features small and spaced apart; they should sit well within the centre of the flower without touching the scalloped edge.

Pro Tip: Try sketching the face lightly in pencil first, then trace over it with the marker once you are happy with the placement. Pencil lines can be gently erased after the marker dries.

Tips & Tricks

Use cardstock rather than standard printer paper for the flower faces. Printer paper is too lightweight; it will buckle when glue is applied and the ornament will not hold its shape. Cardstock (around 160–200 gsm) cuts cleanly, sits flat, and gives the finished ornament a satisfying solidity that looks and feels like a proper craft product.

If your scalloped circles come out slightly wobbly, that is completely fine. Trim any bumps that look noticeably different from the others using small snips. The flower will look charming either way perfectly even scallops are not the goal; a handmade, organic shape is actually part of the appeal.

Make your tassel in a contrasting colour for extra impact. In the video, the yellow ornament has a yellow tassel which is beautiful but a white tassel on a pink ornament, or a green tassel on a yellow ornament, creates a striking pop of contrast that looks very boutique.

Store your finished ornaments flat between sheets of tissue paper if you are making a batch as gifts. Stacking them without protection can flatten the tassel and leave crease marks on the flower faces. A sheet of tissue paper between each ornament keeps everything looking fresh.

Make a set of matching ornaments in different colours for a garland or a gift bundle. Four or five hanging in a row purple, yellow, pink, green, white looks absolutely stunning above a desk, on a wall, or hanging from a gift bag.

Ways to Use This Craft

As home decor: Hang a cluster of these flower ornaments above a desk, a dressing table mirror, or a child’s bedroom wall for an instant burst of handmade charm. They suit boho, cottagecore, and kawaii-inspired interiors equally well, and the muted cardstock colours keep them elegant rather than childish. Group three together at slightly different heights for the most visual impact.

As a gift: Tie one onto the outside of a wrapped birthday gift in place of a bow. It doubles as a keepsake the recipient can keep long after the wrapping paper is gone. A matching set of two or three in the same colour, tied with a ribbon, makes a beautiful and thoughtful standalone gift for a child, a teacher, a new neighbour, or anyone who appreciates handmade things.

Seasonal variation: Make them in red and gold for Christmas tree ornaments, pastel pink and lilac for Easter, or orange and black for Halloween. The kawaii face means you can adapt the expression too a surprised open mouth for Halloween, rosy cheeks and hearts for Valentine’s Day. The base craft stays the same; only the colours and details change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Closing Paragraph

You just made a handmade flower ornament with a tassel from a single sheet of paper and it looks genuinely lovely. The fact that something this charming takes under 20 minutes and costs almost nothing is the real magic of paper crafting. Share your creation with us. We would love to see what colour you chose! Tag us or leave a photo in the comments below. Ready for your next project? Try Adorable Paper Caterpillar Craft — Perfect for Beginners to a paper tassel garland or paper flower wreath tutorial] next same materials, even more satisfying to make.

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Happy crafting! LOUVADECORES