Craft ideas with plum blossoms for seniors
Plum blossoms begin to bloom here and there as early as the still-chilly days of February.
When you see plum blossoms, you can’t help but feel that spring is just around the corner, can you?
Their modest yet charming flowers—whether white, pink, or a vivid red—are all soothing to the heart.
Why not make plum blossoms, the flowers that herald spring, the theme of your next craft project?
In this article, we introduce craft ideas featuring plum blossoms that are perfect for spring.
From simple origami you can fold easily, to decorative pieces like wreaths, and even intricate creations such as chirimen (crepe) crafts.
We hope you enjoy them as you look forward to the coming of spring.
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[For Seniors] Plum Blossom Craft Ideas (11–20)
Hanging decorations of plum blossoms
For Setsubun, how about a festive hanging decoration of plum blossoms? After folding the flowers, make small slits and shape them into a rounded form—that’s the key.
Thread a needle, string felt balls, and attach the flowers with tape.
If older adults are doing the craft, be sure to take care when handling the needle.
Glue gold origami onto construction paper, then attach it to an accordion-folded fan to finish.
Making flowers with different sizes of origami creates decorations of various sizes and changes the overall look, so it’s highly recommended.
Tsumami-zaiku Ume Blossom
Tsumami zaiku can seem a bit difficult, but this one uses only the basic round fold, so it feels approachable even for beginners! Fold the chirimen fabric three times into a small triangle and glue it in place.
Use a small amount of glue to keep the finished look cleaner.
Gently puff it up, round it, and shape it, and your round fold is complete.
Combine five of these small pieces to make the upper row, then attach it to the lower row made the same way.
Turn it into a brooch or a strap, and you can feel the arrival of spring close by anytime.
Shimenawa with plum blossoms
Let me introduce an easy-to-make plum-blossom shimenawa using origami.
The rope parts are simple to create, so they’re recommended for older adults.
After connecting the parts, be sure to fold them firmly inward.
For the tassel, accordion-fold along the creased lines.
This step is also suitable for older adults to work on.
Using wire to make the mizuhiki cord makes it look even more luxurious.
Make the plum blossoms and glue them on to finish.
This bright plum-blossom shimenawa is perfect as a New Year’s decoration!
chirimen craft
This is a plum blossom mascot featuring a softly textured chirimen fabric and a charmingly plump shape.
Use a sphere made by stuffing cotton into a circular piece of fabric as the base, then create the center indentation and the layered petals through your stitching.
As you add the stepped layers of petals with thread toward the center, keeping the petal sizes even will result in a more beautiful finish.
To stabilize it when placed down, attach a circle to the underside, and finish by adding beads to the center of the flower.
Be mindful to choose thread and beads that match the color of the fabric.
Felt Plum Blossom
This is a palm-sized, charming plum blossom decoration characterized by a soft look made with felt.
Cut felt into semicircles, fold each piece in half again, glue the edge, and shape it to form petals.
Then glue five petals together so they connect, and refine the shape to complete the plum blossom.
By clearly showing the folds at the boundaries between petals, the three-dimensional effect is strongly emphasized.
Adding a pearl bead to the center of the flower further enhances both the elegance and the dimensionality, so that’s recommended as well.
Plum Blossoms and Nightingales
Let me show you how to make a three-dimensional wall decoration with colored paper.
This time, in a spring theme, we’ll make plum blossoms and a bush warbler.
First, cut a circle out of paper in a plum-blossom color, then cut it in half and crease one half into thirds.
Trim the corners, and when you open it, it will form a flower shape.
Wrap the petal areas around a chopstick to give them a gentle curve.
Make a single cut along one of the creases, overlap the two neighboring petals, and glue them to create a three-dimensional flower.
Cut yellow paper into thin strips and glue them in the center to complete the blossom.
For the bush warbler, prepare white and green paper.
Cut three green pieces and one white piece into teardrop shapes, then layer and glue them so the green and white overlap.
Use the remaining green pieces—curled with a chopstick—for the wings, and fold another to make the tail, then glue them on.
Make a beak from yellow paper and draw the eye to finish the bird.
Create a tree out of brown paper, then simply glue everything in place.
You’ll quickly transform any spot into a space where you can feel the spring season.
[For Seniors] Plum Blossom Craft Ideas (21–30)
Hanging ornaments
We’d like to introduce a lovely spring hanging decoration that gently sways in the breeze.
You can make it with just origami paper and string, so it’s perfect for craft activities in senior care facilities.
Prepare both solid-colored and patterned origami paper, cut three circles of each, and fold them in half.
Glue the solid and patterned halves alternately, attach them to a string, and your temari ball is finished.
Next, fold three sheets of origami paper in half vertically, stack and glue them together, then draw a pencil outline so it forms a cherry blossom shape and cut it out.
When you open it, you’ll have a symmetrical flower.
Snip small cuts into the petals to make it look like a sakura blossom, then attach it to the string to complete the piece.
Gazing at your hanging decoration while feeling the warm spring breeze is sure to bring a peaceful moment.