DIY Paper Lemon Tree Branches with Flowers
Summer is the perfect time to bring vibrant citrus colors into your home! In this step-by-step tutorial, I’ll show you how to create beautiful paper lemon tree branches—complete with realistic lemons, delicate white lemon flowers, and lifelike leaves—using your cutting machine.
Making the Lemon Flowers:
Let’s start with the sweet white flowers that adorn lemon trees!
Template: https://www.handmadebysarakim.com/digital-templates/lemon
Materials: White cardstock, yellow alcohol markers, 24-gauge floral wire, white floral tape, and a few basic tools.
Assembly: For each flower, you’ll need two centers and one flower cutout. Color the center tips yellow, poke holes, and thread them onto the curled floral wire. Wrap white floral tape below each flower to secure it. No glue needed, but you can add a drop for extra security.
Create clusters of five flowers—three clusters in total. You can adjust the number to your preference!
Crafting the Lemons:
I made two large lemons and one small one for variety.
Assembly: Using a small ball tool, score the scalloped tabs of your cut pieces to fold them down. Glue the scallops together, overlapping as you go. Leave a small hole on one end for the stem.
Finishing Touch: Form a cone from a circle cutout to anchor your floral wire stem. Insert the stem through the lemon, secure with glue, and clean up the edges. Adjust the overlapping to create different shapes—a wider lemon or a more narrow one!
Creating the Leaves & Branch:
Leaves: Cut pairs of leaves in different sizes. Fold them down the center, sandwich a thin floral wire between, and glue them together.
Branch Assembly: Wrap floral tape below the leaves, cluster them, and add them to a thicker floral wire stem. Add the white flowers and lemons along the branch as you go for a full, realistic look.
Adding a Finishing Shine: Use satin Mod Podge to give your lemons and leaves a light sheen. It dries clear and adds a gorgeous, realistic touch!
Arrange your paper lemon branch in a vase or use it as a table centerpiece. Adjust the leaves and lemons for a lush, summery look. You could also find the full video tutorial above.
These lemons are perfect for summer styling! I initially considered making them with paper mache for a more rustic feel, but I love how crisp and clean they look cut from cardstock. You can also check out my paper mache tutorial for oranges and orange slices for even more citrusy summer vibes—linked below!
Happy crafting and let me know how your paper lemons turn out!
-Sara Kim