How to make a beautiful tissue paper bow

I'm giving away trade secrets here. You know those beautiful floral looking decorations you sometimes see in magazines hovering over a festive table? Or in a kid's room, re-invented as a mobile? They're little more than a few sheets of tissue paper and take about ten minutes of your time to create.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to create your own pretty decoration:

1. Start with six to ten layers of tissue paper. The more layers you have, the more dense your pom pom will be. You can also vary the colour for a fun, multi-coloured effect.

2. Fold back and forth every inch or so.

3. Keep folding until you have a long strip. Tie at the middle, and trim the ends. For a soft, peony look, round off the edges. For more of a fun, chrysanthemum look, cut into points.

4. Open up the sides (pull them down) so that the flower is semi-flat.

5. Pull the individual layers of tissue paper toward the middle. Be very careful not to tear the paper – cheap tissue paper from the dollar store rips easily! The first layer will pull back almost until it's perpendicular to the rest of the flower. Keep pulling the paper back (less and less each time) until you have done half of the top (3, 4 or 5 layers). Turn the flower over and repeat on the back.

6. Once the top is done, turn the flower over and repeat the process. You should end up with a round pouf shape.

At this point, you can either tie it onto the top of a gift for a big impression.

Or try hanging it from a ribbon over a Mother's Day brunch table. It's also great above a baby's change table, to keep baby's eyes busy!