SnipFold

Faceted Cherry Blossom

Five heart-notched pink petals form a shallow, scored bowl above a five-point calyx, with fifteen gold stamen tips.

Materials

  • 140-160 gsm pink paper for petals and cap
  • 160 gsm green paper for calyx
  • 120-140 gsm gold paper for stamens
  • Small sharp scissors
  • PVA craft glue
  • Blunt scoring tool and ruler
  • Tweezers
  • Pencil and protractor

Finished size: Approximately 94 x 90 x 20 mm (open blossom, no stem)

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Prepare the calyx

    Cut C1 and lay it green side up. Mark its center lightly. The five inward valleys are 14 mm from center; mark a point 2 mm inward from each valley (12 mm radius). These are petal hinge midpoints, spaced 72 degrees apart. Long green tips will show in the gaps between petals.

  2. Score the five notched petals

    Cut P1-P5, including the V between each pair of rounded lobes. Score both dashed lines gently. Hold the 5 mm tapered root tab flat and valley-fold the inner panel up 20 degrees. At the 24 mm-wide second score, valley-fold the outer panel a further 15 degrees, giving 35 degrees above the calyx. Keep both panels planar; do not curl or crease the heart notch.

  3. Glue petals around the shallow bowl

    Dry-fit all five first. Align each root fold midpoint to one 12 mm-radius mark on C1; the fold is perpendicular to that radius and the notch points outward. Put a thin coat of PVA on the underside of each marked 5 mm tab, pointing toward the center, and press to C1. Glue P1-P5 in circular order, 72 degrees apart. Hold each foot flat until it grips. Keep petal side edges unglued and let all five roots dry before handling.

  4. Cut and raise the stamen fans

    Cut S1-S5 with small scissors, following the open gaps between the three stems on each piece. Keep the enlarged gold tips and the 1.8 mm central stem intact. Score the 5 mm-wide line 4 mm from the straight foot edge. Valley-fold the whole three-tip fan upward 55 degrees; its foot remains flat. Do not cut or bend the individual filaments.

  5. Attach fifteen stamen tips

    Apply a tiny film of glue to each marked foot underside. Place the midpoint of the straight bottom edge at the calyx center, with the raised fan pointing toward its corresponding petal P1-P5. Attach S1 through S5 in order, rotated 72 degrees from each other. Their feet overlap near center; press with tweezers and let each grip before adding the next. Keep glue off the folds so the fans remain at 55 degrees.

  6. Cap and check the blossom

    Cut D1 and put a small amount of glue on its marked underside. Center it over the overlapping stamen feet, pink side up; its 7.4 mm diameter stops short of the fan folds. Press gently and let dry flat. Check five open V notches, five green tips between petals and fifteen separate gold tips. Adjust fold angles gently after drying. Actual print-cut-glue testing is pending.

Notes

The 3D model shows each piece in its finished, idealized shape; the exploded view only spreads the pieces apart. It is not a paper-physics simulation: curved shapes are forming guides, not exact physical folding or proof of developability, and intermediate fold shapes are not supplied.