I read lots of blog posts about people feeling joyous that they found peonies for sale at Whole Foods and then they post a beautiful picture of those outrageously gorgeous pom poms in some perfect vintage vase they bought at a thrift store.  Don't worry, I love looking at that eye candy too, but Whole Foods is not on my shopping circuit and I don't think I am getting one anytime soon since I live in rural PA.  BUT, I did find some discontinued Martha Stewart crafts paper peonies at the fancy Big Lots up in booming Kittanning a few months ago for $2.   

 
These were super easy to make and you certainly don't need the MS crafts discontinued kit to do it your self.  Just get a stack of tissue paper, scallop or zig zag the edges, fold it up acordian style, tie a wire around the center and start to pouf.  My 5 year old was actually a pretty good pouffer…

 We made these for birthday party decorations and then gave them to the girls that came over as party favors.  I have asked a few people around here if they remember these for sale at the amusement park when they were kids but no one remembers them.  I always loved the rainbow colored ones but never got one since my parents thought (and were probably right!) that it would be a pain to drag it around the park and on all the rides.  I wanted to have it hung in the corner of my room above my Breyers plastic horses collection.  I imagine some of you may live out your girlhood fixations by decorating your own daughter's room so you won't judge me too much for this next picture.  

Yeah!  Now I just need to paint the walls white, install yellow shag carpeting, and find some rattan headboards.  Sheesh!  I really do need to find some headboards in to go in there…