craftLAB Recap: Paper Circle Garlands

Posted by Crystal

Thanks to everyone who came to craftLAB on Sunday!  The paper circle garlands were so fun and easy to make!  It was the perfect craft project for kids and adults.  :)

Shannon, Jessica and Michelle (l-r) thoroughly enjoyed picking color-coordinating papers for their garlands.

Sophia, Ophelia and Lumena (l-r) used the paper punches to make small, medium and large circles.

Look at Dan's neat piles of circles...this man is one organized crafter!

Jessica's garland looked so great just sitting on the table as she added more circles!

Jessica was the first one done and she loved her garland!

Santana (l) and Gabi (r) made awesome garlands!  Special thanks to their lovely and crafty mom Jackie (center) who actually drove back home after arriving to get paper to donate to the workshop!

Mary (l) made a specialized holiday garland with shapes she cut out at home!  April (l) and her "little sis" Madison (center) created gorgeous pink and yellow garlands.

Michelle (l) shows off her garland AND her cast! Shannon (r) always look so tough...she's an honorary Flintstone!

Dan, Lumena and Ophelia (l-r) are all smiles when it comes to their garlands!

Join us for craftLAB on Sunday, December 5 from noon-3pm at The Lunch Studio.  We will be learning how to melt old, broken crayons into brand new crayons in a variety of holiday shapes!  Bring your old crayons to add to the melting pots!

Don't forget to join us at the Flint Handmade Holiday Craft Market on Saturday, November 27 from 10am-6pm at the Rowe Building!  The first 25 shoppers will receive a goodie bag filled with tons of treats...including a ornament-shaped crayon from our craftLAB test batch!

CRAFT TUTORIAL: Paper Circle Garlands

Posted by Crystal

Well, I have been asked to post more craft tutorials, so here is one especially for you, Tanya!  :)

I fell in love with these circle garlands at the 2010 DIY Street Fair.  I saw them hanging vertically like beads in a doorway in the booth by JuliBuli74. 

You could hang them vertically or swag them or make a mobile!  I think the garlands above were made with fabric circles, but I am going to show you how to make them with paper circles.

Paper Circle Garlands

Materials/Tools:
1) Paper of Various Colors/Prints (e.g. scrapbook paper, catalogs/magazines, junk mail, etc.)
2) Circle Punches (one large, one small)
3) Glue Stick
4) Twine (or string or yarn, etc.)

Step 1: Gather your materials.  Get creative with the paper you choose!  You could also use old photos, calendars, etc.

Step 2: Punch out lots of large and small circles.  The closer you plan to place the circles next to each other on the twine, the more you will need.  You could also use other punch shapes like scalloped circles.  Or, if you don't have punches, you can print/trace shapes onto the back of your paper and just cut them out with scissors.

Step 3: Apply glue to the entire back side of one of your circles.  I like to use a junk mail catalog underneath the circle, so I don't get glue all over my workspace.  Place the twine across the glue on the circle and then sandwich another circle back-to-back on top.

 

Step 4: Vary the sizes of your circle for more interest as you work your way down the twine. 

Hint: If you are doing a repeating color pattern as shown above (yellow/blue/green/yellow/blue/green), make sure you glue the same color circles to each other, so that when the twine twists, you will have the same pattern regardless of which side of the circle is visible.

Step 5: Hang your garland!  They make great party or holiday decorations!  I also think they would look awesome in a kid's room or craftroom.  :)

If YOU want to make a paper circle garland, join us at craftLAB on Sunday, November 7, 2010 from noon-3pm at The Lunch Studio! 

We will have all of the supplies available, but feel free to bring your own if you have special paper, punches, glue or twine that you want to use.  :)