Saturday, June 25, 2011

Paper Bows {tutorial}

I recently posted this photo on Facebook:


...and got quite a few compliments on my home made bows, as well as a request for a tutorial. The bows are super, super easy to make. So, here is the tutorial! 

BONUS: Can you guess what products are advertised on the paper made into the two bows on the left-ish side of the box?

Here's what you need:


Magazines
Scissors
Tape
Paper cutter (not necessary, but extreeeemely nice to have)


FIRST?

Find a pretty picture, or one with fun colors. 


Rip the page out, and cut the page into 9 equal strips. I recommend using a 1" width or less. These were cut to 3/4". 


 Then, leave three of the strips the full length of the magazine page.
Cut the next three strips off by an inch.
Cut the next two strops off by two inches.
And cut the last one down to 3 inches.


Then I like to fold the strips in half, so I have a midpoint and know where to fold the paper.


 And then I fold the ends, about to the halfway point.


Fold both ends of each piece and tape them securely. Loop the last one in a circle. 


Then tape them together, separating the longest three to create a 6 point star.




Continue taping each piece in, taping the next smallest strips in a staggered pattern.

...I cheated and added two more strips because it wasn't full enough. 


Tape the circle into the middle. 

And as my sister Erin would say... "VOILA."
(she really did say it; she's sitting next to me)




You can make different size bows; on this one, I made bigger loops to make a bigger, more full bow.






More clues for the bonus question... does this picture help at all? :]


and: 



If you can't figure them out...

...you'll just have to wait.

:) 

3 comments:

Amanda O'Banion said...

Oh wow! These are AMAZING! I will definitely have to try them out! I just wanted to stop by and say thank you for the comment you left on my Embrace the Camera post last week. My niece is definitely one of my best friends and I am so glad that we have the relationship that we do! Thanks again and have a fantabulous week!

Amanda
Our Life on a Marquee
www.theobanions.blogspot.com

Springjoy said...

So... I think I know what one of them is. ;) But shall remain silent for now. :)

P.S LOVE the song playing right now...

Brittany Wilkens said...

Laura! I tried this and it turned out really cute! I used the scraps from the wrapping paper that I was using and made a matching bow. http://mswilkens.blogspot.com/2011/07/paper-bows-rock.html
miss you!