Monday, December 10, 2012

What to do with Leftover Wrapping Paper: Make a Rolled Wrapping Paper Christmas Tree


I had fun making this 'Rolled Wrapping Paper Christmas Tree' at a friend's craft party on the weekend! The inspiration was traced back to My Dream Sample Blox blog, but we created our own version of the craft:

Rolled Wrapping Paper Christmas Tree

Materials:
Assorted wrapping paper, 6 to 8 patterns cut into 20 5" x 8" rectangles
Buttons
Canvas or stiff construction paper 
Pen or Pencil
Scissors
Glue
Picture stand

Instructions:

  1. Let's roll! Take a rectangle and turn the nice side down, so the back of the paper is facing up. Make the orientation a landscape (top and bottom are longer than the sides.) Lightly glue the top half of the back of the wrapping paper, and then carefully roll up the wrapping paper into a 1/2" tube. For a tighter and more uniform look, wrap the paper around a pen or pencil, sliding it out as the paper becomes held by the glue.
  2. When you're done rolling all the rectangles into rolls, lay them side by side on the construction paper in your preferred pattern. Then take the scissors and start to trim the rolls, making each one slightly shorter than the last, to form the shape of the tree. 
  3. Glue the rolls in place, then add buttons or other decorations. For a star, you can cut a shape from wrapping paper and place a button in the centre, or get creative with a bottle cap, etc. Take one of the ends that were trimmed, flatten and glue it to the bottom to make the trunk.

Ta da! What a great way to use up leftover wrapping paper! You could make this into a Christmas card or frame it as a gift. The results are lovely, and each tree is so unique! Now, what to do with all those old Christmas cards?

2 comments:

  1. Neat-o! A very inexpensive (can I say cheap) craft, and useful, getting rid of the extra wrapping paper. I think I'll add it to my calendar!

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