Easy paper baubles

The other day i left my battery charger for my laptop at school. This was particuarly bad as it charges both our laptops, and the battery was low for both. However this predicament did have a very positive outcome, as i had to find a different way to amuse myself.

I must say that if i was a student in my own classroom I would be particuarly frustrating because have quite a short attention span. I loathe having NOTHING to do! My husband and I are often pleased when we havce a spare weekend with no plans, because we can then 'do nothing'. Except his do nothing is really, do nothing. Watch a movie or read a book and not move. My do nothing just means not leaving the house, but i must still find a way to occupy myself.

Faced with a do nothing weekend with no laptop I was in a predicament. What was i going to DO? Add to this the fact that i have no car at the moment (a minor prang!) I needed to find my amusement out of whatever i had at home. Luckily i had a plan.

The recent Better homes and Gardens magazine featured a variety of christmas decorations you could make out of scrapbooking paper. I just so happened to have a book full of beautiful paper that i have barely used, so i set to work.



Easy christmas baubles

Scrapbook paper (I used about 4 pieces and made loads of baubles)
Hole punch
Ribbon or wire (BHG used wire, i didn't have any but found ribbon did a great job!).

Cut strips of cardboard approx 1 cm in width. You can vary the length, so long as you have 8-10 pices the same length.

Hole punch the top and bottom of each strip. Cut a length of ribbon as long as the strips then a bit more for a loop. Tie a knot on the bottom (needs to be bigger than the hole punch hole).

Gather 8- 10 strips and slide them down the ribbon, printed side down. Loop the end of the ribbon through the other end.

Push the strips down until they bend over. Tie a knot with a loop on the end.

Fan the strips out to make a circular shape

Voila!

I then gathered some vines that i had taken from my sisters place. Their new home had a beautiful wisteria tree, which we are all allergic to. So sadly down it came, however it has meant loads of beautiful bendy vines for me to play with. I bundled the vines together, took some florist tape and wrapped them together. Popped it in a vase with some stones and paper and added my baubles.

I am really quite pleased as this is one of my first crafting attempts. What do you think?

Give it a go yourself!