Tutorial: From Paper Strips to a Heart Decoration

Just a couple of days ago, I posted a tutorial on how to use paper strips scraps to make a floral decoration. You can view the link here to view how we made the paper hearts. Making the heart units is a fun activity for the kids and keeps them involved up to a certain stage.

Left with lots of paper scraps from our previous workshop we decided to use them for some craft activity. In the previous tutorial, we made simple hearts using two similar sized stripes. To make it interesting we used two different colors to make the heart unit. While in this tutorial, we made hearts using two different sized paper strips with two different color combinations as shown in the picture below. 

 Left Inset: The heart unit formed using similar sized paper strips
Right Inset: The heart unit formed using different sized paper strips

This tutorial begins in a similar manner but the end result is different and much simpler for kids to try with minimum guidance from parents. The following tutorial includes step by step guidance to make the decoration along with pictures to make it easier for kids to follow.  

Tutorial:

We used paper strips that were left over from our previous craft activities. You can cut them as per your requirement or follow the steps below. We had strips of two different lengths, to form the double loop. We joined the two loops to make a heart shape. Once, the heart shapes were done, we joined every heart unit using glue or stapled them together. 

Materials used: Paper strips, scissors, stapler, glue.

Paper size used for outer loop: 6" x 1"

Paper size used for inner loop: 4" x 1"

Step 1: Make the inner loop using the 4"x1" paper strip by applying glue at the edges.

Step 1: The inner loop using the smaller sized strip

Step 2: Using the longer sized strip, make another loop by gluing it to the outer edges of smaller loop.

Step 2: The outer loop glued to the inner paper loop

Step 3: Make two units using two different colored paper strips as shown below.

Step 3: Paper loops using two different colored paper strips

Step 4: Now apply glue to the inner edges of the two looped units, and join them to form a heart shape.

Step 4: The heart unit formed by sticking two looped units together

Step 5: Make many such heart units using the above steps.

Step 5: Many heart units formed using the above steps

Step 6: Staple two units as shown in the picture below. You can also use glue instead of a stapler to join them.

Step 6: Join the units using stapler or glue

Done: Join all the units together using staples or glue to form the heart decoration.

Done: All the units are joined to form the heart decoration

Once done we were looking for places to use the decoration. We placed it in all the locations including the entrance door, the balcony railing, etc. We also used it as a garland around a soft toy. Finally, it ended up as a decoration for the toy house.

Decoration at the entrance door

Decoration on the balcony railing

Garland around the soft toy

Finally found the place to decorate the toy house

Suggestion or tips for use: 

This heart decoration can be used for decoration during parties or other events, or also as decoration in your kid's room. Since, its an easy DIY paper craft activity for kids, you can involve your kids to make this decoration for their birthday celebration too; involvement of kids for decoration during their own birthday celebration will not only make them happy but they will also realize the efforts we adults take to celebrate their birthdays.

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Tutorial: Using Paper Strips to make a Floral Decoration

Have you ever wondered what to do with all those paper scraps that you are left with after all the crafting activities with your kids? Most of you must be throwing them away for they are of no use after all the craft work. Generally, I avoid throwing any paper scrap and I stash them away for later use. I use them for making paper collages or in greeting cards or for some little craft project with my daughter.

Last weekend I was on a cleaning spree and I found a bag full of paper strips that I had kept aside from my previous workshop. My daughter was too busy watching TV and I wanted her to be away from it. So I decided to engage her in some craft activity that would keep her away from the electronic screen atleast for some time. I had something in my mind when we started but I was not very sure of what to do with all those scraps. I let my daughter take the lead.

Her first job was to segregate all similar color paper strips. And that she did quite swiftly. Next, I taught her to make loops and glue them. Once the loops were ready we were quick enough to make some hearts shapes and then the flower pattern and then I knew what we would do with those flower patterns. We stapled all the flower pieces and made a linear flower decoration. Once done, it turned out to be a pretty decoration that we hung from the ceiling in our kid's room.

Hanging Floral Decoration

Material required: Paper strips, glue, stapler, scissors.

Here the paper used was rainbow paper strips left over from our previous workshop. The size was about 6" long by 1" wide. 

Paper Strips Scraps

Tutorial: Follow the captions given below the pictures for detailed instructions. Here's how we did it.

Paper Strips Sorting

Step 1: Adding Glue to the edge

Step 2: Gluing the strip in the shape of a loop

Step 3: Made all the loops and sorted them based on colors

Step 4: Glue together two units to make a heart shape.
Make many such heart units. 

Making this heart shape is an easy task and my daughter usually loves getting involved in crafting activities which doesn't require much of complication. This is where her job ended. She loved making the hearts. And from here I had to take over. She also arranged them into a flower pattern after which I took over and stapled all the units together.

Step 5: Arrange groups of 5 pieces forming a flower pattern

Step 6: Staple all the units one by one.
Note the flower pattern forming in the centre as you staple them.

The flower patterns are ready

Step 7: Staple one flower unit with another unit

Step 8: Add a loop at the top of the unit for hanging it

Done: A decoration piece hanging from the ceiling of my kid's room.

Suggestion & Tips:

Apart from using it as decoration in the kid's room, the above decorating piece can also be used for decorations during parties. Choose the color of strips as per your requirement or theme of the party. It could also be used for decorating the nursery room for kids. Also, the entire assembly can be made longer or shorter by adding or removing the flower pieces as per your requirement.

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