With November quickly approaching, I’m thinking about getting Christmas presents wrapped and shipped to family that lives far away. Every year I like to try to coordinate my wrapping around a theme and this year the gifts are all going to be topped with upcycled book page paper bows! The bows take just minutes to make, could even be made from old magazines or newspapers, and look super cute sitting on top of a present.
How to Make Upcycled Book Page Paper Bows
To make these book page paper bows, find an old thrifted book {an old picture book would make a really cute bow for a child’s gift}. I opted to use a book printed in Italian just to add a bit of a whimsical twist.
Cut paper strips 3/4 of an inch wide. Leave three strips the full length of the book page, cut one inch off the end of two strips, and cut one strip down to 3.5 inches, for a total of six strips for each bow.
With a glue stick or a dab of hot glue, attach each strip into a circle …
… then lay them over each other with the longer strips creating the base and attach them in the center, gluing each one on to the one below it.
The shortest strip sits in the middle to create the center of the bow.
These simple paper bows are so cute and they’re the perfect accent on my red polka dot wrapping paper left over from last year.
Set up an assembly line and you can make enough bows for all your Christmas wrapping while you watch your favorite show on TV!
For more creative gift wrapping ideas to make the outside of the gift as great as the inside, be sure to check out these creative ways to gift wrap with ribbon …
… wrapping paper repurposed from vintage sewing patterns …
… and five gift wrap ideas that all use items from the office supply store!
Very cute! I need to get packages wrapped and sent too.
Oh I just saw some that were a bit different! I even thought about making them 🙂 I haven’t even thought about starting my Christmas shopping yet this year! Yikes
Love it! I saw you on Tatertots and Jello!
I love those! I’m gonna have to try it. I was just looking at a blog that had a wreath made out of old book pages kinda like this. It was so fun and unique!
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I love this idea and having it in Italian is a very nice touch.
This is a terrific idea! I hope you’ll stop by on Sunday and share it at the Pretty Packages Party!
http://www.blackberryvine.blogspot.com
Smiles!
Jami
Not only do you have a great Craft Blog but you are going green. I am sooooo impressed. I suppose you should read what you cut first. I would hate to have something inappropriate on a bow. Ha!
Great idea! I think this would be a nice touch for my students’ to add to the Christmas presents they create for their parents.
Thanks for sharing!
Found you over at The Blackberry Vine.
Cheers!
Theresa
A nice way to use recycling materials for gift wrapping !
This is such a great idea! Thanks for sharing your “How To”! I can’t wait to get wrapping!
I’m so glad you stopped by and shared this amazing idea! I especially love that you chose an Italian book for the pages…how clever!
smiles!
Great idea! Thanks for sharing.