DIY wrapping baubles with scrap paper

You can make surprisingly beautiful things out of scrap paper. You may already have known that. But did you know that you can also use scraps of gift paper, a stack of magazines or even an old paper bag to brighten up your baubles? Then you are already halfway through this DIY. You will pimp up your old baubles with it in no time. The result? Original, handmade decorations that give your Christmas tree that extra bit of character.

Pimping old baubles with scrap paper

We all buy bins full of new Christmas decorations every year, which is actually quite a shame. Many decorations are made of plastic, full of glitter that gets stuck everywhere, and end up in the rubbish after a few seasons because we have had enough. With this simple DIY, you give existing items a second life and show that things can be done differently. You don't need special materials, and even a bit of mess is part of the job.

Wrapping baubles: with a little paper and glue, old baubles get a new look in no time.

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Christmas DIY: spruce up old baubles with paper

Paper is perhaps the most versatile crafting material there is. You can tear it, cut it, glue it, overlay it. And every time it looks different. Use shiny wrapping paper for a festive look, or go for a vintage style with pieces from old books or magazines. A coat of varnish will make the ball extra sturdy and give it a nice shine. Tip: let children create their own ‘edition’ using comics or pictures from magazines. That way, the crafting itself becomes a party!

Making20 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Keyword: diy, christmas, upcycling, christmas ball, paper

Tools

• old baubles
• thin papersuch as gift paper, magazine pages or an old paper bag
• white glue(tacky glue or wood glue)
• old brush to spread the glue with
• pencil or marker you can put the ball on during crafting
• adhesive tape or tape(to make the pencil thicker if needed)
• optional: varnish for a protective and shiny layer

Instructions

• Carefully pull the hook out of the ball and set it aside. You will need it again later.
• Place the ball on a pencil or marker. This way you can easily hold it while pasting. Does the ball not fit properly? Wrap some tape around the pencil to keep it firmly in place.
• Tear or cut your paper into small pieces, max 2 cm. Tearing gives a playful, casual effect; cutting makes it a bit neater.
• Spread the top quarter of the ball generously with glue. Also glue a little over the edge of the ‘nipple’, but not too much - the hook should fit again later.
• Stick it on! Cover the smeared area with pieces of paper. You can work roof tile-wise or just criss-cross. Spread some glue over the top of the paper too, so everything is firmly attached.
• Continue until the whole ball is covered. Work in sections: smear a piece each time, stick, and smear again. Make sure no pieces of the old ball are visible.
• Let the ball dry thoroughly. Leave it on the pencil and put that in a glass or jar.
• Want extra shine and strength? Apply a coat of varnish after drying.
• Put the hook back and you're done!

More cool ideas for giving baubles a new life

• With dust residue: check out our DIY Christmas baubles making with scraps of fabric here.
• With rope: check out our DIY Christmas baubles making with string here.
• With paint: check out our DIY painting old baubles here.
  
  

Source: Worldremit. Photo credits: Melanie De Oliveira.