Quarantine Cardboard Tube Crafts

As we are all stuck at home sheltering in place to flatten the curve of the Coronavirus, we probably have a lot of cardboard tubes on hand that we can use in crafts. Here is a list of some of my favorite cardboard tube crafts. Now that Spring and Easter are here, how about these baby Spring animals . You could use them to play with, or fill with bags of candy or treats. 

 

I know we just had St. Patrick's Day, but these Leprechaun Treat Boxes were a lot of fun. 

I used a paper towel tube to make a set of Turkey Napkin Rings one Thanksgiving.  While Thanksgiving is still pretty far off, that basic idea could be used to make bunnies or spring chicks for Easter. 

This was one of my favorite cardboard tube crafts to make a few years back.  I have always loved the Despicable Me movies, so I shared how to make Despicable Me Minions.

This Snow Owl Ornament is probably my most famous craft.  Back in 2015 it went viral and was featured on many popular blogs, pages and websites.  I still hang them on my Christmas tree every year. 

My daughter used several tubes to make this Rainbow Flower. It was made for a school upcycle project and sold in a special fundraiser auction. It loved how big and colorful it was.  I think it is about time to make another one.  

I don't have a tutorial for this flower garland that I made for a friends birthday party several years ago. Each flower was made with a painted tube that was cute in 5 pieces and glued in the shape of a flower.  I am thinking about making another one to add some color around here.  

Here is one more spin on cardboard tube flowers .  She painted and cut the tubes to make a bouquet to put in a pretty vase. If you are unable to go out and get real flowers, these make a nice long lasting substitute.  

We are currently working on some ideas for new cardboard tube crafts, so stay tuned... 

Read More »

Holidays on a Budget -Cardboard Tube Pilgrim Craft

I know this is kind of last minute for this Thanksgiving, but this is a craft the kids ca do while they are waiting to eat.   All you need is some cardboard tubes, construction paper or cardstock, and either glue or tape.  

   

You will need black, white, a flesh color, and a hair color. For the boy pilgrim we chose yellow hair, and the girl pilgrim an orangish red. 

Depending on the size tube you use, you will be blocks of black and the flesh color that are long enough to fit around the tube. It is okay if they are big enough that they overlap a bit. 

Wrap the flesh colored paper around the tube first. Secure in the back with either glue or tape.  Wrap the black paper around the tube and secure with glue and tape as well. You may cover part of the flesh paper.  You want the flesh color to be smaller than the black because Pilgrims have smaller heads than their bodies. Overlapping also looks neater than sizing to fit, and trying to match the lines. 

Add a face with either crayons, markers or colored pencils.  I used colored pencils. Add a collar for the boy pilgrim with a piece of white paper with a small triangle notch cut out.  

Add a face to the girl pilgrim.  Add some pieces of paper for her hair.  It does not have to be this detailed, this is just how my daughter decided to make hers.  Add a collar similar to the boy pilgrim but you can round the edges if you like.  

The hats are probably the most difficult part of the pilgrim. To make the boy hat, roll a piece of black paper and glue it to a flat circle on top of the boys head. Add a top circle to the hat. I found it to get it to hold together, glue works the best in this step. Add a hat band with a small strip of paper.  The best paper to use for the girls hat is printer paper because it is thinner and much easier to mold than heavier papers.  I cut a square that was about 5 inches by 5 inches. I folded it in half and then fit it to the girls head.  I secure it with scotch tape in the back of her head to hold it in place. 

As it is now after midnight, I can officially say... 

I hope you have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! 

Read More »

Crafts to Make with Cardboard Tubes

With the popularity of my Snow Owl Ornaments this week, I thought I would  re-share some of my other cardboard tube crafts that I have posted over the years. 

Another project that I really enjoyed making was my Turkey Napkin Rings. The entire set was made from one paper towel tube.  I have another Thanksgiving tube craft that I made  a few years ago, but I can not find on the blog. I would tell you what it is, but I think I am going to remake it, and share in the next few weeks. 

One of my most popular cardboard tube crafts was  How to Make Despicable Me Minions  They are still one of my all time favorite crafts. 

Another favorite cardboard tube craft was made by my daughter.  She make her Hanging Rainbow Flower for a school project.  She ended up making three of them, and selling them all.  I think I will have to her make another one for me, because I still love it. 

In a throwback post, my daughter also made me these Cardboard Tube Flowers. I loved them then, and I still love them now. I still have them!  She looks so young in this picture. 

This year I used cardboard tubes to make Leprechaun Treat Boxes. I thought they turned out pretty cute. 

Easter was not left out. Last year I made these Spring Animal Boxes. I could not decide which ones were my favorite. 

For the 4th of July I made this Quick and Easy Fireworks Craft. I added the fireworks to long skewers, which made a perfect way to add to my red, white and blue flower pot. 

And of course, the craft that inspired this post.. my Snow Owl Ornaments

Until I started writing this post, I had kind of forgotten how many cardboard tubecrafts I had actually made. I will be adding to that list real soon!  

Read More »

Throwback Thursday Cardboard Tube Flowers

It is Thursday once again, which means it is now Throwback Thursday.  Today I thought I would go back to  the spring of 2012, when my daughter made a bouquet of Cardboard Tube Flowers.  These flowers are a fun craft for children to make for Mother's Day, Easter or just because it's Spring.   If you would like to make some of these flowers be sure to check out  Kara's Cardboard Tube Flowers tutorial.  

Read More »

Throwback Thursday Rainbow Flower

In honor of the first day of Spring and the hope that flowers will be again  blooming soon, today's Throwback Thursday post is a favorite from last Spring,  My daughter made this in a Crafting with Kara tutorial as a school project on upcycling.   Everyone love it, and she even sold a couple to people who asked her to make them one too.  You can see how she make this colorful hanging wall flower on her post Hanging Rainbow Flower

Read More »

Crafting with Kara- Cardboard Tube Flowers

We finally had the chance with Kara's busy schedule to fit in another installment of Crafting with Kara. This week she thought it would be fun to try a craft she saw in the March issue of Family Fun.  Using just a few supplies, she made vase filled with spring flowers.

The supplies you will need to make this craft are; one toilet paper tube per flower, and an extra tube if you want to make leaves, paint, bamboo skewers, and tissue paper.

Paint the tubes in your desired flower  colors.  If making leaves, paint one of the tubes green 

 Both the inside and the outside of the tubes need to be painted. We found it to be easier to paint the inside after cutting it.  Paint the skewers green, these will be the stems. 

Mark off the center inch of the tube 

Mom helped with this step.  Cut slits up to the mark off point on both sides of the tube. There should be about 1 inch of tube left uncut. 

Once the tube was cut, it was easier to reach inside the tube.  She also painted all of the petals on both sides of the tube. 

To make the leaves, flatten the green tube, and cut into strips. 

Once all the flowers are dry, stuff the centers with different colors of tissue paper. 

Using a push pin, make a small hole. (this is another step that might need to be done by the parent) 

Insert the pointed end of the skewer into the hole.  You might use a little bit of glue to keep it in place, but we did not have to. 

Because of the vase Kara decided to use, we did not add the leaves this time.

We found the pretty purple vase at the dollar store.  They sold other colors like pink, yellow and blue as well.   One thing that I love about these flowers is they will stay pretty a lot longer than real ones. They would make a nice Mother's Day gift or just a spring decor pick me up.  

Read More »