When there’s a unicorn-themed party on the horizon and it’s time to bring the magic to life, you may find yourself wondering how to add an interesting touch to the decor scheme that makes for an unforgettable get-together. Fortunately, that unique decorative piece may be easier to craft than previously imagined. When mythical creatures are the highlight of a festive day, grab a hot-glue gun and a toilet paper tube to create a cute, crafty and fun unicorn for the memory books.
Low cost and highly imaginative, this DIY toilet paper tube unicorn requires little more than some scrap paper, scissors and a bit of time. Using pastels gives this decorative unicorn piece a pretty palette to display, but simply changing up the paper hues makes for a more dramatic look. Whatever the color combination, it’s a project that’s sure to please the child in everyone.
Materials
-1 toilet paper tube
-Hot-glue gun
-Scissors
-Ruler
-Sharpie
-Tape
-Hand-held paper hole punch
-4 inches of yellow string
-4 inches of pink string
-4 inches of blue string
-4 inches of green string
-1 sheet of yellow construction paper
-1 sheet of pink construction paper
-1 sheet of blue construction paper
-1 sheet of green construction paper
-1 sheet of purple construction paper
-1 sheet of black construction paper
-1 sheet of gold, sparkling craft paper
-1 sheet of white, glittering adhesive crafting foam (option to use fabric)
Materials
-1 toilet paper tube
-Hot-glue gun
-Scissors
-Ruler
-Sharpie
-Tape
-Hand-held paper hole punch
-4 inches of yellow string
-4 inches of pink string
-4 inches of blue string
-4 inches of green string
-1 sheet of yellow construction paper
-1 sheet of pink construction paper
-1 sheet of blue construction paper
-1 sheet of green construction paper
-1 sheet of purple construction paper
-1 sheet of black construction paper
-1 sheet of gold, sparkling craft paper
-1 sheet of white, glittering adhesive crafting foam (option to use fabric)
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Instructions
Step 1. Measure 4.5 inches across the top of a sheet of white, adhesive crafting foam. Cut from the 4.5 inch mark down the length of the sheet.
Step 2. Remove one end of the adhesive cover on the crafting foam, then gently place the toilet paper tube lengthwise on the sticky side at the shortest edge of the foam, pressing firmly to attach.
Step 3. Once in place, slowly roll the toilet paper tube down the length of the adhesive foam until the foam edges meet. Press to attach and cut any excess foam away.
Step 4. Using a piece of plain white paper, cut a rectangle measuring 2 inches wide and 4.5 inches in length.
Step 5. Stack a sheet of pink construction paper on top of a sheet of purple, blue, green and yellow. Make sure all edges are aligned.
Step 6. Using the 2- by 4.5-inch white rectangle paper as a guide, cut an identical rectangle from the stack of colorful construction paper.
Step 7. Starting at one end of the colorful paper stack rectangle, make half-inch incisions with scissors from the bottom to the mid-point of the stack along the long-edge, creating a fan-like effect. Separate the colors out into individual pieces once complete.
Step 8. Begin by hot gluing one piece of colorful paper to the bottom edge of the white rectangle base lining up the left edges and letting some of the fanned edges spill over the bottom edge. Cut off excess paper as needed on the right edge.
Step 9. Continue gluing alternating color strips to the white paper base, allowing one to slightly overlap the color below until the colorful paper reaches the top of the white paper rectangle, covering it entirely.
Step 10. Use the circular end of the toilet paper tube to trace two circles on the remaining white, adhesive crafting foam. Cut both pieces out.
Step 11. Place a 4-inch piece of pink string, yellow string, blue string and green string side by side on a flat surface. Use a small piece of tape to hold the strings in place at one end and braid them together.
Step 12. Cut a small bow shape from the remaining pink construction paper, then attach it to the end of the string braid using a small dab of hot glue to hold the ends together.
Step 13. Pinch a small corner of one of the foam white circles, and use scissors to make a small incision at the fold.
Step 14. Pull the nonbraided ends of the string through the hole, and use a small piece of tape to attach the ends to the backside of the circle.
Step 15. Hot glue the circumference of the white foam circle and attach firmly to the back end of the toilet paper tube, ensuring the taped side of the tail is facing the interior of the tube.
Step 16. Hot glue both long edges of the white paper rectangle covered in colorful paper fanned edges, and press firmly to the top of the toilet paper tube. Make sure the fanned edges are facing toward the braided tail.
Step 17. Cut two small, identical white triangles from the remaining white, adhesive foam for ears.
Step 18. Punch two small circles from a sheet of black construction paper using a handheld paper punch for eyes.
Step 19. Cut two small identical circles from the remaining pink construction paper for cheeks and one large triangle. Set all individual pieces to the side.
Step 20. Use hot glue around the circumference of the second white foam circle, and press to attach to the front end of the toilet paper tube. This is now the face of the unicorn.
Step 21. Ensure that the colorful side of the toilet paper tube is up, and attach the large pink triangle to the top center of the face side with a dab of hot glue. Position the triangle pointing down.
Step 22. Glue the two black circles just below for the eyes.
Step 23. Glue the two pink cheeks to either side of the face.
Step 24. Glue the two white foam triangles to the top sides of the face as ears.
Step 25. Cut a small triangle from a sheet of gold construction paper, and attach to the center of the large pink triangle for the unicorn’s horn.
Step 26. Cut four small ovals from the remaining white foam, and glue two to each side of the toilet paper tube as feet.
Step 27. Draw a smile on the face to complete the unicorn.
Step 28. Display around the home and let the magic begin!
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