For folks who eat cereal, the boxes tend to add up. But they are made with a fairly high-quality material known in the industry as paperboard. For the crafty among us, paperboard probably has a thousand uses. In this case, once the supplies are assembled — and they are minimal — it takes literally two minutes to make a bow.
This natural looking bow could adorn a package with a similar recycle or nature-themed paper. Or, paint it pink and blue for a baby shower. Paint it white, and add colorful polka dots for a fun look, or paint it gold, inside and out, and wrap it with a metallic organza ribbon. You can also break out this ribbon and add it to a corkboard or above a coat hook in your entry hall.
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Materials
- Work surface
- Large cereal box
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Chalk paint (we used Home Décor in Willow Mist)
- Flat craft paintbrush
- Glue gun with glue
- Twine, about 18 inches long
- Work surface
- Large cereal box
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Chalk paint (we used Home Décor in Willow Mist)
- Flat craft paintbrush
- Glue gun with glue
- Twine, about 18 inches long
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Take an empty, clean paperboard cereal box, and lay it on a flat work surface.
2. Cut all around the seams on the faces of the box, creating two large rectangles. Set aside the rest.
3. Cut a slice lengthwise about 3 inches wide.
4. Cut another slice about 1 inch, and divide that in half horizontally to make two shorter pieces.
5. Draw a symmetrical bowed shape, narrow in the middle with two oblong sides.
6. Cut out the bowed shape.
7. Paint the colored side of the shape with the chalk paint.
8. For each of the smaller pieces, start at the bottom, and cut up to the center at a 45° angle about ¾ of an inch of one side, and up from the bottom of the other side making a “tail” at one end.
9. Paint the painted side of the shorter pieces.
10. Fold from the widest part of the arches toward the middle, forming the bow shape.
11. Push in the bow ends slightly to make the bow bulge.
12. Lay down a thin line of glue in the middle.
13. Fold one side onto that glue, and lay down another thin line of glue on top.
14. Fold in the second side to the middle, and be sure the glue is holding.
15. Lay down another line of glue on the top.
16. Place the end of the twine along the glue line.
17. Wrap the twine around the bow at this narrow point until none of the paper can be seen.
18. Secure the end of the twine with a drop of glue on the twine ball.
19. Put another dab of glue on the back of the twine bow.
20. Attach one of the short pieces angled to the right.
21. On the back of that piece apply more glue, and secure the second small piece, angled 45° from the first one.
22. Turn it over, and attach your bow to a package using double-stick tape or doubled-over masking tape.
23. Be proud to present the package!
1. Take an empty, clean paperboard cereal box, and lay it on a flat work surface.
2. Cut all around the seams on the faces of the box, creating two large rectangles. Set aside the rest.
3. Cut a slice lengthwise about 3 inches wide.
4. Cut another slice about 1 inch, and divide that in half horizontally to make two shorter pieces.
5. Draw a symmetrical bowed shape, narrow in the middle with two oblong sides.
6. Cut out the bowed shape.
7. Paint the colored side of the shape with the chalk paint.
8. For each of the smaller pieces, start at the bottom, and cut up to the center at a 45° angle about ¾ of an inch of one side, and up from the bottom of the other side making a “tail” at one end.
9. Paint the painted side of the shorter pieces.
10. Fold from the widest part of the arches toward the middle, forming the bow shape.
11. Push in the bow ends slightly to make the bow bulge.
12. Lay down a thin line of glue in the middle.
13. Fold one side onto that glue, and lay down another thin line of glue on top.
14. Fold in the second side to the middle, and be sure the glue is holding.
15. Lay down another line of glue on the top.
16. Place the end of the twine along the glue line.
17. Wrap the twine around the bow at this narrow point until none of the paper can be seen.
18. Secure the end of the twine with a drop of glue on the twine ball.
19. Put another dab of glue on the back of the twine bow.
20. Attach one of the short pieces angled to the right.
21. On the back of that piece apply more glue, and secure the second small piece, angled 45° from the first one.
22. Turn it over, and attach your bow to a package using double-stick tape or doubled-over masking tape.
23. Be proud to present the package!
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