Cozy creative project for Christmas cheer
Is there anything better than finding the craft box, lighting candles, opening the cookie jar, turning up the Christmas music and gathering with those you love over a glass of mulled wine or hot chocolate while cutting and pasting?
We love that here at the office - and if you're not at all creative or have ten thumbs, you can always help by cutting ribbons/paper, for example - or simply enrich the collection with nice company <3
Below you will find a little guide to making the finest drums from materials you already have at home. A really great way to recycle gift wrap, ribbons and toilet rolls and transform them into nice, personal decorations. Here at CARE BY ME we love the idea of recycling. Maybe you got a sense of it in our latest initiative in this post ?
This is what you need
- A toilet roll
- A pair of scissors
- A good glue
- A glue gun
- A pencil
- A thin string/ribbon (approx. 122 cm depending on the desired look)
- A wide string/ribbon (approx. 1 cm wide depending on the desired expression. Approx. 14 cm long)
- A piece of used cardboard. It could be a used cornflakes package or something similar.
- A piece of leftover gift paper (approx. 5*14 cm)
- Tape
- A coffee capsule, shot glass or similar (used to measure the bottom and top)
Step 1
Halve your toilet paper roll.
If you cut it in half in the middle, it is approximately 5 cm. The size depends on the desired height of your drum.
The guide starts from the middle with approximately 5 cm.
Step 2
Cut gift wrap
- Take your wrapping paper scrap and mark 5*14 cm (width*length)
(If your drum has a size other than 5 cm, mark this instead)
You may want to roll your roller over the paper to check if the size is right. - Glue on the wrapping paper and roll it over. Remember to make sure that all four edges of the wrapping paper are glued well.
- Feel free to press with your fingers where the paper ends so that the closure is as tight and invisible as possible.
- NOTE: There may be a little extra paper at the top and bottom of the roll. You can either bend the edges into the roll (as shown in the pictures) or simply cut a tight edge after it is glued on.
If a bit of toilet roll is visible underneath, it will probably last as long as your two gift ribbons are wider, which will be used at the end.
Step 3
Thin ribbon is wound
- Take a long piece of ribbon (approx. 122 cm depending on the desired look) and tape one end to the inside of the drum. Now start wrapping diagonally from end to end. Wrap through the roll and let the ends meet and continue wrapping diagonally to form elongated triangles. Continue like this until the ends meet.
- Always be aware of when you approach the starting line again in terms of the density. It may be necessary to adjust the distance slightly at the end.
- NOTE: the narrower the slopes you make with the tape, the more tape is required.
Step 4
Ribbon for hanging
- Cut ribbon for your hanger. The length depends on where you want it to hang.
- Take a piece of tape and stick the two ends of the tape to the inside of the roll.
For a nice finish, stick the hanging tape in extension with the tip of one of the wrapping triangles.
Step 5
Top & bottom
- For the top and bottom of the drum, you can use your roller to draw around your cardboard. However, be aware that the shape of the roller may have changed slightly after you cut it.
Alternatively, you can use a coffee capsule that matches the size (see pictures). - Make 2 pieces out of cardboard and cut them out.
- If your recycled cardboard has writing/pictures on it or if you simply want a different color for your top and bottom than what the cardboard has, fear not. Take your desired wrapping paper by the ends and glue it well onto your 2 round pieces of cardboard.
Place them on the back of the desired wrapping paper and cut them out.
Step 6
Glue gun
A: Top & bottom
- You are now ready to turn on your glue gun.
- First, glue the top and bottom. Keep the glue gun moving around the edge of the roll so that there are no large blobs.
Be quick to attach the top/bottom as the glue dries quickly. Carefully press the top/bottom together with the roller so that there are no air holes in the roller. Be careful – the glue can be very hot.
B: Ribbon
- Once both ends are glued on, you are ready to glue your wide ribbons to the top and bottom of the roll.
- Apply a little glue at a time to prevent the glue from drying too quickly. To avoid seeing any dried glue, you can raise the tape a millimeter above the roll.
- NOTE: Be careful not to use too much glue at the end when you have created a nice finish.
The fine drums are made by our talented marketing assistant Laura Aller.