I recently learned how to make my own bow out of whatever paper I’d like, and I thought that would be a cool thing to share with you.  It’s a fun craft for kids to make and, though requiring supervision, is a pretty fulfilling project!Here’s the finished product:You can see that I have used one-sided scrapbooking designer paper.  This project is waaaayyy more attractive when you have two-sided paper, or it would also be cool with newspaper or other fun paper with something on both sides.Step 1:  Get your piece of paper, measuring 12inches by 6inches.  (12 by 12 scrapbooking paper, cut in half is easiest)Step 2: Turn your paper sideways and cut 8 strips that are 1inch wide (by 6inches long)Step 3: Turn your paper 90 degrees to the side (you should have a piece that is 6inches wide by 4inches tall) and cut one piece that is 1inch wide by 4 inches longStep 4:  Turn your paper 90 degrees to the side again (now, you should have a piece that is 5inches tall by 4inches wide) and cut the remaining paper into 4, 1inch strips that are each 5inches long. (The picture below shows the one piece that is 4inches long beside the paper now turned to be cut at 5inches long.)Step 5: Take the smallest paper (1inch by 4inches) and form a barrel, gluing it shut.Step 6: Form each of the strips into the bow edges by bringing the ends together until the fold forms a point.  Glue the ends together.  Yes, I know.  I will never be a hand-model.Step 7: Once they are dried, glue each point-length into pairs, that kind of look like a boat.  6inch strips together, 5inch strips together.  Glue the ends together.Step 8: Punch a hole through the very centre of each boat and through the bottom of the centre roll, as well.Step 9: Using a brad, start with the roll and push the brad through the hole.  Then, going from smallest boat to largest boat, arrange the boats into a bow shape (turning them a little bit to fill the bow space).Step 10: Seal your brad, at the back.Et voila!It looks great with double-sided paper, eh?!

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