gift bows! (yet another way to recycle magazines) tutorial added and more pics

[Miss American Pie]

(Another edit... four years later!)

Just wanted to share these enormous gift bows I made out of brown paper grocery bags. One is even bigger than the gift...



--------------------------------------------
(editeddddd cause I made more)


Cell phone photo tutorial...
What you need:

magazine page, brass paper fastener/brad, something sharp, scissors.

1.) Cut mag page into strips


2.) Loop a strip like so:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v332/NuffinMuffinUSA/0521081330.jpg
Then loop the other end like so:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v332/NuffinMuffinUSA/0521081330a.jpg

3.) Poke a hole in the middle with the sharp thing and slide it onto the brad.


4.) Make another one and put it on the brad too.

And just keep going.

5.) Once you've got about nine strips looped on there just split the prongs on the brad.


WARNING: May cause serious addiction. Craft at your own risk.



-----old post-----

Yeah, I could recycle magazines by putting them in my recycling bin, but this is way more fun...



They're super easy. You just need a magazine, scissors and those little brass paper fastener things (a stapler might work too).
1. Cut some different size strips from the mag.
2. Loop the strips and stick the paper fastener through the middle. (it might be easier to make holes in the strips with something sharp first and then slide them on the fastener. I used a seam ripper). Put the smaller strips on first and then the larger.
3. Pull the prongs apart when you're done and then stick it to your gift with some tape. Fluff it up a bit for flair and voila!

Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for looking!

[lexi_icedrink]

Great idea! I always use magazines, cereal boxes, etc as gift wrappers. My family and friends are used to it  I really have to try this one out!

[miss_jms]

1. those bows are freakin' awesome.  I had to look really hard to see the text (I totally didnt believe those were from a magazine!!) 

2. those little brass things are called brads   

3.  a hole punch (a small one) would prevent injury from using a seam ripper improperly, LMAO!!  I *always* stab myself with my seam rippers.  Just tonight, I was holding something steady between my fingers to cut it and went a little too far with my (SHARP!) sewing shears and cut a huge gash in my finger.

4.  the shoe box totally rocks!!  I thought you painted the circles on it, it's so pretty... now I see some text on the box where you covered it with a bow.

[Miss American Pie]

Oh man, I just made two more. I think I'm addicted. This time I cut all the strips the same length, and I think I like that way better. They look more like gift bows and less like flowers.



Thanks for responding! If you make some please post pictures cause I'd love to see what everyone else comes up with!

[Oyhana]

What a great idea.  They look so good!

[QuiltersBlock]

Excellent! Linked from the thumbnail, and at first I thought you'd decorated the box....then I read the title. Those bows are fabulous!!

QB

[Miss American Pie]

Ok, I'm pretty sure this is a legit addiction. I figured out how to loop them like the store-bought bows. ok, going to bed for real this time...

[panda]

Wow I have both around the house but never a bow.....thanks for the tute.  They are fabulous....home mags for house warming, sports for the man, kids mags for of course the kids. 

The box is pretty too, heaven knows I reuse shoe boxes all the time.....even have my family and friends (different sizes) collecting them.  I reuse for craft project label the outside of box or put copy of craft project (most of the time is the supplies need in the box).

Awesome

[ChickLitWriterGirl]

I have to try this! They look amazing, and what a great way to recycle!

[Catherine_lalala]

*Squee*! This is such a good idea, and way better than buying those bows from the shops I'm definately trying this out.

Thanks for posting