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Paper Bag Crowns

July 1, 2014 by Barbara Rucci 8 Comments

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make beautiful crowns from recycled paper bags

I love the way these crowns turned out. I don’t know what my vision was exactly…probably something more refined – ha! But since this was an open-ended project, I just gave the 4-yr olds their plain crowns and their art supplies and they made each their very own. I don’t think I could have imagined them any more beautiful!

make beautiful crowns from recycled paper bags

make beautiful crowns from recycled paper bags

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Here’s what you’ll need:

Paper bag

Watercolors (we used these which are inexpensive and work great in a class setting, but if you want to invest in something nicer buy these!)

Brushes

Glue (any white school glue, and i put some in a bowl with a brush for them to use as well)

Pom-poms (this bag will last you forever and it’s inexpensive)

Glitter

Sequins

Masking tape

make beautiful crowns from recycled paper bags

make beautiful crowns from recycled paper bags

Here’s how we made them:

First, cut your paper bag down the side and cut off the bottom. Lay it flat and zig-zag cut all across the top. Use the whole bag, but trim it down before painting. Do this by just placing the crown around the child’s head, then adding an extra inch.

Next, lay out your watercolors. Paint the crown and let it dry before moving on to the gluing step. I used a hairdryer to dry them quickly.

When they are dry, put out the glue and the rest of the supplies and let them add to their heart’s content! These crowns should dry overnight, flat. You can place them around their heads with a piece of masking take the next day when they are dry. Oh, but don’t forget to shake off the excess glitter!

make beautiful crowns from recycled paper bags

make beautiful crowns from recycled paper bags

make beautiful crowns from recycled paper bags

They wore their crowns all day the next day after they were dry. I was so impressed by their concentration with these, and by how magical they turned out to be. I think i might have to do these again with the next group of campers!

xo, Bar

 

Filed Under: Process Art, Recycled, Open-ended Crafts for Kids, Art for Toddlers, Birthday Parties Tagged With: paperbag crowns

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. meri cherry

    July 1, 2014 at 10:37 pm

    That pic of the little girl is too much!! These are fabulous. Great open ended project for 4 year olds.

    Reply
    • Barbara Rucci

      July 2, 2014 at 8:00 am

      thanks meri, i loved watching them make these. and super easy! xx

      Reply
  2. Hope

    July 9, 2014 at 8:42 am

    Oh gosh these are so cute. What a great idea to use paper bags – can’t believe I’ve never thought of this before. Will be putting this to the test with the littles this week. Thanks for sharing. xx

    Reply
    • Barbara Rucci

      July 9, 2014 at 5:34 pm

      thanks hope…so happy to be an inspiration! let me know how they go 🙂 xx bar

      Reply
  3. Carly @ Zauberbear

    August 11, 2014 at 8:11 pm

    Ah, how cute! I forget my bags at Whole Foods way too often and end up coming home with paper bags galore, but this is the perfect way to put them to use.

    Reply
    • Barbara Rucci

      August 13, 2014 at 8:16 pm

      that is totally me, too. but now i don’t feel as bad…there is always something to make with a paper bag!! thanks for stopping by, carly. xx bar

      Reply
  4. april

    April 8, 2018 at 4:27 pm

    Silly Question,,,, are these made from a grocery size brown bag?

    Reply
    • Barbara Rucci

      April 15, 2018 at 12:55 pm

      yes, the large ones from the grocery store 😉

      Reply

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I have been thinking lately about so many big idea I have been thinking lately about so many big ideas. They seem to be stuck, though, in the cogs of my brain. I need to articulate and connect these ideas together, but I can’t find the right words, or medium. It feels like trudging through thick mud, and then making the choice to set up camp in the muddy place. Maybe this is always what motherhood + living a creative life will be. And I am ok with that, too. Life is mucky, and even though I crave clarity, I am also acutely aware that this is why I also crave art. Music, books, museums, film, gardens… these are the mediums humans turn to when they need to find connection and, if we are lucky, clarity. But I feel more protective of my human-centered ideas these days and less willing to share them in spaces like this where they are open source. I don’t even know what is real sometimes. And how am I contributing to this landscape of creative and intellectual robbery. I think I am headed in a different direction but I don’t know what that is yet. Meanwhile, I am camping in the mud and looking for beauty where I am. 

Some moments new and old, lately…

1. Painting at my easel, age 4 when we lived in England before moving to the US. 
2. I tried making a video of motherhood on mother’s day inspired by this song 🌙 but never finished. 
3. Planting dahlias 🌸
4. Year 2 of my veggie garden. It is not going well. 
5. We diagnosed our garden problem as not enough sun so cut down a tree to give the sun a little path but then the sun moved. Also failing at science 😳
6. When you see your habits in your children ❤️ 
7. My mom’s caretaker gave me a cake and now I am a whole year younger 🙏🏼
8. Thank you James for the treats, mom dreams of traveling to visit your bakery but this was the next best thing 🥐
9. Finding 50 bucks in jeans from 20 years ago 👏🏼 Always check the pockets!
10. The newly graduated makeup artist with her kit off to a job 💋 
11. When the birthday kid isn’t home it’s too sad. must make art. 
12. When I am so dumb and share it on the internet 🙃
13. My heart, my clarity ❤️
14. Another round of silkscreening! Things are happening. 
15. MUA by Ava, and hanging out with the help 😍
16. Reminder.
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