My friend Brittany Jepsen is the queen of paper crafts on her blog The House That Lars Built. Her talent is inspiring. She recently published a book called Craft The Rainbow with an entire collection of paper projects that look anything but paper. The projects include wearables, gifts, and home decor, all photographed beautifully. To celebrate the launch, I tried one of her tutorials and made these simple, colorful DIY paper disk bracelets. They’re fun, inexpensive, and surprisingly durable when strung tightly. Here’s how to recreate them.
DIY Paper Disk Bracelets
Total Time: About 1 hour
Supplies
Cardstock in assorted colors
3/4″ circle punch and mini hole punch or a paper-cutting machine
Elastic cord or jewelry stretch cord (strong enough to thread through punched holes)
Scissors
Directions
1. Cut 350–400 paper disks depending on wrist size and how full you want the bracelet to be. Use a circle punch for speed, trace and cut by hand, or use a paper-cutting machine. If you use a machine, cut a 3/4-inch disk and add a small central hole big enough for your elastic to pass through.
2. Thread the disks onto the elastic, packing them closely so the bracelet looks full. Continue adding disks until the strand reaches the circumference of your wrist plus a little extra for tying.
3. Cut the elastic, tie a secure square knot, and trim the ends. Tuck the knot between disks if possible for a neater finish. Wear and enjoy.
Tutorial credit: Craft The Rainbow | Photos by Jeff Mindell
These bracelets are perfect for a craft night and family-friendly. They’re a simple way to add pops of color to your accessories and a fun introduction to making jewelry with paper. I can’t wait to make more in every color of the rainbow!