The day has arrived! Last week I mentioned I was taking part in a fun crafty challenge called Trade & Made!. We all used the materials in our boxes to create something, and today we get to share our projects. When I saw a paper mache cone in my box, I immediately knew I had to make a party hat — and because I’m a little obsessed with bows, I combined the two into a cheerful paper bow party hat in my favorite color, yellow. My niece Quinn stopped by to help plan an upcoming project, and the hat looked so adorable on her that I let her borrow it — sunglasses and all.
Ready to make one? Here’s how I did it.
Supplies:
Paper mache cone
Craft paint
Paintbrushes
Wooden bead
Cardstock (I used the Clear & Simple Tags from our box)
String (I used drawstrings from muslin bags)
Hot glue
Painter’s tape
Step 1: Paint the cone. Choose your base color and apply two thin coats of paint, allowing each coat to dry. While the cone dries, prepare the cardstock for the bow.
Step 2: Make striped cardstock. Use painter’s tape to mask off stripes on a small square of cardstock. Paint the exposed areas with your first color and let it dry. Remove the tape, then reapply it over the painted stripes to mask them while you paint your second color. You can also paint a separate piece of cardstock a solid color for the center of the bow and paint the wooden bead to match.
Step 3: Cut and assemble the bow. Once the painted pieces are dry, cut two half-bow shapes from the striped cardstock and a rounded-edge square for the bow center. Attach the two half-bow pieces together with tape or glue, wrap the center piece around them, and secure. Use hot glue to attach the finished bow to the front of the cone.
Step 4: Add the top bead and chin string. Put a small dot of hot glue on the tip of the cone and press the painted wooden bead onto it. Hold until set. To attach the wearer’s string or ribbon, tape each end inside the hat or poke two small holes in the cone and knot the string on the inside for a secure fit.
Put your hat on and celebrate! The bold painted bow gives the hat a playful, almost cartoon-like look. I enjoyed the challenge of adapting the supplied paper into exactly what I needed — the striped paper bow turned out even better than I expected.
I might have to reclaim that hat (and those sunglasses) soon.
All photos by Studio DIY
Special thanks to the sponsors who helped make Trade & Made possible: Michaels, Specialty Bottle, For the Makers, Clear & Simple Stamps, and DecoArt. Thanks also to Erin and Laura for organizing the challenge and to Gloria of Little White Whale Studio for building the site. Check out the other projects created with the mystery supplies for more inspiration.