Home Decoration From Old Newspapers & Magazines

As time pass, newspapers and old magazines only stack up and lay aside at some corner in our house. After sometime we sell them away and the money we get is very much less then the monthly newspaper bill. So on this note today we are going to see crafts made of old newspapers that decorate your house without any cost. Turn the newspapers into worthy art and useful craft. Why wait deliberately to redecorate let us begin!

ROSE FRAME

We are going to make a frame made out of newspaper roses. Take a newspaper and cut it into shape of square of size about 15×15 cm. Cut the bigger square into 4 equal squares. Now, double fold the smaller square horizontally and trace a petal shape on one side. Cut along the traced  path and open up. We get an eight petal flower. Repeat the process with other 3 square pieces. In the first flower , make slit between two petals till centre. In the second one, separate a single petal from flower. In third, separate cut two petals and from fourth 3 petals from flower. Using glue stick, stick petals on either side of cut such that the two petals of flower overlap each other. Fold the removed petal parts using a wooden stick and stick it. Roll the petals of flower using wooden stick .
Now assemble all the flowers according to number of petals. First, place the flower in which no petal is cut as base. Then cut the sharp bottom part of all the other flowers and stick them one inside the other in descending order. Our rose flower is ready. Make some flowers in this manner. To make the base frame, take a newspaper and fold it inwards with width of 2cm each. Glue the end fold. Make 8 of these newspaper sticks and arrange them in the shape of frame of your choice. For example, arrange them in shape of diamond and arrange the roses along the length. Our rose frame is ready to hang.

PAPER BUTTERFLY

Butterflies are best things to decorate your house. Whether they are made of colourful paper or not the structure itself attracts the viewers. Here is the simplest way to make butterflies using newspapers. Take a rectangular piece of newspaper and fold it into half vertically. Unfold the paper and fold the right and left edges to the centre creased line. At 1/4th distance from top open the flaps so that a collar shape is formed. Repeat the same process with the remaining part from the point. Now using accordion fold , fold the paper from top to bottom. To make the antennas of the butterfly, take another long strip of newspaper and roll equally from both ends. Take another small strip of newspaper and tie at the centre of the accordion fold paper. Fold the strip which is rolled on both sides into half and stick it on the top of smaller strip. Butterflies are ready to decorate your wall.

 

BIRD CAGE DECOR

Yes, you heard it right. Let us see how to make a bird cage decor from newspaper. We require old newspapers, aluminium wires, glue, scissors, gold spray, hot glue gun and cardboard. Take old newspapers and roll them into sticks using a wooden stick. Make 10 to 20 of these sticks. Pass an aluminium wire into the newspaper rolls and cut down the excess part. Ensure that all the rolls are of same length. Keep aside one roll and bend 8 rolls in form of half moon. Arrange the rolls on either side of the straight roll symmetrically one after the other. Now cut the cardboard in the form of rectangular strips and use this as base to join the bottom parts of the rolls. Cut a cardboard into 2 equal circles and trim the bottom part of both the circles equally. Bring the top part of all the rolls and stick them in between the circular parts using hot glue gun. Add embellishments to your cage by attaching hook shaped rolls all along the bottom part. Now cut a template of bird out of cardboard and stick on the central straight roll using glue.  Spray the gold spray all over uniformly. Make two to three cages in this way with different shapes of cages. To hang all the cages make a support using cardboard by cutting them into long strips and stack them up using hot glue gun. Now with the help of thread attach the cages to the cardboard strips. There we go, bird cage is all done.

 

WALL ART

These days patterns are painted on wall to give a different look. Readymade wall posters are stuck and decorated with wired LED lights all over the design. The lights add a beautiful look to room especially during night times. Let us make a tree art that is decorated with LED lights.  We need black chart paper, newspaper , aluminium wire, cardboard, glue, black acrylic paint scissors, LED lights and hot glue gun. First roll the newspaper using a wooden skewer and stick the ends with the help of glue. Make newspaper rolls in similar way and paint  them with black acrylic paint. Pass aluminium wire through the rolls. Take 4 rolls and arrange them as branches of tree. Cut leaves out of black chart paper.  Apply glue using hot glue gun and stick the leaves to the branches.  To make the pot , cut 3 rolls into half and arrange them as pot. Cut a rectangular cardboard strip and stick the rolls. Paint the cardboard with black colour.  For further decoration cut butterflies out of black chart and stick them randomly on branches . hang the art and stick the LED candles or wired LED using double sided tape. Wall art is ready to go.

PHOTO FRAME

Photo wall is dream of every one like me . although this is the age of digital albums and videos , a hardcopy of chosen pictures that are arranged on your wall is an amazing feeling. The pictures capture crazy and happy situations of our life , that take us back when we have a look. So here is an idea to decorate your memories using old newspapers and magazines.
The first type of photo frame we are going to make is photo frame train. We need card board , a coloured paper, acrylic paints, brush, scissors, glue ,newspapers and hot glue gun. Let us initially make the base of our photo frame. Take the cardboard and cut it into size of frame. Make 2 of these. Now, take one rectangular piece and cut the frame from it with border thickness of your wish. Please take precautions while cutting the frame as it might hurt you. Next, neatly wrap the rectangular frame and back base part using colour paper we have taken. It is time to decorate the frame now. Make rolls out of newspaper using a wooden skewer. Cut the rolls according to length such that they cover the front part of frame completely leaving the hollow space in between.  Colour the frame using acrylic paints and decorate it with handmade flowers. We have to stick the back part of frame to front part using hot glue gun. Ensure that you apply glue only on 2 sides in order to insrt the picture.
Make 3 frames in similar fashion. Using a full sided newspaper sheet make 4 rolls. Attach the three frames at regular intervals along the rolls( 2 rolls on each side). Stick a beaded chain on the first at top in the form of loop to hang the frame train.

Our second frame is made using mirrors, newspaper and cardboard. Take a cardboard and white sheet of 20×20cm dimensions. We need only one day newspaper to make the frame. Cut the newspaper into quarter part vertical part. Roll this vertical part using wooden skewer and stick the ends. Now press the rolls and wind around the eraser to give it shape. To hold the shape stick the end using glue. Repeat the procedure and make rings using the rolls. Trace border of frame on cardboard and white sheet. Keep a width of 3cm on all 4 sides. Stick the rings vertically adjacent to each other such that they cover the border.  Colour the frame with golden spray paint.  Attach the mirrors at the joint of two rings uniformly.

Apply glue and stick the patterned paper in the hollow space and stick the photo over the paper. Make a loop and stick on back part of frame . Hang the frame and enjoy.

PAPER GARLANDS

Simple garlands made out of newspaper fill up the empty walls and  add look to your room. There are many ways of making garlands using old newspapers and magazine papers. Let us see two of most popular garlands.

Let us start with a simple one.  Take old newspaper sheets and stack them up around 5 papers. Draw a shape on first one for example a ribbon symbol and cut along. Now fold the upper part a bit inward for all the flaps. Pass a rope through the gap in between the fold . arrange them at regular distance and write letters on each flap to make a word. Now it is ready to be hanged.
Our next garland is made using magazine papers. Choose some colourful magazine papers and cut them into triangles of equal size. As we did with the previous garland hang the triangles using a rope.

Our next garland is heart garland. Cut heart shapes from old magazine or newspapers. Place two hears one over other and sew along the central line. Leave extra thread on top for hanging. In the same way along the line other hearts. After sewing open up the flaps of heart to give a 3d effect. Hang the garland and enjoy.

What are you waiting for? Go grab some old magazines and newspapers and try out these amazing craft ideas to furnish your house.  Be creative and try out different ideas using newspapers that not only decorate your but also fulfill some of your needs.

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Shanmukhi Koduri: