Empty Tape Roll Christmas Ornament Upcycle
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How to turn an empty tape roll into a beautiful Christmas ornament.
When I was a kid I used to love being given those cardboard tubes that are left once tape is all used up. I would make coffee tables for my dolls or dream catchers. We would also put them on our wrists when we were Wonder Woman of course, although they were always a bit big and would fall off as we lept about. Wonder Woman never had to put up with that kind of malfunction!
These days I always look at the nice sturdy card rings left once any kind of tape has been used up, turn them over in my hand thinking about what I can make with them for a few minutes before inevitably throwing them away. Until now!
It’s time for the Do It Over Designer challenge hosted by Anne from The Apple Street Cottage and so last week when my tape ran out I resisted the temptation to just throw the tube/roll in the recycling and I’ve given it a makeover. From trash to a beautiful ornament ready for Christmas decorating.
How to turn an empty tape roll into a Christmas decoration
What you need to turn an empty tape roll into a Christmas ornament:
An empty tape roll
Paint - I used Navy Blue, Copper and White Acrylic paint
A tiny bit of fibre fill or pillow stuffing, cotton balls might work instead
Star sequins
Tiny Christmas decorations, I used a card tree cut out but cake decorations or other miniature items would work too
A length of ribbon
Glue - I use Art Glitter Glue but something like Hi Tack or Aleene’s Tacky Glue would be ideal
Paint the tape roll
Start by painting your card tape roll. I painted the inside a dark blue and the outside copper. You could choose any colours of course, I’m just using what I have. I found it took 2 coats of each to cover nicely.
Prepare a miniature decoration
While this was drying I prepared my mini Christmas tree. You don’t have to add a tree of course, anything miniature could go in your ornament. Tiny little deer cake decorations are popular for ornaments like this, or a sprig of faux holly. You might find something that has fallen off an old Christmas decoration, or something that used to go on the Christmas cake years ago. Or maybe a motif cut from an old Christmas card?
I have all sorts of bits and pieces (mostly things from old Christmas cards, Christmas crackers, bits that have fallen off old decorations etc) that I keep in a tin. A quick rummage and I found some cardboard cut out trees which were just the right size.
I took 2 dark green card trees and cut them both in the centre (one up from the bottom and one down from the top) so they would slide together to make a 3d tree. I cut a tiny slither of card from each piece which helped them slide together nicely and keep a good shape. A tiny bit of glue along the join holds it secure. I decorated my tree with a few tiny flat back gems I had hanging around and a sequin star for the top.
Once the tape tube paint is all dry then paint some white on the inside, covering about 1/4 of the tube. This can be fairly splodgy and patchy.
Glue star sequins randomly over the remaining dark blue 3/4 of the inner tube.
Assemble the ornament
Glue a tiny bit of toy stuffing/fibre fill over the white painted area.
Next glue your miniature Christmas ornaments in place.
Finally glue a length of ribbon for hanging. Apply glue around the bottom 2/3 of the tube leaving the top 1/3 clear. Then fix the ribbon in place with the join at the bottom.
That’s it, once all the glue is dry your decoration is ready to hang up and enjoy.
Originally I thought I would hang mine on the Christmas tree, we have a very busy tree in our house with every decoration that anyone in the family has ever made all bunged on there together! With a fairy light behind it does look quite pretty but a little lost with all the other bits and pieces so I then walked around the house with it, looking for a better location.
It’s nice to be able to see right through the tube so I’ve hung it in the window. Good thing I decorated the tiny tree on both sides eh?!
Now stick around and check out the other ideas shared in the Do It Over Designers Challenge.
