We love the versatility of crepe paper for arts and crafts. Not to be confused with tissue paper, crepe paper is tissue paper that has been coated with a glue-like substance called sizing. It can then be creased in a way similar to party streamers to create gathers, giving it a crinkly texture.
Not only is crepe paper natural and recyclable, making it a good sustainable choice, it is also very practical as it doesn’t curl up, takes up very little space and is available in every colour under the sun!
Crepe paper can be used for many activities including creating decorations, which will not only provide a fun activity to pass a few pleasant hours but will also brighten your home for days to come.
Why not have a go at creating some crepe paper flowers? It’s super easy! Simply cut a long strip of paper and roll it around the end of something rigid, like a wooden skewer, gluing as you go. Cut the top side of the strip with a pair of scissors to create the flower’s petals – round, pointy, square – the choice is yours! You can then decorate the petals by sticking on sequins or jewels and paint the stalk for that final finishing touch.
Or why not try creating a beautiful crepe paper butterfly – these can be used around the home or even to decorate a cake.
First, cut out pieces of crepe paper – being careful to keep the lines of the crepe paper running side to side, not up and down. You’ll need a shape with a three-inch diamond attached to a circle with a diameter of two inches.
From the centre bottom of the circle, scrunch the crepe paper up to the middle and then scrunch down from the top of the diamond. Secure the centre of the butterfly with wire and snip the ends.
Unscrunch, fluff and smooth the upper and lower wings and use acrylic paint or Sharpies to decorate the wings. Let them dry and then glue the butterflies onto skewers. Your butterflies are ready to fly!