Reuse Roundup: DIY Border Paper Crown

Every time we go thrifting I let Isobel pick out one thing as her own special purchase. I’m specifying “thing” instead of “toy” because rarely in the history of our treasure-hunting trips has she actually chosen a toy. Usually her finds are much more interesting. One time she found a tiny, child-sized (thankfully unused) faux-feather duster that was created as a promotional item for a business. She is still in love with that duster, and when she sees me tidying up she’ll go get her duster and dust the entire house plus all the cats for good measure.

On one of our more recent trips she chose this glittery gold paper boarder for a school room. The entire package came with enough boarder to frame a large bulletin board and I think the whole package cost us fifteen cents. Isobel fancies herself a glitter connoisseur and this was sparkly and glittery enough to fit the bill. I let her get it without much thought as I was focused on the stack of new plates I found, and when we got home she immediately wanted to tape the boarder all over the walls (how could she have known its purpose? I have no idea). She thought we needed them to decorate for Christmas.

Instead of putting it on the walls I tried to get her interested in using it for crafts. Once she became board with coloring the blank side she started to ask about putting it on the walls again, and remembering the Valentine crown Anthony had just made for Isobel, I decided these would make an even better version. The paper is thick and holds its shape well and is strong enough to have heavy gems glued to its surface. It was fast and cheap to put together which makes me think these would be absolutely perfect favors for a child’s birthday party and would last long enough to keep in the dress up chest.

STEPS, TIPS, & THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:

- I used a glue gun to adhere the crown together, but probably other kinds of glue would work just as well. Instead of large gems (which we had left over from Isobel’s Pink Pirate Princess costume you could use whatever you had on hand – sequins, glitter, feathers, beads. You could even cut out diamond-shapes out of foil and glue those babies on like diamonds. Or puff paint! Use whatever happens to be around or spoil yourself for choice at a craft store.

-The easiest way to make a crown that fits, wrap the boarder around your kid’s head and use a pencil to mark the size. Cut a few inches after that mark so you have space to glue the sides together.

- I let Isobel chose which jewels went on the crown as well as their placement, but obviously I did all the gluing with the hot glue gun. The paper itself became really hot to the touch once I layered on the glue, so be mindful of that. I miraculously didn’t burn myself this time (burning myself is practically my hobby), but if I wasn’t so careful I easily would have.

- Your cats will want to help but despite their best efforts will be really terrible at this.

Reuse Roundup is a segment which features a new and inventive use for thrifted or secondhand goods aside from the ordinary one you’re used to thinking of. If you would like to participate in Reuse Roundup on your blog, please link back to this or any other Reuse Roundup post. I’ve posted the code to use on my blog’s sidebar if you’re into that sort of thing. You can post whenever you like, not just on the days that I do.