This is a brilliantly simple craft project that uses clever paper cutting techniques to create a beautiful fairy light garland. A lovely idea for homemade mood lighting to hang on a staircase or to decorate a party; Juliet Carr included this paper craft project in her book Paper Pom Poms and Other Party Decorations. You could use Christmas themed cupcake cases to create a festive fairy light garland, or opt for a nice colour scheme to match your room décor and display this gorgeous garland all year through.
How to make a cupcake flower fairy light garland
We all have spare cupcake cases in the store cupboard, whether white, plain, or patterned. Add a spare set of fairy lights and a handful of loom bands and you can create a cheery garland to be hung in the porch, hallway, kitchen, or around fireplaces. If your cupcake cases are white, simply paint or dye them with tea or food coloring to make a unique, “one of a kind” festoon. Patterned cases are great to use, as the print will show through on both sides when the lights are on. Try mixing plain and patterned cases together.
You will need
Paper cupcake cases in assorted colors and sizes (2–3 liners for each bulb)
Scissors
Craft knife and cutting mat
String of fairy lights
Loom bands
To make the cupcake flower fairy light garland
- To make the main flower: take one of your larger cases and fold it in half. Fold it in half again twice until you have a cone shape, and then cut round petal shapes from one end. When the case is opened out, you should have an eight-petal flower.
- A 16-petal flower is made in the same way, except the case is folded into sixteenths. You can also create different effects by cutting pointed petals instead of rounded ones.
- To make the outer leaves of the flower, take a large case—preferably green in color—and fold it twice before cutting pointed shapes into it. This will give you four pointed leaves. Keep going until you have enough flower cases to fit to your fairy lights.
- Carefully cut a cross in the center of each paper case using your craft knife and cutting mat. This will allow the cases to slip over the fairy lights.
- Tie a loom band around the base of each fairy light. Then gently push your newly cut cupcake cases over the bulb until they rest against the loom band.
- Arrange the cupcake cases as you want them and then secure with another loom band tied in front of the cases to stop them from coming undone.
Top Tip
Rip or tear the petals, rather than cutting, to give these little light shades a boho look.
This project is taken from Paper Pom-Poms and other Party Decorations by Juliet Carr.
If you make this lovely cupcake fairy light garland, then be sure to share it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using tag #MAKEetc - we'd love to see how you get on!