I saw an idea on Pinterest (shocker, I know...) that reuses empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls to create abstract wall decor. Not only was it super cute and easy enough, but I loved the "green" aspect of it! I mean, think about it. You run out of toilet paper and what do you do with the roll before swapping it for a new one? Throw it away, most likely. But instead of doing that I collected them for a period of time (honestly though, I'm such a germaphobe that I tried to stick mostly to paper towel rolls rather than toilet paper rolls).
When I felt like I had a sufficient stack of cardboard rolls I collected all the supplies I knew I would need:
This included:
- Hot glue gun
- Pen
- Measuring Tape
- Scissors
- Square (yes, I know its shaped like a triangle. If you don't have a Square a ruler will also suffice)
- Update: Finishing Nails and a Hammer
To begin making my abstract art I took each roll, or tube, and smooshed it flat. Then, using the measuring tape and pen I measured out each roll in 1 inch pieces. I wanted them to be as equal in width as possible thinking that they would sit flatter against my wall. I could get 11 pieces out of one paper towel tube, and 4 out of one toilet paper tube. I didn't count the number of each type of rolls I used, but this project is so flexible that you can use as many or as few as you want.
Next I used to my hot glue gun to glue together pieces of the tubes in the shapes of flowers and leaves. I did this haphazardly because I didn't have a clear vision in my mind as to what exactly I wanted. But again, that is the beauty of DIY projects- you get to decide on what looks good and what doesn't.
After I had the pieces glued together the way I wanted them, I took my wall decor outside and spray painted it white. I thought this was going to be the easiest part of the whole project, but boy oh boy was I wrong! Maybe it was the humidity, or the spray paint I was using could have been bad. Whatever the case, all my spray paint dripped off or disappeared so I had to resort to plan B- painting each "petal/flower" by hand. :(
It took me a good 2 or 3 hours to paint my glued together cardboard tubes once I found enough paint (I ended up using an interior latex paint in semi-gloss, but you could use craft paint, acrylic, anything I'm sure). FINALLY I was done painting! And call me Ms. Impatient because the next thing I did was went inside and got my hair dryer to hasten the drying process! I couldn't wait to see the finished product up on my wall!
Up and ready, here is the finished product:
I had my wonderful boyfriend help hold up my decor while I decided where to place tiny finishing nails. Then I hooked my decor onto the nails and voila! I'm really happy with the finished product. I love the contrast of the white next to my "Uptown Girl" burnt orange walls.
Amy's Notes: Be patient! If you repeat this project (and you should!), I would recommend painting the tubes before cutting them into pieces. Also, make sure your decor is completely dry before trying to hang it up. Mine is slightly larger, so I definitely needed Ben's help to get it up on the wall. But because it was still a little wet, not only did it rub off on the wall, but it also fell apart! I had to bring the hot glue gun inside to re-glue a few pieces.
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