Crafts Using Coffee Filters

Craft: Coffee Filter Angels

Paper angels for kids.

Approximate Time 20 minutes

Supplies:

• white round coffee filters
• colored paper
• wire
• or silver chenille stick
• or scrap of foil
• glue or glue stick
• string yarn or ribbon
• tape

Instructions:

Take each coffee filter individually and fold in half, then fold in half again forming triangles (careful not to straighten the pleats). Place a dab of glue on the inside corner of the second fold. Squish shut. Repeat on all three filters.

Overlap the three tips and glue together to form your body and wings as shown. Trace the bottom of either your glue stick or a roll of thread onto your construction paper for a head. Draw eyelids and a mouth. Glue your head to your coffee filter body. If you like, you can color in the pleats to make your angel multi colored.

Twist your wire, foil or chenille stick into a halo and tape to the back of your angel. Tie a loop of your string, ribbon or yarn and hook onto the wire in the back so you can hang your angel Tada, your angel is finished!

By Mara from Seattle, WA

Craft Project: Filter Flowers

Coffee filter flowers colored with bingo dabblers.

Approximate Time: 15 minutes per flower

Supplies:

• assorted bingo dabbers
• spray bottle of water
• 1 pipecleaner or wire
• tooth pick or skewer
• green type of electrical tape
• 6 round coffee filters
• plastic table cover

Instructions:

Lay out some plastic table cover (drop cloth or old shower curtain). Lay out 6 round coffee filters. Dab filters with a couple of bingo dabber colors. Take spray bottle with water in it and gentle spritz the filters.

Let the colors run into each other, you can always dab more color if you want. Let dry - this dries fast.

Once dry, gather up the 6 filters and pile together. Take a bamboo skewer or toothpick and make a hole in the centre through all the filers. Push a pipecleaner or wire through the hole and try to create a ball so it doesn't slip out. The bottom of the pipecleaner will be the stem. Now by folding and gathering the filters, make the bottom portion as small as possible so you can wrap the tape around. Do not put the tape too low or it will slip out and not hold secure enough.

Once you have secure the filters on the stem, start separating the filters in different direction creating a flower effect. It is OK to twist the paper to create shape.

This is a very easy craft which also looks beautiful if you leave the filters just white. For leaves, you can make your own or use leaves for other artificial arrangements and add on with green wire. Filler flower are inexpensive, great for a shower party, picnic, even wedding.

By Enza from Toronto, Ontario

Craft Project: Recycled Flower Pot with Coffee Filter Flowers

This bright, pretty flower pot is easy enough for kids to make and perfect for holding coffee filter flowers. Or, you could plant a real flower in the pot by adding some potting soil and some seeds.

Approximate Time 30 minutes

Supplies:

• 16 oz. styrofoam cup
• small piece of floral foam
• colorful buttons
• craft glue
• yellow acrylic paint
• paintbrush
• scissors
• coffee filters
• water color paints
• water
• chenille stems, one for each flower

Instructions:

To make the flower pot, paint cup yellow using acrylic paint, and allow to dry completely. Glue buttons around the rim of the cup and let dry. Place small piece of floral foam inside the cup to insert the flowers. To make flowers, place newspaper on your work surface to protect it. Flatter each coffee filter, and paint with watercolors. Use whatever combination of colors you like. I used two colors for each flower. Allow filters to dry completely or use a hair dryer to speed up the drying time.

Cut about 2 inches off the end of each chenille and set both pieces aside. There are several different ways to make your flowers. You can fringe the ends by cutting thin strips around the filter edge. You can cut thicker strips to make larger petals, or don't cut the filter at all to make it resemble a rose. Insert the large piece of chenille stem into the center of the coffee filter about 1 1/2 inches.

Hold onto the small end and turn the flower upside down so that the long end of the chenille is sticking up. Grasp the center of the coffee filter and gather it around the small end of the chenille stem. Twist the smaller piece of chenille around the gathered filter to secure the flower in place. Turn the flower back over and fluff the petals out, as desired. Insert the stems into the floral foam. You could cover the foam with moss or shredded green paper to resemble grass.

By Mom of 1 from Wilkesboro, NC

Coffee Filter Flowers

You and children of any age can make these simple flowers with just a coffee filter, construction paper, cotton balls, a small ring from a toilet paper roll, and some glue.

Items Needed:

• a coffee filter
• construction paper petals
• cotton balls
• a 1/2 inch ring cut from a toilet paper roll
• a glue stick

Instructions:

1. Flatten coffee filter.
2. Glue as many petals around the coffee filter as needed.
3. Put a large circle of glue in the center of the filter still showing.
4. Stick toilet paper ring filled with cotton balls on the circle of glue.

Children can use as few or as many flower petals as they like. You can make the petals all one color or a rainbow of hues. Put them on your wall or bulletin board for a whole garden!

A very simple craft for even the youngest child.

By Rebecca Lanham

Coffee Filter Art

Easy and inexpensive, children of all ages can enjoy this craft. Use everyday household supplies to make lovely kid designs. This craft can also be used to teach colors and color blending.

Supplies:

• Plain White Coffee Filters
• Washable Markers
• Water
• Spray Bottle (optional)
• Newspaper or Table cover

Instructions:

Cover a table with newspaper or some other protective cover. Lay out several plain white coffee filters. If you have time, flatten the filters under a heavy book or object. It's best to do this the night before, but I did it shortly before and it still worked well. Let the kids design the coffee filters with markers. When they are finished, let them use their fingers to dab water on the filters. They can even use a paint brush or baster. Another option is to use a spray bottle to mist the filters. Watch the colors spread and blend. Let dry and hang. These look nice in a window like a sun catcher.

By Jayme from Harrisonburg, VA

Coffee Filter Butterfly Magnets

These are cute little magnets that are a blast for the kids to make. They love spraying their artwork with water and watching the colors soften and blend.

Materials:

• 1 round coffee filter
• markers
• spray bottle with water
• 1 clothespin
• 1 pipe cleaner
• hot glue
• 1 small magnet
• googly eyes (optional)

Directions

1. Flatten the coffee filter as much as possible.
2. Using the markers, sporadically color the coffee filter until it is mostly covered.
3. Place your colored coffee filter on either an old towel or a cooling rack with a towel or paper towel under it. Use the spray bottle to mist water all over the filter, soaking it. (You don't want the water to pool on the filter, just get it completely wet.) The colors will soften and bleed together.
4. Allow to dry completely, about an hour. (To speed this process, you can use a hairdryer to help it along).
5. Once it is dry, gather the coffee filter in the center, by pinching it together. Secure with pipe cleaner.
6. Attach clothes pin body by opening the mouth of the pin and grasping over the pipe cleaner.
7. You can add googly eyes if you'd like, or else just use markers to draw the butterflies face.
8. Use the hot glue gun to attach the magnet to the backside of the clothespin.

By Michele from East Bethel, MN