Have you tried painting on coffee filters with watercolor paint? The paint colors spread readily, which makes it a fun activity for kids to do with either brushes or droppers.
We recently did some coffee filter painting in Christmas colors, then used them to make a Christmas garland which we LOVE.
How To Make A Coffee Filter Garland
MATERIALS
- Coffee filters (use the white basket-shaped coffee filters rather than the cone shaped coffee filters)
- Watercolor paint (we used liquid watercolors and found the metallic liquid watercolors especially nice on the garlands)
- Droppers or paint brushes
- Ribbon
- Glue stick
INSTRUCTIONS
First we painted the coffee filters, using our liquid watercolors (regular watercolors or even food coloring would work as well).
We used red, green, silver and gold paints. The metallic watercolors added a lot.
After the painted coffee filters dried, we folded them in half and glued them over a ribbon.
Here are the finished garlands! You can use them to decorate the house or the tree.
Find detailed step-by-step directions for this coffee filter garland and for four other simple holiday garlands at my December column for WNC Parent magazine. Enter page 48 in the search field at the top, then click on the actual page in order to make it large enough to read.
Let me know if you make this coffee filter garland —I’d love to hear!
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Jean, I love these! We have painted on coffee filters before but I never would have thought of this. You are a genius. Also, we made an advent tree similar to yours, I’ll try and get some pictures up, it was a great sick day activity. Thanks so much for all your great ideas — as always, I love them!
this is ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! Oh I love it so much and I can now see our walls plastered with coffee filter garland. Thank you!
Love these simple projects! This could be adapted to use for any event. Love it!
I really enjoyed your article at Rhythm of the Home. That’s exactly the kind of experiences I’m trying to provide for my kids. And I’m sure we’ll be trying that tape-resist project, too. ;)
ooohhh! love these! maybe we’ll give them a go at our art group this week. i’ll be sure to link to pictures if we give it a go! thanks for all the awesome ideas…your article was great! ;-)
http://thisgirllovestotalk.blogspot.com/2008/11/ninth-day-of-christmas.html
we made an advent calendar out of the pocket type coffee filters (very similar to what you’ve done here, but with red and green food colouring) it is a fun medium – and since I dont drink coffee I had never heard of them until I saw all these crafts on the net!
You’re amazing!!!
Did you know that there is a SCBWI BIG conference in NYC in January?? Lois Lowry, R. L. Stine, Jules Pfeiffer, more. You should go. Yes, I know you have lots of responsibilities, but this is where you would meet an editor etc.
Love, love,
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
Another great idea! Perfect for little ones – will try in my SK/Gr1 class!!!
Great idea!
We tried coffe filters a while ago… this is a great idea to do it again!!.
So beautiful. My husband’s birthday is tomorrow, and this garland is just what we need to spruce our home up. Thank you!!
Thanks for a simple and totally do-able decorating project! My older girls (3 & 6) want so badly to help decorate the house and I was trying to come up with a project they could help with. This is perfect!
Fantastic idea! I’m totally going to try this with my Pre-K class and hang in on our wall of windows…I can’t wait to see the outcome :)
i tried this with my 2.5 yo and although we didn’t quite finish our garland, we had a great time! thank you for the inspiration!
http://mrsphrog.blogspot.com/2010/12/were-crafteeee-from-dusk-till-dawn.html
This has to be the best display of coffee filters I’ve ever seen. Thank goodness, no butterflies! (those are fun too)
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Thank you for such a creative idea! We did this at home for the New Year. You can check it out if you like at: http://dimplesgiggles.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-years-garland.html
I really like it so much and I can now see our surfaces applied with java narrow garland.