Tulip Napkin Rings {Made From Upcycled Cardboard Tubes}

Though I long for the warmth and colours of spring to arrive, the Canadian prairie is still locked in layers of snow and ice.  While I impatiently wait for the weather to change, why not add some beauty and creativity to our tabletop indoors?  Sandy Coughlin's ideas for creating a beautiful tabletop inspired me.  Just in time for Easter and spring, we now have some cheerful floral napkin rings to grace our table.  And you and your family can easily make a set too.  From start to finish, this manageable project can be done in 30 minutes or less.

Materials:

• Cardboard tubes (from paper towel rolls)

• Scissors
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrush or cotton swabs
• Hot glue (and hot glue gun)
• Cloth strips or binding tape
• Green ribbon
• Sugar snap peas, optional 
• Flat toothpicks, optional

1. Cut petal shaped ovals from the cardboard tubes. The length of each oval should be parallel to the length of the tube (so that the petals resemble large fake fingernails).
2. Paint each petal with a thick coat (or two) of acrylic paint, making sure the brush strokes form a grain that is parallel to the length of each oval.
3. Cut rings from cardboard tubes, trimming them until smooth and even in size.
4. Wrap each cardboard ring with about 24 inches of cloth strips.  If using folded strips, overlap the edges so that the raw edges are concealed.  Secure inside ring with hot glue.
5. When painted petals are dry, arrange them in groups of three to form a tulip flower and fasten together with hot glue.  Attach the tulip flower to the cloth-wrapped ring with hot glue.
6. To add a stem to the tulip, cut an appropriate length of ribbon and attach it inside the napkin ring with glue, tape, or a pin.
7. Insert napkin and add sugar snap pea "leaves," securing the pea pods in a V-shape with a flat toothpick.  Trim toothpick as needed.

I'm sharing this idea at these fun places.