Ode to the underappreciated coffee filter {tutorial}

Tute time. I hate coffee. I love coffee filters. Nothing more fun for a crafty girl than to create something beautiful out of something so ordinary. Coffee filter crafting is a total go-to standard for the preschool crowd and I am seriously digging working them into the party scene. Unexpected and boss.

For the recent Fly Gavin Rave, I made coffee filter flowers for the little garbage pail centerpieces. I also made couture coffee filter covers for our Carvel cups. They were ridiculously adorable.
Coffee filters are incredible to craft with because they are inexpensive and extremely easy to work with. They are also almost indestructible.

So...here are my behind the purple curtain coffee filter secrets...Might be the easiest craft EVAH! Tee hee:)
If you make your own, please share your results. Any questions, just raise your paw:)

tie die version

coffee filter couture Carvel Cup Covers

supplies:

 coffee filters, purple spray bottle of water,

washable markers stolen from your kids

(you can use regular markers, but washables are easier + cleaner)

a plastic covered work surface (I used a kitchen garbage bag)

gloves

 (I do not wear gloves. Ever. Smarties would, but I am too lazy..and I like blue fingers)

I used three coffee filters for one flower

tape, pipe cleaners (for flowers)

tiny rubber bands (clear, little hair bands)

place filters on plastic surface

take marker and scribble sections

you do not have to cover every bit of the surface

the kids can totally help with this fun part!

for tie dye version

use four or five different colors

I used three coffee filters for one flower

solid version

you can scribble any way you want..lines..swirls..

I used three coffee filters for one flower

take spray bottle and spray with a mist of water

colors will start to bleed into each other

I saturate them pretty well

If you still see marker strokes in them, spray more water

now...you can just let them air dry

the dry very quickly. Maybe an hour...

If you have no time or patience (like me) you can stick them in the microwave

I stack them 3 of the same color on a paper plate

and microwave for 30 seconds, flip over the pile

and microwave for another 30 seconds. Maybe 3 or 4

times and they are totally dry and ready to roll.

totally dry and ready to use

for Carvel cup or cupcake

place in center of filter, gather up and attach

with tiny rubber band. These elastic bands

are small and tight and you will break a few

and they will snap on your fingers, but it is the

price a serious crafter must pay..

Come on, you know that's funny:)

slide the elastic band up to under the rim.

The coffee filters are very sturdy and hard to rip.

for a flower, stack three filters and then pinch

from the underside of the stack and twist it.

Pinch them together and twist.

Then, add some tape to secure.

*These flowers are a totally different

technique than a regular paper flower.

tape the little nub you just swirled on the bottom so

it is secure, them wrap a pipe cleaner around a

few times to secure.

Next, you can fluff out and pinch the

flowers into place..I fluff, squeeze and fold them to

shape into a flower shape.

completed container cover

bouquet of cuteness