320 Days of Sunshine: July 2011

When I was picking out the decor for Addison's nursery, I realized just how expensive it can be! I was originally going to go with a cheap bed set but then fell in love with this bedding from Babies R' Us and of course it was fairly pricey! However, I figured if I could save money on all of the other areas in the nursery, it would be worth it. Right? So instead of buying an expensive wind up crib mobile, I figured I could just make something!

In came these adorable (and much cuter than any mobile) pom poms! They were so cheap and easy to make so I am sharing them with you! The great thing about these is that they can be used for a variety of purposes, not just as makeshift crib mobiles! :)

I know there are probably other tutorials like this one out there, but I am sharing with you how I made mine!

Here are the materials you will need!

Tulle (I found some white tulle at The Dollar Tree in the wedding section!)
Ribbon
Rubber band
Scissors
A book to wrap the tulle around. The size of your book (or blu-ray in my case) will determine how big or small you want your pom poms.

1. To begin, close the end of the tulle in your book or blu-ray case and start wrapping it around. Wrap it about 20-30 times, depending on how full you want your pom-pom to look.

2. After you are finished wrapping, cut the tulle so it's no longer attached to the spool.

3. Cut the tulle down the center of the book and take it off the book. Keep the tulle in a neat stack.

4. Now cut the tulle in half again. Since I am a perfectionist, I like to measure the tulle so that I can find the exact middle. You could definitely just estimate though!

5. Combine the two piles. Now you should have a nice stack of squares!

6. Find the middle of your stack and gather it in your hand.

7. Use a rubber band to secure it in the middle.

8. Tie a piece of ribbon around the rubber band.

9. Begin to "fluff" your pom pom by separating the pieces of tulle. Pull the tulle in different directions so that it starts to form a ball. You will need to play around a bit with it until you have the look that you like!

Ta da! The perfect tulle pom pom! I actually created this pom pom to go on top of a gift box. I think it's the perfect embellishment! You could also use this same technique to create a fun hair bow or even add it to a decorative pillow. The possibilities are endless! :)