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The Dream is Free, The Hustle Sold Separately

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Nursery: Tissue Paper Mobile (and tutorial!)

May 5, 2011 by Bethany Sy

UPDATE! Check out the final nursery reveal HERE!

I try to stay away from all things trendy, but the tissue paper mobiles sucked me in. I love how fluffy and airy they are, you have unlimited color combo options, and it’s one more thing that I can make with my hands for my precious girls!!

HOWCUTEISTHIS? I die.

So I know you’re getting all anxious for the tutorial, so let’s get started! I hope you’re really bored at work and have lots of time to look at each step that I photographed. The fact of the matter is, it’s super easy… and it’s real hard to go wrong.

Supplies you’ll need:

~ full pack of tissue paper
~ scissors (the sharper the better)
~ pipe cleaners or crafting wire
~ ribbon

Unfold your tissue paper and make sure all the layers line up with each other.

Start folding accordion style. I did my folds about 1.5 inches.

Until you get this:

Snip off the edges to make a point, or you can round them off like a flower petal. I did a few of each.
NOTE: you’re cutting through a LOT of layers, and besides having sharp scissors, you’ll need to put a little muscle into it. You don’t need a crisp perfect cut… some jagged edges gives texture.

Find the middle, and wrap your pipe cleaner around and twist it off tight. Make sure there’s one loose ‘loop’ of pipe cleaner that you can tie your ribbon to.

Tie your ribbon… and make sure your ribbon is cut plenty long so you have options later.

Start gently peeling back one layer at a time.

When you get through about half of your layers, use one hand to hold the center and the other hand to peel back layers on the opposite side. You’ll get a feel for it, and start to see it taking shape! Totally instant gratification!

It seriously only takes a couple minutes to make one, and you could do so many things with them!! I’ve seen them used at weddings (hanging individually from the ceiling here and there) and over dining room tables, etc. The possibilities are endless! I added in some white eyelet paper lanterns that I had left over from my wedding. I love the variety of textures!

Let me know if you give it a try and how yours turns out!

UPDATE! Check out the final nursery reveal HERE!

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About Bethany Sy

Nick and Bethany Sy are the creative free-spirits behind DIY/Lifestyle blog, Reality Daydream. They recently purchased a historic mansion and have been documenting the ups and downs of renovation and making this home their own... all while sharing tips and tutorials along the way! When they found themselves in the trenches of infertility, they started a journey that would prove to be their most important DIY project ever, and have 3 beautiful girls to show for it. <3

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Comments

  1. 23

    Audrey says

    March 18, 2014 at 3:50 pm

    I saw a few people asking about the lanterns. Found some pale pink ones here! https://www.shopsweetlulu.com/item/Pink-Eyelet-Lanterns/1331/c146

    Reply
  2. 24

    Melinda says

    February 1, 2014 at 11:16 am

    Just made these for a baby shower!! I cut the paper in half and made some smaller ones too!! Thanks for the awesome easy tutorial!! 🙂

    Reply
    • 25

      Bethany @ Sawdust and Embryos says

      February 2, 2014 at 5:10 pm

      Awesome! I’m glad they turned out!

      Reply
  3. 26

    Anonymous says

    June 24, 2013 at 8:50 pm

    Did this.. didn’t look nearly as neat, but I’m not the neatest, so it fit me perfectly! Putting them around my room!

    Reply
  4. 27

    Bethany says

    September 6, 2012 at 5:48 pm

    The hubs built it with his bare hands!

    Reply
  5. 28

    Tamara says

    September 6, 2012 at 4:33 am

    Love these and LOVE the little bottom book shelf…where did you find that little gem? I’ve been looking for a while…

    Reply
  6. 29

    Bethany says

    June 12, 2012 at 8:45 pm

    Anonymous, I used tissue paper from two different stores, so the light pink one had 10 in the packet, and the other colors were 8 in a packet. If you’re making the big pouf, I would definitely use two packs of 8 for one pouf, if not 3.

    Reply
  7. 30

    Anonymous says

    June 12, 2012 at 7:06 pm

    Hi!
    I’m wanting to make this for the baby room when baby #3 arrives later this year. In your picture of the materials, your pack of tissue paper shows 10 pieces. Is that the amount you used for most of them? (I saw that you said you used 16 for the larger ones). I keep finding packs of 8, and i’m not sure if that’s enough???

    Reply
  8. 31

    Kelsey says

    January 25, 2012 at 12:39 am

    I’m going to make these for my daughters room!!!
    Thanks for the step by step instructions!

    Reply
  9. 32

    Bethany says

    January 11, 2012 at 9:03 pm

    the more sheets you use, the fuller it will be. i used 16 on my larger ones, but i wished i had used even more because they weren’t as full as i wanted them. play around with it and try different amounts! i probably wouldn’t use more than 24 tho. 🙂

    Reply
  10. 33

    heatherrobyn says

    January 11, 2012 at 7:11 pm

    how many sheets of tissue paper do you recommend for the big huge flower balls? I have packages of 10, 24, and 35 sheets!

    Reply
  11. 34

    Anonymous says

    August 2, 2011 at 6:34 pm

    You are amazing Beth!! wish you were here to do my kids room…I would hre you in a sec. You have got so much going for your future with this design stuff!! LOVE IT LOVE IT…robin

    Reply
  12. 35

    Lyndsey says

    May 9, 2011 at 9:12 pm

    This is FAN-TAS-TIC!!!! I know you have incredible taste and style, but I was a bit skeptical about this nursery–until now! The mobile brought it all together and it’s now my FAVORITE nursery look! (I kind of wish you were having twin boys so I could copy you for my little guys!)

    Reply
  13. 36

    Bethany says

    May 9, 2011 at 12:04 pm

    We affixed them to the ceiling by tying all the ends of the ribbons to a key ring, arranging the tissue balls how we liked, and hung the ring from a hook in the ceiling!

    Reply
  14. 37

    Maranda says

    May 8, 2011 at 2:57 pm

    I tried to make these for my son’s 2nd birthday party last year (it was a Dr. Seuss themed party, so I used bright fun colors) and they were a HOT MESS! Haha! Not sure what I did wrong, but they did not look nearly this cute (plus I kept ripping the tissue paper when I was peelng back the layers). I may have to try them again and see if I can do a better job! Yours are adorable! Happy Mother’s Day!

    Reply
  15. 38

    Anonymous says

    May 7, 2011 at 5:23 pm

    What did you use to affix them to the ceiling?

    Reply
  16. 39

    SingleMama says

    May 6, 2011 at 1:51 pm

    That looks AWESOME!!!!! The nursery is looking beautiful 🙂

    Reply
  17. 40

    Bethany says

    May 5, 2011 at 9:05 pm

    i really don’t remember where we purchased the lanterns. we got them for our wedding, and it was a long time ago! 🙂 sorry.

    Reply
  18. 41

    Destroyable says

    May 5, 2011 at 8:56 pm

    Where did you purchase the lanterns?

    Reply
  19. 42

    Bethany says

    May 5, 2011 at 7:42 pm

    you can make smaller ones just by cutting the tissue paper in half. the medium sized ones i made were 2/3 of a whole sheet.

    Reply
  20. 43

    Renee' says

    May 5, 2011 at 3:16 pm

    How cute! I am going to make a bunch of these for my grandson’s bedroom! I love them!

    Reply
  21. 44

    Heidi says

    May 5, 2011 at 12:45 pm

    I love it! They really tie all the elements and colors in the nursery together! My daughter (19) is moving from home this summer – – I’m going to make a bunch for her new apartment bedroom – – too cool!!!!

    Reply
  22. 45

    Anonymous says

    May 5, 2011 at 11:13 am

    Absolutely adorable and gorgeous. I have never seen anything like it but I LOVE IT. How did you make the smaller ones? Just cut the tissue paper in half? I am definetly going to give this a try. Thanks for such cute ideas!!!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. A Tour of our Homestead! - Sawdust and Embryos says:
    May 28, 2015 at 4:29 pm

    […] painted the walls, made the curtains, the tissue paper pom pom mobile, painted the crib, made the crib skirt, and bumper pad… and Nick built the floating shelves […]

    Reply

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We are Nick and Bethany! Welcome to our blog, Reality Daydream where we share our DIY adventures!
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