This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Astrobrights Papers by Neenah Paper for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
So how bright can AstroBrights papers really be???? BRIGHT! I figured the paper would be thin, like printer paper, but it was a nice thick paper! Not cardstock thick, but a great weight that held it’s shape! Hello Lovely! The paper is so lovely, and was so much fun to work with.
Right now Astrobright has two campaigns on the Astrobright Facebook page right now. The first one is Give a Brighter Year sweepstakes, fill it out for a chance to win $30,000 in school supplies for the school of your choice (spectrum academy). The second one is Make Something Astrobright Design Contest! YOU can submit projects, pictures and video for a chance to win a cash Visa!
Going back to school marks the end of summer. Now my kids love school, but who wants summer to end? So I thought it would be nice when the kids came home from their first day of school to have a bright cheery welcome home wreath keep the bright summer months going…(Inspired by this black dahlia wreath going around pinterest, I can’t find the original source- watermark people)! The Girls LOVED it, the boys didn’t even notice- oh well…
I started with 8.5″ x 11″ size sheets of Astrobright paper and I wanted squares, so I decided to cut the paper down to 4.25″ x4.25″ squares. First I marked my paper cutter at the 4.25″ mark (mine is from Japan so it doesn’t have inches marked on it…)
First I cut 4.25″ rows…
Then I cut the rows into square!
I cut a full rainbow of bright colors! Red to Purple…
I added glue to one side and let it dry a bit to get tacky, I found it sticks better that way.
Roll it into a cone and hold it for a second so it sticks, do this with all the colors.
I did one color at a time, starting with the bright green…
I used a 6 inch cake circle for the base, and I added glue all around the edges.
I started with green all the way around,
yellow in between…
Orange in a bit…
Then orange/red between the orange…
Red…
pink (this is where I started thinning it down a bit, I wish I’d started with a few more of the green and yellow, but no biggie)
A few less purple
Even less blue
And finally filling in with three turquoise… I LOVE it! My girls loved it so much I think I’ll make even SMALLER versions for my girls bedroom in these same bright colors! GORGEOUS!
This paper is GORGEOUS, and would be PERFECT for flyers, notes from teachers, PTA flyers, etc… Anything you don’t want to get missed by parents/teachers/anyone else your sending something on paper too. AND what kid wouldn’t want to play with this paper? My kids LOVED playing with the paper I didn’t use. It’s eco friendly, and it’s partially made with recycled materials.
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Jess from Cox's Corner
I am in love with the awesomeness that is this flower!
Ashlee
Awww thanks Jess! I like it more and more every time I walk by it!
jani lebaron
This is so clever. I love dahlias, I love bright neon shades – a perfect match!
Ashlee
thank you so much! the neon is really bright, but the kids love the bright color in the hall!
Summer
Ashlee I LOVE this. The bright colors look perfect for this Dahlia. So fun!
Ashlee
Thanks Summer! The paper is a great weight for it too, my book pages wreath is weak and keeps getting bent, this is holding it’s shape really well, even though it’s getting bumped a lot!
kristen
Using this as my low-cost wedding centerpiece in green, turquoise, royal and purple (peacock colors). Thanks for the tutorial!!!
Ashlee
oh cool!!! That would be really fun! The larger you make your squares the larger you should make your circle too! congrats on the wedding, I’d love to get remarried just to have another wedding (remarry my husband of course) SO much fun to plan!
Leia
How long did it take to do this wreath?
Ashlee
oh, a few hours maybe? The rolling up took the longest time, gluing it together went super fast!
Jane
just wanted to say how much I love your neon dahlia…. looks amazing // I dont have a website, but I pinned my attempt onto my Pinterest site (above)…thanks for the inspiration & the great instructions..
Ashlee
you did a great job! that’s the fun of these flowers, all black, rainbow, multi color or book pages! It’s a pretty fun and easy project and I think it looks good every way they are done!
Roxie
I’ve been searching for the tutorial for the black dahlia you mentioned in this post – no luck either but I was so glad to come across this beauty, thanks so much for the tutorial which I pinned for others to find. I plan to make some of these and will link up this post on my blog.
Ashlee
I’m glad you found my tutorial then! I hope you enjoy making them! I’d love to do a few more in different sizes for my girls wall!
Jlove
I’m planning on making a similar dahlia (love yours!) and was wondering how many paper comes you needed?
Ashlee
ummm I never counted. I made 16 cones of each color (9 colors), I clearly didn’t use all of them…
Samantha
I love this! I came across it on pinterest while looking for nursery ideas. As soon as i saw this my nursery clicked and i am now going with a “you are my sunshine” theme with gray walls and these dahlias done in all yellow to look like little suns. Im super excited!! Thanks for the inspiration!!! 🙂 I’m even thinking about usuing old books to make a few for my library! 🙂
Ashlee
ooohh so pretty! I’d love to see it when your done! what a fun idea.
Glenna Beauregard
Thank you so much for giving such GREAT instructions. Cant wait to make one!
Ashlee
you are so welcome! I’m planning on making a few more when I redo my girls room, they were fast and easy and even the kids can help
Amy
Do you know about how large your cardboard circle was?
Ashlee
this was a 6 inch cardboard circle.
Kim
How big is the finished wreath ? And any idea how to weather proof this ?
Ashlee
mine wasn’t weather proofed, I hung it inside so I didn’t have to worry about it. I think you’d have to use something other than paper if you want it to hang outside. And this one was about 18 inches
Kathy
I can NOT wait to make this!!!!! So bright and cherry and not expensive! Who could possibly ask for more!
Ashlee
thank you! it’s def a fun one!
lynne
I am definitely going to make this but out of book pags I have been given from charity shops for book art, I cannot find the neon colours over here in the uk, but book pages will be just as good x
Ashlee
I totally have a book page version – I love it!