The best use for your wallpaper cut-offs: Wallpaper Angels

The best use for your wallpaper cut-offs: Wallpaper Angels

As we all know, there is a plethora of beautiful wallpaper models out there. And once you have found your favourite, there is nothing stopping you from beautifying your home. But as the old saying goes: You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs! And you can't finish a wallpapering project without producing cut-offs. But why just throw them away? They really are far too pretty for the bin - and far too useful!

At least that's our opinion, which is why today we are presenting you with a creative way to make use of your "left-overs".

Christmas is coming! For a few weeks now, Christmas decorations have been appearing in our high street shopping outlets. One cannot help but begin to think about the imminent festive season: organising the Christmas menu, contemplating suitable presents for one's nearest and dearest, and - last but not least - planning this year's Christmas decorations. After all, variety is the spice of life, so they should be different from last year's! But fear not! You don't have to spend lots of your hard-earned cash.

Just look at our gorgeous wallpaper angels:

Christmas-DIY-Wallpaper

What do you need?

  • A large bowl, pan or a compass (like the one used in geometry lessons)
  • Pencil
  • Pair of scissors
  • Glue
  • Angel hair, tinsel or felting wool
  • And of course a piece of your fav wallpaper!

Tapeten-Engel

How to make a wallpaper angel

Making our wallpaper angels is very easy: a simple circular piece of wallpaper is folded into a cone. Put the piece of wallpaper on the table, with the back facing you. To make a perfect circle, put a bowl with the opening down on the table and follow the round contour with a pencil. The larger the circle, the larger the angel will be. Depending on how many wallpaper cut-offs you have and what size they are, you can make anything from tiny to quite big angels.

Tapeten-Reste-Basteln

Now carefully cut along the pencil line. Now you have to gauge whether the wallpaper is thick enough to create a sufficiently strong cone, otherwise you will have to use a double layer.

Christmas-Wallpaper-Angel

If you are working with a fairly robust wallpaper, you cut the circle through the middle to create two half circles. If the wallpaper is on the thin side, fold the circle. Each half circle will become one angel.

Weihnachts-Engel-Basteln

Now take the half circle and put the two straight sides together to make a cone. Stick the two straight edges together with glue (or staple them together).

Tapeten-Weihnachts-Schmuck

The cones form the body of your angel. Now to the wings: glue two pieces of wallpaper together, backs facing each other. This will ensure that both sides of the wings will display your favourite wallpaper design. Fold the piece of double-wallpaper in the middle and draw a lovely wing shape on it (something like half a heart, with the part that will attach to the back of the angel in the middle). If you don't feel too confident about your drawing skills, why not try making a template out of a piece of newspaper? You can have as many tries as you wish, then simply transfer the design to the wallpaper piece.

Wallpaper-Christmas-Gift

Cut along the template line. Once you unfold the piece of wallpaper, you have a symmetrical pair of wings. Use glue or a stapler to attach the wings to the back of your angel at the glue line (where you glued the straight ends together to create the cone).

Tapeten-Deko-Weihnachten

All that's missing now is the angel's hair. Simply choose between felting wool, tinsel - or the Christmas tree decoration that is commonly known as “angel hair”. Take a small amount and glue it around the top of your angel. Another variation would be to use some narrow ribbon to tie the hair to the tip of the angel. It will look as if your angel is wearing a headband or - if you use golden ribbon - like a halo.

Wallpaper-Christmas-Decoration

If you wish to give your angel a face, why not try this:
Take a rectangular piece of your wallpaper and fold it in the middle to fashion a cylinder. Now glue or staple the short sides together.

Tapeten-Engel-Basteln

Make the wings as described above. Stick them to the glue line at the back of the angel. Now cut a small round head, including the base of the neck, from your wallpaper or a piece of blank paper (if you prefer to draw a face on). Don't forget that you will have to glue two pieces of wallpaper together in order to be able to display the design on both sides.

Now draw a face on (if desired). Glue the hair material of your choice to the back of the head and drape it around it.

Christmas-Gift-DIY

Now attach the head to the top of the cylinder body.

Wallcovering-Angel

By the way: you can buy ready-made angels' wings made from feathers or felt in arts and crafts supply shops. They might give your angel that special touch.

Tapeten-Basteln

Voilà! You've made a wallpaper angel!

Weihnachts-Dekoration

Have fun creating your very own wallpaper angels, and watch this space for more ideas on how to use your wallpaper cut-offs!

Yours, Laura