I have a great giveaway for you today (sponsored by Windows Phone 7), but more on that in just a bit. First I want to share a little project with you.
Supplies
- paper (can be new, or can come from magazines/catalogs)
- ribbon (grosgrain works nicely)
- ruler or drafting triangle (optional — see the second step for clarification)
- pencil
- scissors
- decorative edged scissors (optional)
- glue (plain Elmer’s is fine)
- sewing machine or needle and thread (optional)
Instructions
- Determine how long your garland will be and cut the appropriate length of ribbon (mine is nine feet long). Be sure to leave some extra length to hang down on the ends or to tie into bows.
- Cut a triangle out of paper to use as a template. The sides on mine were seven inches long. You don’t have to measure, but a ruler is helpful for making straight lines. I used a drafting triangle, but that is totally unnecessary unless you are persnickety about making true equilateral triangles (*ahem*).
- Trace your template onto different papers to make as many triangles as you need. I cut nine triangles from catalogs and nine from pink card stock.
- Figure out which triangles are going to be the top layer (the patterned ones in my case), and mark off the top one inch from each. Fold it along the line and snip off the little ends that stick out.
- Line up each smaller triangle with a larger one and glue them together along the top to make your flags.
- After I made mine, I decided that they would look even better with a decorative edge so I used my pinking shears. You can leave them plain though, or even draw on a border (dots would be cute).
- Glue or sew your completed triangles to your ribbon, remembering to leave some length along the ends to hang.
- Finished!
And that’s how I made a recycled paper bunting using items from around the house, doing more with less. Speaking of which…
Windows Phone 7 Giveaway
The new Windows Phones are helping people Do More with Less, and I have one to give away to you! You can enter to win by leaving a comment on this post. One entry per person, per day, until November 29. Please see the official rules for more details.
This giveaway is brought to you by the new Windows Phone 7. Less tech tired. More tech trendy: Learn more about Windows Phone online and see it in person at local T-Mobile stores today.
* 11.30.10: Congratulations to the winner, TracyCK!
Turtle Mom
November 21, 2010 at 8:18 pmGreat idea on the bunting. I need a new phone to simplify my life. I am still using a dinosaur and I can never tell if I have messages.
Erica Best
November 22, 2010 at 2:03 ami really need a new phone and i trying to not to but a new phone beucase im trying to save money.
Jenni
November 22, 2010 at 5:32 amOh! A new phone how exciting would that be.
Yogi
November 22, 2010 at 7:19 amI get more with less by doing comparison shopping using Bing.
cortney
November 22, 2010 at 8:58 amPhone please
Overfriendly Concierge
November 22, 2010 at 9:08 amPhone phone phone phone phone. Phone-y phone phone. Would love to win! Pretty please.
Alison F.
November 22, 2010 at 10:22 amI am trying to do more with less by buying less so I love the idea of reusing all of my old magazines. Thanks!
Rian
November 22, 2010 at 10:58 amI have found that drinking more water is both healthier – and cheaper! I don’t need the additional calories or expense!
Breenah
November 22, 2010 at 11:28 amStill super super excited about this!!!
Dele O
November 22, 2010 at 12:28 pmI’m all about doing more with less by using free tools such as the Google calendar to organize my day, week, month, year…need I go on!!!
Beth-BTW
November 22, 2010 at 1:11 pmOh, how handy that phone would be!!
Shelby M.
November 22, 2010 at 5:53 pmI could really use a phone, my current phone is from the dark-ages I am sure as it is made from stone.
Jearv
November 22, 2010 at 6:12 pmSince I’m in college I definitely can do more with the money I save from buying used books instead of new ones by searching online sites like eBay or the used book stores in town. It really helps cut costs and sometimes the books have notes in them! Then I sell the books and buy “new” used books for next semester!
Heather D
November 22, 2010 at 6:53 pmI hate buying occasion cards. I prefer to make my own. I think the recipients enjoy receiving them too. I can make so much more with less. To make a card is pennies on the dollar, and they are much more personal. I can make 10 cards out of very little supplies, as opposed to paying $3-4 per card when bought in the store.
Samantha
November 22, 2010 at 10:20 pmI am loving aluminum foil as an insulation material these days, helps me shape cakes, and keep things warm :)
Turtle Mom
November 22, 2010 at 10:26 pmI try to stay out of the stores unless I need something and then I take a list and stick to it. I use the internet to search for the best price before I waste gas.
Laura F.
November 23, 2010 at 3:18 amI am hearing really great things about the new Windows Phone!
Karol Russin
November 23, 2010 at 3:58 amDasd asdasd ddfh sert aswer
katrina
November 23, 2010 at 9:23 amI’m also going to be doing more with less space this Christmas, since we are traveling to see family, so all gifts need to fit into our luggage. I hope this also helps to keep the cost down.
crystal
November 23, 2010 at 9:23 amI really, really, really want this Windows phone! It looks like it is amazing. Wholly product placement- it has been everywhere I look lately! Please pick me. Please.
cortney
November 23, 2010 at 9:40 amThe Windows phone would be a great early Christmas present!
Katie
November 23, 2010 at 9:49 amThanks for hosting the giveaway! My phone drops calls like nobody’s business, so if Santa brought me a new one, it would be a great start to 2011! :)
Wonderful tutorial, by the way. I agree about doing more with less. I save every scrap of fabric I have for creative sewing projects (even old tops that I won’t wear anymore but have lovely prints on them).
Dele O
November 23, 2010 at 11:20 amI do more with less by using awesome phone apps. There are many useful, fun, and creative apps out there that help make life a little bit easier to manage.
Overfriendly Concierge
November 23, 2010 at 11:22 amA new phone would make my holidays that much brighter! Thank you.
Shelby M.
November 23, 2010 at 11:45 amI do more by sleeping less. It is amazing what you can get done in the morning without distractions.
lisa
November 23, 2010 at 2:59 pmnew phone = happy me = less stress
Diana D
November 23, 2010 at 6:56 pmwould love a new phone!
Abbie
November 23, 2010 at 7:02 pmAll my current phone does is make calls. This would be a mondo upgrade.
Yogi
November 23, 2010 at 8:13 pmI get more done by using the Microsoft Outlook junk filters to see less spam.
Kate
November 23, 2010 at 8:17 pmThat’s a great use for scrap paper and old magazines – both of which I have plenty of! I’ve been intrigued by the Windows phone, it looks like a really interesting setup!
Turtle Mom
November 23, 2010 at 9:58 pmI do more with less by baking from scratch and cooking meals instead of grabbing fast food or eating out. It not only saves money, but it’s also healthier. I really need a new phone!
Breenah
November 23, 2010 at 10:06 pmConsidering they stopped making my phone and I’ll soon have to make a decision on which new one to get, this would make that decision a lot easier.
Jearv
November 23, 2010 at 10:57 pmDuring Thanksgiving, we eat more with less time! Haha, how do we do this? We always have a potluck for every Thanksgiving dinner. And we’re all luck that everyone brings delicious food! It would be awesome to win!
luuve
November 24, 2010 at 4:02 ami just reread the post…you said “One entry per person, per day” greeeat..i think this will be my second..
i would looooove that phonnnnneeee…:P
Yogi
November 24, 2010 at 8:01 amI get my screen more organized with less hassle using Windows 7’s Snaps feature.
crystal
November 24, 2010 at 8:10 amHave I mentioned on my two earlier posts that I really, really, really want this phone?! Please pick me for this Windows 7 phone giveaway!!! It’s awesome!!! Pretty please?!
lisa
November 24, 2010 at 9:15 ami would be a very thankful to win a new phone, along with all the other things that i have to be thankful for at this time of the year…
cortney
November 24, 2010 at 9:38 amWinning a Windows Phone would be fantastic!
katrina
November 24, 2010 at 12:30 pmThe battery on my phone is dying with age, so I’m learning to do more with less of a charge. A new one would be great!
Overfriendly Concierge
November 24, 2010 at 2:28 pmWe do more with less by periodically holding garage sales to help us de-clutter. We then use the proceeds to buy the whole family dinner at a nice restaurant!
Dele O
November 24, 2010 at 3:15 pmDoing more with less means keeping your cars as long as possible especially when they are paid off.
Jearv
November 24, 2010 at 5:01 pmOne example of me doing more with less is carpooling with friends to school (when I don’t take the train). Being college students, we’ll save all the money we can and it’s so convenient that I have a group of friends that all live pretty close! It’s fun to see each other in the mornings, ha and eat breakfast on the go. It’d be so awesome to win!
Maureen
November 24, 2010 at 5:07 pmThis phone looks like it could take the place of several devices which would be nice.
Breenah
November 24, 2010 at 7:53 pmFive more days!!! We can do this! I’m so excited!
Turtle Mom
November 24, 2010 at 11:16 pmHappy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for people who pour their hearts and souls into blogging! I am especially thankful for the phone giveaway as I am in desperate need of a new one!
Samantha
November 25, 2010 at 12:45 ami love giving out coupons for watching your kids for an hour or clean your house its cheap and effective so everyone is happy
Overfriendly Concierge
November 25, 2010 at 9:21 amWe do more with less by making a list before we go out shopping and sticking to it.
Jearv
November 25, 2010 at 3:46 pmThis might be a little too simple, but I do more with less by always having my laptop with me. Nowadays, since I’m in college, it seems like everything is being moved online, from turning essays in to math homework. It definitely helps me do more when I have free time and I have less stuff to carry around!
Breenah
November 25, 2010 at 9:08 pmHappy Thanksgiving! I hope everything was awesome for you today!
Dele O
November 25, 2010 at 10:43 pmDoing more for less is all about doing dishes before, during, and after thanksgiving dinner. Saves a lot of time the next day.
P.S. happy thanksgiving
SwoodsonShoeClips
November 26, 2010 at 12:44 amI do more with less by trying to eight million things at once! More things done with less time would be a lot easier with a smart phone, right now I have a lame flip phone that was free with my plan and I can only tweet/email/etc. when I’m actually at my computer. How 90′s. Thanks for the giveaway!!
Overfriendly Concierge
November 26, 2010 at 8:28 amWe do more with less (and spread the love) by extensively utilizing Freecycle – both giving and getting.
Yogi
November 26, 2010 at 1:45 pmI do more with less redundancy by syncing my files using Windows Live Mesh.
Stephanie
November 26, 2010 at 6:19 pmupload digital pictures to an online gallery & stop worrying about hard drive storage and backup
Dele O
November 26, 2010 at 7:03 pmdoing more with less could mean budgeting and adhering to it. It allows us to save properly and spend wisely
Melanie
November 26, 2010 at 11:39 pmI love your elegant-ness. It looks beautiful.
Erin Morris
November 27, 2010 at 1:44 amI make more of my time lately, making a little extra money from home. I home school my 6 kids, and in between spelling tests and science experiments, I crochet hats, blankets, etc, build diapers cakes, and sell them online. Why didn’t I think of this years ago??
My poor hubby has been doing more with much less than he should be. He’s using his grandma’s hand-me-down phone. The stone age castoff is such an embarrassment and he’s such a trooper. I hope I can win this phone for him!
katrina
November 27, 2010 at 9:48 amloved your thanksgiving table! I did more with less, making a lot of handmade things for thanksgiving, handmade napkin rings, and I painted acorns from the backyard for a centerpiece.
Overfriendly Concierge
November 27, 2010 at 1:05 pmMy husband will kill me for saying this, but he does more with less by owning only gray socks. Seriously. He bought 30 identical pairs of gray socks. Whenever one gets a hole in it, he still has umpteen zillion other matches for it, so he doesn’t have to chuck the whole pair. And yes, he is that cheap. (Which is why I’d like to win a new phone and not buy one!)
Beth-BTW
November 27, 2010 at 6:58 pmA new phone = joy for me and my children. They can play games on this, right? =)
Breenah
November 27, 2010 at 8:34 pmThe more I look at that bunting, the more I want to make one of my own.
Jose D
November 27, 2010 at 9:25 pmSomething that has helped a lot when doing more with less are the social networks! In the past I would had to call each friend when I had a party; now I just post the even on Facebook and everyone knows about it!
Kate
November 27, 2010 at 10:23 pmI would love to win- I really need a new phone
Jearv
November 27, 2010 at 10:47 pmOne example of me doing more with less is simply turning off and unplugging electronics and appliances. Sometimes people forget and it adds up to the costs. As time goes by, spending a few little seconds on turning appliances off can really make a difference and save more money, more money to spend on stuff I want! I only turn things on when I need to!
Turtle Mom
November 27, 2010 at 11:09 pmI am trying to do more with less by entering to win wonderful freebies!
Samantha
November 28, 2010 at 1:00 amm and ms are probably my favorite more with less candy. i use them to decorate cakes, i use them in counting games with kids, and they just taste good
Dele O
November 28, 2010 at 9:35 amDoing more with less sometimes means reusing grocery bags, or buying the recyclable types and using those. Saves the environment and saves the grocery stores money, which in turn saves you money.
Overfriendly Concierge
November 28, 2010 at 10:39 amWe do more with less by taking family vacations during the off-season.
Breenah
November 28, 2010 at 10:55 amOnly one more day! I’m very excited. And very excitable, it seems.
Beth-BTW
November 28, 2010 at 7:34 pmI do more with less by focusing on what’s important and entertaining myself (sometimes by reading blogs) with what I already have as much as possible.
Jearv
November 28, 2010 at 7:50 pmOne way we do more with less is with leftovers. Especially during Thanksgiving time. An example would be using ham for lunch sandwiches and using the leftover turkey for quesadillas or my favorite turkey and tortilla soup!
Kate
November 28, 2010 at 8:28 pmI would love to win- my current phone is on its last leg.
Turtle Mom
November 28, 2010 at 8:29 pmThis phone would help keep me organized so that I can do more with less!
Jose D
November 28, 2010 at 11:22 pmHow to do more with less? I have in my own house a soda vending machine, when I feel like drinking one, I buy one. At the end of certain period of time, I open the vending machine to recollect my profit!!!
Samantha
November 29, 2010 at 1:14 amI really like spices and herbs. If you buy them in the ethnic food section, especially the hispanic themed aisle they can be only 99 cents a bag! They add flavor to everything including cheap cuts of meat and inexpensive dishes
Overfriendly Concierge
November 29, 2010 at 6:37 amWe do more with less by finishing all our holiday shopping waaay before the season gets underway. That way, we aren’t caught up in holiday mania or retail marketing when the gifts are being purchased, and we don’t spend as much money.
crystal
November 29, 2010 at 7:58 amI do more with less by cooking from scratch. We always have the best food in our house and we never feel like we have less. Oh, and please pick me for that wonderful phone!
katrina
November 29, 2010 at 9:11 amlast day to enter, I would love to win!
I like to cook at home (same as crystal) so that we get more taste and nutrition from less byproducts and preservatives.
cortney
November 29, 2010 at 1:57 pmWinning the Windows phone would be a wonderful way to start the holiday season!
Amanda
November 29, 2010 at 2:16 pmI could really use a new phone, the one I’m using used to be my moms!
Kate
November 29, 2010 at 6:40 pmi do more with less by staying organized so that i can multitask
Jearv
November 29, 2010 at 7:03 pmI do more with less by combining my errands into one drive and trip so I save gas. An example would be going to the store, post office and barbershop in one trip, rather than going at different times of the week. This way, I can do more with the money I have because of the less money I have to spend on gas! I want to win this phone!
John
November 29, 2010 at 7:10 pmYou are truly talented. I think I need to tap into my creative side a little more often.
Breenah
November 29, 2010 at 7:56 pmLast day! I don’t know what I’m gonna do!
Turtle Mom
November 29, 2010 at 8:23 pmI need organization in my life! I need to do more with less! I really need this phone!
Craig
November 29, 2010 at 8:26 pmThat’s a terrific use for old magazines – I seriously regret recycling so many in the past without thinking of something like this.
Erica Best
November 29, 2010 at 8:36 pmi go to dollar store and buy things i need for party and everyday stuff and when i get home i remake it it so much fun.
Jose D
November 29, 2010 at 9:02 pmI used to check my email through a browser; a few months ago I started using an email client. Now I can check all my email accounts at the same time! That’s doing more with less!
Dele O
November 29, 2010 at 10:16 pmDoing more with less could be decorating the christmas tree as a family. More work done in less time, and lots of family time together.