How to Make Duct Tape Ribbons and Bows

There's just something fun about using duct tape in creative projects, especially when you get to choose from all of the bright and colorful selections of the Scotch Colors and Patterns Duct Tape line. I wanted to use duct tape and plain white or brown wrapping paper to create unique gift wrapping, and I love how it turned out.

It's easy to create duct tape ribbon around a package (see below for a quick tutorial), but the bows are a little more complicated. Even so, they should take about 5 minutes or less to make.

How to Make a Duct Tape Bow

1. Cut a piece of duct tape about 6 inches long. (You can vary the size for different shaped bows. Just make sure that you do the same thing for the right and the left sides.)

2. Fold each half over onto itself so that you are left with a double sided piece of duct tape about 3 inches long. Try to fold flat and evenly, but it's ok if it is a little bumpy or raised up in parts.

3. Repeat the process so that you have 2 identical pieces.

4. Take one of the pieces and fold it in half.

5. Now fold that edge in half upwards. Then fold each of the edges back down in half on each side, so that the edge is now folded back and forth into fourths.

6. Wrap a thin strip of duct tape around the edge of the piece where your fingers are holding. Repeat the same process with the other side.

7. Cut a long thin strip of tape. Put the two sides next to each other and wrap them together with the duct tape. You can use more duct tape for a thicker center. Now cut a new larger piece of duct tape and fold it in half. Cut out two similar ribbon ends shapes.

8. Use small pieces of duct tape to secure the ribbon ends to the back of the bow.

I also made some bows without the ribbon ends. Play around with different sized strips of duct tape for different shaped bows.

How to Make Duct Tape Ribbon

You could just wrap a box in plain wrapping paper, then tape around it with duct tape to create a ribbon look. However, this is surprisingly hard to keep straight, and would be even harder for the recipient to open.

1. Cut out the wrapping paper you will need. There are a lot of places to find plain white or kraft brown paper, but I use rolls of coloring paper from IKEA for white, and utility paper from the paint section of Home Depot for the kraft brown.

(I am obsessed with this blue and turquoise chevron duct tape from the Scotch Colors and Patterns Duct Tape line.)

2. Cut out long pieces of tape and slowly place them across the paper.

3. Once you have taped two strips in a cross pattern on the paper, flip the paper over and wrap your gift like a normal present. This way it will look like it's all wrapped up in duct tape, but be easy to open.

I love how this yellow bow looks against the chevron duct tape.

Do you love creating with duct tape like I do? Follow along with Scotch Colors and Patterns Duct Tape line on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

This post is a collaboration with Scotch® Color & Pattern Duct Tape Brand. Join the community at Facebook.com/scotchcolorsandpatterns or visit scotchducttape.com to learn more.

Free Printable Super Hero Rules

My kids already love the Disney Buddies movies (and I'm always a fan of any movie starring animals), so we were thrilled to get a chance to watch the newest movie, Super Buddies. This hilarious family-friendly movie is available on Blu-Ray and DVD on August 27.

One of my favorite parts of this movie, is the cute rules of being a Super Hero:

1. You don't have to have super powers to be a super hero.
2. A super hero must always conceal their identity to protect the ones they love.
3. A super hero is a friend to any being in need of rescue.
4. A hero does good for good, not for glory.

I created some free printables for these super hero rules. I love the square sizes, and you could easily frame them, or just put them on the fridge.

These pictures above are formatted for 5x7 size.

How to print:

1. Right click on the images and open them in a new window.

2. Right click on the image again and save it to your computer.

3. Now either upload them to the website where you print photos. I prefer matte to glossy. You can also open them in Word (or a similar program), make sure they are sized at 5x7, and print them on your home printer.

I created Google Docs for the square prints and 4x6 prints. You can simply click on the link below, view the file in Google Docs, and press print.

Square Printables
4x6 Printables

Be sure to check out Super Buddies! Learn more by following along with Facebook or Pinterest. You can also check out other great Super Buddies crafts, printables, and recipes from other bloggers.

*This post was sponsored by Disney's Super Buddies through Blueprint Social. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Colorful Scotch® Duct Tape Arrow Magnets

It's getting close to back to school, and today I'm sharing a fun duct tape craft for lockers. There are so many fun possibilities when you use Scotch® Color & Pattern Duct Tape  to personalize and add bright colors and patterns to something plain. I was thrilled to get the opportunity to write a sponsored back to school post using this tape. I ended out making colorful magnetic arrow clips that are perfect for school lockers, since they're decorative and practical. You can also use the tape to make other locker decorations for boys or girls.

You will need:

1. Scotch® Color & Pattern Duct Tape

2. Scissors

3. Large Popsicle Sticks

4. Magnetic Tape

5. Hot Glue Gun

Here's how you make the colorful magnetic arrow clips:

1. Cut one end of your Popsicle stick off at a point. You can lightly mark where you will be cutting with pencil. 

2. Cut the other end of your Popsicle stick at an arrow. It's okay if the edges are a little rough, because they will be covered in duct tape.

3. Cut out a piece of Scotch® Color & Pattern Duct Tape  that is slightly larger than your arrow shape, and stick the arrow to the center.

4. Trim the top and bottoms of the tape to fit the arrow, then cut out pieces along the sides, as seen in the picture above. 

5. Fold over the tape and press it firmly. Flip over the arrow and make sure that you are happy with how the front looks. 

6. Attach strips of magnetic tape to the backs of clothes pins. Use hot glue if necessary.

7. Using a hot glue gun, attach the arrow to the front side of the clothes pin and press down firmly. Make sure that the opening of the clothes pin points down towards the arrow.

Now you have fun and colorful magnetic arrow clips to use to decorate your lockers (or send to school with your kids). They are a fun way to display photos, notes, pages from magazines, or even homework assignments on the inside of your locker door. Then at the end of the year, you can bring them home and use them as useful fridge magnets.

For these arrows, I used the following colors of tape: Cherry Red, Sunshine Yellow, Hot Pink, Sea Blue, Tangerine Orange, and Green Apple.

There are so many other fun ways to use Scotch® Color & Pattern Duct Tape to get ready to go back to school, and to personalize and decorate your school supplies and your locker. I used tape to decorate the edges of a Scotch tape dispenser and attached magnetic tape to the bottom for easy locker access. I also added magnets to the bottom of little clear dollar store containers and filled them with paper clips. I then used some of the patterned Scotch Duct Tape to make fun stickers. It's easy to decorate a locker for either a boy or a girl.

Here's how you make Scotch® Patterned Duct Tape stickers:

1. Cut out two pieces of wax paper. Layer them on top of each other. 

2. Very lightly, attach a piece of patterned duct tape across both pieces of wax paper. 

3. Flip this over, and draw an outline on the back of the paper. 

4. Cut out the shape, and peel away the wax paper. If you have trouble removing all of the wax paper, you can simple leave it and use glue to attach that part of the duct tape sticker.

For these stickers, I used the following patterns of tape: Superman, Roy G Biv.

You can use Scotch® Color & Pattern Duct Tape to decorate a locker for a boy.

...or for a girl. Have fun. There are so many different colors and patterns, you can come up with your own decorating color scheme.

If you love Duct Tape and want to join the Scotch Expressions Tape community, you can follow along on Facebook , Twitter, or Pinterest.

*This post is a collaboration with Scotch® Color & Pattern Duct Tape, but words and opinions are my own.

Fun Summer Style with Jelly Beans

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Jelly Beans but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #JellysAreBack http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

Jellies are back! Just in time for the rest of summer, Jelly Beans has brought back the classic Jelly shoes (now available in the US with free shipping). They certainly take me back to my childhood, plus the retro look is so trendy right now.

There's only one problem. How will yo ever choose just one color, when there are so many fun ones! I love the pink ones I got, because they're bright and transparent, but I also especially love a lot of the neon hues. Here are a few of my favorite colors:

These fun and colorful shoes make a bold statement, and are a fun way to add a pop of color to a simple outfit. I especially love wearing them with jean shorts or capris. 

I was immediately sold on the look, but I was a little skeptical about how they would feel. I worried they might be sticky and uncomfortable, too heavy, or inflexible. However, I was surprised with how comfortable and lightweight they really are. The material feels very different than I expected. It bends very easily, and is light and soft. The straps around the front also allow enough air through that the shoes don't start to feel sticky or hot, and I've been wearing them in Florida in August!

Another fun way to wear your Jelly Beans, is with a dress. They are a fun upgrade from flip flops, but still a more casual and comfortable summer option to pair with a sundress, or another lighter dress. I love how my pink Jellys look with this gray and black Chevron dress. The pop of pink pairs perfectly with my neutral dress.

Now I want to get matching ones for my daughter! With free shipping in the US, I might just have to.

If you love Jelly Beans and want to keep in touch, you can follow along with them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. 

What memories do you have of Jellies? What is your favorite color? What kinds of outfits would you pair them with?