Use Old Pot Lids To Turn Paper Towels Into The Cutest DIY Home Decor On A Budget

DIYing your home decor can save you money and allow you to create pieces that feel more customized to your personal style. A go-to for many crafty homeowners is to create DIY floral decor — from Dollar Tree flower arrangements to DIY cotton pad flowers. Floral decor is great because it's relatively easy to do on your own, even if you aren't the most craft-savvy. Of course, some could argue the best part about DIY florals is that they won't wilt! You can DIY paper flowers that look like the real deal and last forever. While there are several ways to create DIY floral decor, one interesting method uses a pot lid to help turn paper towels into lovely carnations.

While you may have seen folks upcycle metal lids into the cutest DIY flower baskets, this project uses any kind of circular pot lid, whether it be metal, glass, or ceramic. Ideally, you want a pot lid that has a diameter close to the length of two sheets of paper towel or toilet tissue pulled from the roll. Although, it's possible to make this DIY on a smaller scale with a small circular lid. You can use an old pot lid, or you can pull one straight from your cabinets. For this project, you'll use a pot lid to trace a circle, so the lid itself won't be ruined during crafting. Other tools you may need for this DIY include a thin craft stick for the stem, a roll of paper towels, a marker, ribbon, a cardboard toilet paper roll, and hot glue.

Start by grabbing your paper towel roll and pulling two sheets forward. Crease and fold those two sheets onto the following two sheets. You will continue to accordion fold the double-sheets about ten to twelve times, depending on the fullness you want for your flower. While you could opt for a roll of toilet paper to DIY beautifully unique decor on a budget, it could result in smaller or less sturdy paper flowers. Once you have your folded paper towel sheets, it's time to put that pot lid to use. Tear the sheets from the roll, keeping the accordion fold, and lay your pot lid on top. Trace the lid. Then, cut out the circle shape.

Next, pull up one circular sheet at a time and fold it in half three times to create a wedge. Cut a line in the center of the rounded part of the wedge and then cut the corners to create a heart-like shape. Unfold the shape once so that it looks like a fourth of the original circle, and twist the rounded edge pieces with your fingers. You will also want to cut the very tip of the corner to create a hole in the center of your circular sheet. Unfold the entire sheet and set it aside as you repeat this process with the other sheets.

Once you have your sheets, you can begin creating the stem and assembling the flower. Tightly wrap a craft stick in brown ribbon and glue the ends. Slide your first sheet onto the stick, stopping a couple of inches from the top. Glue the top of the stick and work your paper towel sheet around the end to create a bunched-up center for your flower. Next, you'll slide your second sheet onto the stick towards the sheet already adhered. Add glue to the base of the first sheet and the stem before bunching the paper towel up once again to create a flower shape. Repeat this step until all of your paper towel sheets have been glued to the stem.

Once done, you can fold a piece of ribbon and trim the edges to form a curve. Cut triangles into the curve to create a brown star-like shape. This can slide onto the stem and create a base for your paper flower. You might also consider using ribbon, cardboard from old toilet paper rolls, or construction paper to create leaves to attach to the stem. With your flowers made, you can slide them into a vase for a simple, budget-friendly, DIY centerpiece. While it's possible some might still recognize the flower material as being paper towel, the flowers could look lovely at a distance and could be more affordable than other faux arrangements. You can also add some color to your flowers before twisting them into shape, by coloring the ends of the heart-shaped pieces with washable marker and dipping them into water, creating an ombre effect, then letting them dry flat before completing the craft.