Empty toilet paper and paper towel tubes are probably just starting to accumulate by now.  Don’t throw them away! We’ll recycle them with several projects in the coming days.

Today’s project will use those cardboard tubes to create a piece of art with a lot of graphic appeal.

First, measure and make a mark every ½ inch along the length of the tube. Then, use scissors to cut the tube into loops at each mark. Squeezing the scissors as you cut through the tube will result in a leaf-like shape. Use you fingers to squeeze the end points a bit more so they will keep that shape. From one toilet paper tube, you can get about five or six loops. 

Next, find a box lid — perhaps from a shoe box or an old game or a pizza box top. And now comes the creative part — decide if you want an abstract design or something realistic like a tree branch. Then select colors appropriate for your design and paint the loops and your background accordingly. It can be easier to paint them before glueing them down.

You can keep it simple or get carried away!

Position the loops inside your box.  Once the loops are the way you like, glue them down.  If desired, add additional embellishments or use rippled cardboard for an even more textured background.

If you love it, why not attach a hanger on the back and you can hang it up. Have fun!

 Check out these inspirations: