Patriotic Wind Twirlers from Paper Towel Rolls
Here’s a great way to re-use your paper towel rolls! Turn them into colourful, spinning outdoor ornaments! These patriotic wind twirlers are just perfect for decorating the yard for Canada Day, Memorial Day, or the 4th of July!
Yes. I admit to being a little obsessed with making outdoor ornaments. That’s ok, right? Summer is short, and it’s so fun to deck our the patio, porch and yard with colourful, homemade decorations.
This week we’re working on Canada Day crafts, and we made these wind twirlers to hang in the yard along with our Canada Day wind socks.
For my American friends and followers, I’ve made a red white and blue twirler because you celebrate Independence Day just a few days after we celebrate our national holiday.
Hopefully, no matter where you live, you’ll be inspired to make some wind twirlers in your own country’s colours.
To make our patriotic wind twirlers, you’ll need:
Supplies:
- paper towel rolls (you could also use wrapping paper tubes)
- paint (we used acrylic craft paint)
- paint brushes
- scissors
- (glue and glitter are optional)
- fishing line (or twine or yarn for hanging)
Starting at one end of the cardboard roll, paint a diagonal strip of colour around and around until you get to the top of the tube. Repeat with as many colours as you’re using.
When your paint has dried, cut along the lines of colour, leaving an inch or so of un-cut tube at the top.
This is where you’ll thread your fishing line through to hang your ornament.
If you’d like, you can unravel your strips, and paint the inside as well.
For some extra pizazz, you can go over your colours with a bit of glue, and sprinkle on some glitter. We did that with our red and white Canada Day twirler.
When everything has dried, poke two holes (I used the point of a pencil) in the top, uncut portion of the tube, and thread some fishing line through.
I knotted ours just above the top of the tube, and left a single, long tail of fishing line for hanging. A single line (rather than a double line) of thread or yarn will allow your tube to really twirl.
Now, hang your patriotic wind twirlers from your front porch or around your patio, or even from the branches of a tree in your yard.
Happy Canada Day to my Canadian Friends, and Happy Independence Day for those of you in the U.S.!
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
