A few days ago the Nester posted about her fabulous coffee filter wreath.
Miss Nester posted links to other impressive creations like this one made with natural coffee filters
and this pretty one
but I was in awe of this amazing light fixture
She used a paper lantern ball and lots and lots of coffee filters. Very impressive.
All of this gave me an idea for an ornament {or a hanging foof in my case – sorry, I couldn’t come up with a better name for it}. Now I’m sure there are great tutorials out there for how to make a project with coffee filters, but I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon and share {just in case you haven’t seen how to do it}.
Here’s what you need:
:: styrofoam ball
:: coffee filters
:: scissors
:: hot glue gun & glue
STEP ONE:Ā cover the styrofoam ball
Simply flatten a filter and glue to adhere.
The styrofoam melts slightly when you use hot glue, which is why I covered it.
STEP TWO: create a foof
fold a filter in half
Then half again {quarters}
and again {eighths}
Now snip off the end
and your piece is ready to adhere to the ball
STEP THREE: glue foof piece to ball
Put a glob of glue on the ball, then gently press the foof into place. Continue with another, placing them close to each other.
Once your ball is half covered, you can turn it over and work on the other side. I was worried I would smoosh the coffee filter foofs, but they were just fine.
Keep going and going and going
you will probably be very excited when you come to this point:
STEP FOUR: trim
Your foof will be a bit uneven, so just go around and trim
STEP FIVE: create a hanger
Here is what you need:
:: ribbon
:: straight pin
:: scissors
Cut a piece of ribbon to the length you want, fold over the ends and poke pin through
Then press into the ball and you are done!
Such beautiful ruffly goodness.
I started with a 6″Ā styrofoam ball and ended up with a 12″Ā foof. I used about 100 filters.
I’m guessing you can use the same technique to create a wreath or to cover a styrofoam cone to make an unexpected Christmas decoration as the Nester did
My next project to copy is this amazing garland by Pam Garrison
So pretty.
Coffee Filters are my new favorite thing! Thank you for the idea! I am going to be re-doing my daughters room this winter and am thinking a series of different sized foofs close together, sort of like a canopy. Also, they can be easily dyed with food coloring, paint and mixed powder drinks. I place mine in the dryer after dyeing. If you need a lot of coffee filters you can buy them in bulk and extra large sizes at whare house shopping clubs.
Awesome!!! Will have to try. I was also thing of colored tissue paper or putting 1 drop of food coloring on stack of white coffee filters for different variation? I like making crafts with the two boys I take care of. Found some awesome crafts to make with them!
Is there anyway to print off the instructions. thanks, will await your reply.
You can email the blog post to yourself and then print. Hope this helps!
Could you estimate how many filters I would need to make a wreath? And a small ball? I want to do this with my Girl Scouts, so I don’t want to run out of filters on them!
Out of curiosity, how long did it take you do this? Can I do it in a day?
It just took an hour or so.
Really lovely. I’m thinking of making some of these to decorate my wedding reception venue. Thank you for the tutorial.
I just had a quick question… I’m looking at doing the big ball for a baby shower and was wondering if there’s an easy way of dying the coffee filters?
This is really a great job ! So nice !
Thank you so much for all of your tutorials. They are GREAT!!
I just signed up for your blog..
Love the pouf balls! I made some for my Christmas tree :) Thanks for the tutorial!
This is my second time on this website. I love it! Can’t wait to try some of this stuff when I get more time!
I was thinking that if you used a half a ball (one that is flat on one side) that these would look like flowers that you could use as table decorations or hang in a girls room.
I just wanted to say thanks for the idea! I did this yesterday to a lamp shade and it looks amazing! Although it took forever! You are much more patient than me. Thanks for the great ideas keep them coming!
Can you possibly dye the coffee filters? i’m thinking about doing these for my wedding but would love them to be purple.
Absolutely love these! Thanks for all the easy step by step instructions!
I featured this on my blog today. Thanks for sharing the cute idea!
I made mine on Christmas day. I might have used too many filters and it is a little lopsided, but I still love it.
I love them. So perfect. I am going to be a bridesmaid and the bride wanted these balls for her wedding. She thought I could make them for her. I found this tutorial and l feel so much better now. I know she won’t be let down. Thank you so much for posting this.
I’ve been working on my foof for over an hour and am enjoying it! I found styrofoam balls at Hobby Lobby in the Christmas section, 50% off. So they were $1.25 each! I couldn’t find small ones though..these were about 4 inch diameter. But it’s looking awesome! Thanks!
LOVE. THIS!
SO amazing!! Absolutely love it and am going to try with my limited creative side ;)
Love it, can’t wait to do it!
I love your foof! I must try one…Thanks!
Krista
This is great stuff, thanks!
Thank you sooo much for posting this tutorial. This was such a good idea. You are sooo creative. I went and got the stuff at walmart this morning. I was a little suprised about how much a styrofoam ball cost. I think it was 4.50. But the coffee filters were super cheap.
I love your blog! I am going to make this soon.
How neat!! And you call it a foof. :D I love it. I thought only my sister and best friend used the word foof (foofy). :D What neat projects. I have thoroughly enjoyed all your projects and blog posts. Thank you for sharing!
i made the coffe filter balls a couple weeks ago…i love them!! i have them hanging in my window in my dining room! what a fun and easy project!
Wow…was jut thinking of how I could make one but maybe using different colors or something as an accent….I think I’m going to dip the ends that will be exposed in silver glitter paint to accentuate the interesting curves throughout. Thanks for the tutuorial!
I’m in love with this tutuorial. I’m headed to Hobby Lobby this morning for some styrofoam and some hot glue! Thanks!
Thank you, thank, thank you for posting a link to your inspiration! It’s great to see credit given when credit is due :)
I used to admire the IKEA PS lampshade that looked almost like this Foof. But Foof is better it is fuller it can come in sizes and various colours i guess. .. It just gave me an idea for my daughter’s bedroom. Just to hang few of them of various sizes and lenghts above the bed. Brilliant, thank you!!!!
it’s like a GIANT version of your flower pin!
I also wanted to thank you Emily. Thanks to you and your toots, I started something new with a chef friend of mine, called Dine & Design. I just posted about it here.
http://thepaintedhome.blogspot.com/2010/11/o-p-e-n-i-n-g-n-i-g-h-t.html
I’d love for you too see what you inspired! Have a great week, -Denise
I love this because it is simple to make
and simply beautiful, whether wreath,
ball or tree! Thank you for sharing each
step.
Gorgeous! I posted a tutorial myself on how to make a coffee filter wreath only last week! What made my day was receiving a Provincial Licing catalogue who had wreaths advertised for A$80! What a bargain making your own. Its so wonderful to see people passing on little tircks like these to others to share. The light fitting is so pretty and girly … can’t wait to tackle this little project next! Happy foofing everyone!
P.S. Emily your blog, style and talent is gorgeous – keep it coming! Its a feast for the eyes reading your blog updates and tutorials.
I’am beyond in love with this fabulousness!!!!!!!!!
How fun! I knew I needed those coffee filters I picked up the other day at target! And they were on sale to boot! Can’t wait to have one of my own foofs! Ha! And I have always loved that garland! I need one if those too! Thanks for sharing!
soooooo pretty! hope to make something with coffee filters- love the look!!!
And thank you, oh wise one, for the tip on the Starbucks Cheg…. heaven in a cup!!! :D
I made my sister and myself a coffee filter wreath and have received so many compliments! I love what you did with the ball. It’s gorgeous! Thanks for sharing!
Looks like a snowball -lovely
Very pretty! I was looking for something special to use as decoration at my daughters baby shower, and now I’ve found it! Thanks :)
Foofy fun! Love this idea!
I think you should sell these for those of us that can’t/don’t know how/are not crafty.
love all of these & really want to try my hand at it one day. thank you! xo
Wow…another craft project I need to add to my list! I had a great idea seeing the ball that was glued onto a paper lantern, you could get a paper lantern that you can plug in and do the coffee filters on that, not sure about how hot it may get, but I bet with the coffee filters added it would be even prettier.
so beautiful! i saw this on nester’s blog too and the brown filter wreath is on my list of things to make this week!! i just love when something unexpected {& so cheap!!} can be turned into something so beautiful {& expensive looking!!}!! :)
Awww, thanks for the shout out. All of these are great ideas! I’m kinda digging the garland though. I might have to see where I can fit that in. ( = So sweet.
I’ll be copying Pam Garrison’s too! I love that garland.
-Trish
wonderful idea!!!
Those are so fun!!!!
What a fun and easy idea. I may just have to try this!
That is such a dramatic effect! Love it! I think this would be a fun project to do with my teenaged daughters. I may just try it out! Thanks for sharing.
I LOVE this! It’s so adorable…I’m trying to think which room of my house could use one…maybe my bedroom…could use THREE…
Gorgeous! You totally amaze me. I love your tutorials. I may have to try this one.
I have been wanting to do one of these too , maybe a wreath , love this look , I think what you made would be considered a “POMEANDER”
Chris