Projects: Decorative Paper Clips

Here is a little more detail on the paper clips I used in my card display project:

1.       Craft wire circle- start with a length of craft wire approximately 10 inches long.  Bend it in half and thread it through the top of the paper clip.  Twist the craft wire 2-3 times with itself (like a twist tie), then hold the base and wind repeatedly in a circle.  Secure the ends to the top of the paper clip where you originally attached the wire.

2.       Craft wire flower- start with a length of craft wire approximately 20 inches long.  Bend it in half and thread it through the top of the paper clip.  Twist the wire 2-3 times with itself (like a twist tie), then hold the base and wind in one complete circle for the center of the flower.  Thread the two ends of the wire through the circle, then out and around to form a flower petal.  Thread the two wires through the circle again, then directly back out and around for the second petal.  Repeat for each petal, securing through the center between each one.  After completing the petals, wind the remaining wire around in sequentially smaller circles to fill in the center of the flower.

3.       Buttons- for shank buttons, just thread the paper clip directly onto the button shank.  Secure with thread or embroidery floss if desired.  For threaded buttons, just sew onto the paper clip at the top.

4.       Ribbon flowers- start with a length of ribbon 5-10 inches long.  With a needle and thread, stitch with long stitches along one edge of the ribbon.  Pull the thread tight to gather the ribbon, then twist around in sequentially smaller circles and secure with a few stitches on the back of the flower.  Add a few extra stitches to secure the flower to the paper clip.

5.       Ribbon bows- tie a small bow with ribbon.  Secure the bow to the paper clip with a few additional stitches or thread the paper clip directly through the back of the bow.

6.       Ribbon ties- start with 2-4 short lengths of ribbon (thin ribbon works best), and tie each in a knot around the top of the paper clip.

Use your imagination!  Felt, fabric, glitter, yarn, craft foam are all great options for creating interesting clips!