create (with kids): party favors

Since I posted our rotating exhibit of birthday mobiles earlier this week, I thought I'd (finally) share the butterfly favors from Isia's birthday party. Our art drawer was brimming with toilet paper rolls just waiting for this project!

As you can see, I didn't really disguise the fact that they had indeed been toilet paper rolls in a former life. I had considered wrapping them in pretty paper or painting them, but ran out of time. We just stamped little pieces of paper with butterflies instead, and used masking tape to hold them on. You'll want to consider further decoration if you don't want your guests to figure it out. One friend said when she realized, "Wow, you really do use everything don't you?" Yep, guilty.

Take your "cardboard tube" and decorate it as you like on the outside. Fold one side, then put your goodies in before folding the other side. You fold it by...

 ...indenting one side....

 ...and then the other. How Easy is that? 

They're easy enough for little hands to open and enjoy too. Some of our littlest guests were more interested at first in opening and shutting them than looking inside! At least, until they realized there was food inside. For larger favors, or for gifting artwork, you can also prepare a paper towel tube the same way. You could probably even get away with not decorating it as much (wink).