{create} coffee filter projects

Last week, Ez from Creature Comforts posted a coffee filter tutorial that was just so adorable I couldn't NOT make it. Immediately. Besides, it was perfect for the baby gift I was wrapping for a shower last weekend. And it turned out so cute that I couldn't not share it with you guys.

I started with the simplest of supplies. Coffee filters. Metal brads.

And after a few minutes folding and hole punching I had created this beautiful, full, ruffly flower. It's a perfect present topper! Ez also suggests that they can be stuck to a wall (cute!), or secure two to create a three-d flower to hang from the ceiling. Seriously great party decor friends!

Here's something you might not know about me. I come from a long line of professional gift wrappers. :) Okay, not really, but my mom is an amazing gift wrapper. She really does have it down to a fine art. Growing up around that level of perfection was bound to wear off on me a little. I love collecting paper and coming up with beautiful and interesting ways to wrap gifts. The combo, above, was my first choice for wrapping last weekend. Sadly, it didn't work out. Not enough paper to cover the box.

Orange was choice two. As you can probably imagine, my gift was the brightest of the bunch at the baby shower. Pastels don't really live in this house :).

And the finished product. I love that the flower was pretty much as big as the box. It made a huge wonderful statement. A small piece of paper in the center covered the brad (I'd go even smaller next time). 

You can get the full coffee filter flower tutorial here.

Now I have a huge amount of coffee filters! In a house with no coffee drinkers :). Of course there is always this amazing project. Or this one.

What about you guys? Have you run across any fun creative uses for coffee filters lately? What other everyday items are you crafting with?

Thanks for stopping by today and Happy Friday friends!

edited 2/8/11: I'm linking this project up over at Krafty Kat's Gettin' Krafty With it Link Party!