Paper Mobile

Home, Paper, Scissors by Patricia Zapata is a great source of low-cost, high-style, eco-friendly home decorating projects. From paper bowls and recipe binders to ways to jazz up string lights and candle covers, Zapata's book is at the very least a great source of creative inspiration for the DIY decorator.

One of my personal favorite projects was the paper mobile. I had a lonely corner in my dining room, a creative urge, and a copy of Zapata's book - the perfect recipe for a decorating project! My paper mobile just adds a little interest and beauty to an otherwise obscure corner in my home, and the process is quite simple.

All that you need to make this mobile are:

• An embroidery hoop or similar circular object
• Paper
• Glass beads (as small as you can find them)
• Fishing line
• Sewing needle
• Scissors
• Circular object for tracing (approximately 2" in diameter)
• Glue or tape (optional)

1. First, you'll need to cut out the circles for the mobile. It's best to figure out how many strands and how many circles per strand you would like so you make the correct amount. Between 45 and 60 is usually a good amount.
2. Use the base of a round cup or other circular object to trace and cut out the circles. Something with a 2" diameter is best.
3. Once all the circle have been cut, fold each one in half, and then in half again. Unfold the quarters and poke a hole in the very center of the circle (the center will be easy to identify once you have folded the circle into quarters).
4. To create the strands, string the fishing line through the circles individually and, after stringing each paper circle, tie a glass bead onto the line to prevent the circle from sliding to the bottom of the strand. The distance between paper circles is entirely up to you but keep in mind how many strands you have, how many circles will be on each strand, the height from which the mobile will be hung, etc.
5. Once the strands have been strung, tie them to the embroidery hook. It may be easiest to lay them all out around the hoop in a sun formation to ensure even placement. Once tied to the embroidery hook, the strands can be better secured with a dot of craft glue or a small strip of tape.
6. Now that the mobile itself is complete, you'll need to find a way to suspend it. Three to four pieces of fishing line of equal length can be evenly spaced and tied to the hoop, then tied in one knot at the top for easy hanging.

And you can make some great variations by changing up the color of the paper. Using different brightly colored or patterned paper circles would be great for a kid's bedroom, while using lights and whites could make for a more calming and subtle mobile in a bathroom or master bedroom.