Paper Crafts Paper Craft Projects

25 Creative Ways to Craft With Newspaper

newspaper bags

Craft and Creativity

Newspaper crafts are popular for both kids and adults. A newspaper is cheap, readily available, and an accessible medium to use. Also, newspaper crafts are environmentally friendly. Many people like to recycle paper rather than throw it away into a landfill. Newspaper crafting is perfect for those that love to make things and are passionate about eco-friendly practices.

Most people associate paper mache with newspaper crafting, but you can make much more from recycled papers. It's possible to create wall decor, furniture and even clothing from newspapers. We've rounded up our favorite crafts constructed from recycled newspapers that will surely amaze you.

  • 01 of 25

    Recycled Newspaper Flowers

    newspaper flower kids' craft
    Where Imagination Grows

    These recycled newspaper flowers are a great craft for kids. This project is perfect for an ordinary weekend afternoon. All you need is a little newspaper and a few watercolor paints to create these beautifully layered flowers.

  • 02 of 25

    Newspaper Decoupage Letter Wall Decor

    Letter H newspaper decoupage
    Cuded Design and Insipiration

    To make this creative DIY letter, you'll need a premade paper mache or woodblock letter from your local craft store. Transform it into beautiful wall decor with newspaper, black paint, and decoupage medium. Add some decorative elements and a nameplate to the design for a festive initial that perfect for a kid's or teen's room.

  • 03 of 25

    Paper Mache Food Props

    paper mache turkey
    Ultimate Paper Mache

    Faux food from paper mache is so much fun to make, and this replica turkey will have your friends guessing if it's edible. Faux food is also great for use as props in theater productions. Once you've tried making this turkey, you can make an entire faux feast by creating other meats, fruits, and vegetables. 

  • 04 of 25

    Sew a Newspaper Dress

    newspaper dress
    Instructables

    It's possible to make clothing from old newspapers. Just substitute the newspaper for fabric and you will end up with a most unusual outfit. This newspaper dress takes about eight hours to construct and looks very elegant. Make it for Halloween or a special party occasion.

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  • 05 of 25

    Wedding DIY: Homemade Newspaper Toss Bouquet

    newspaper floral bouquet
    Popsugar

    This homemade newspaper toss bouquet is perfect for the bride that wants a creative alternative to cut flowers and to save a bit of money on her wedding. The floral paper toss is made from one or two Sunday papers.

  • 06 of 25

    Shredded Newspaper Lantern

    lantern decorated with newspaper pieces
    The 3 R's Blog

    Add new life to an old or plain lantern with this shredded newspaper lantern tutorial. To create this project, all you need to do is attach small newspaper pieces onto the lantern with decoupage for an instant upgrade.

  • 07 of 25

    Newspaper Home Decor

    newspaper home decor
    LaMaison d' Anna G

    Give your living and dining rooms a newspaper decor upgrade. It costs almost nothing to revamp these areas. Cover some lanterns, and add a newspaper tablecloth for instant avant-garde design in your home decor.

  • 08 of 25

    Recycled Newspaper Pots

    newspaper planter pots
    Cottage Hill

    Expensive peat moss is popular to use in pots for your spring seedlings, but the newspaper works just as well. When you're ready for planting, simply place the entire newspaper pot along with the seedling into the ground. The newspaper will decompose with time and not harm your seedlings whatsoever.

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  • 09 of 25

    How to Make a Bag Using Newspaper

    newspaper purse
    My Crafts

    Make a purse from rolled newspaper strips. This newspaper bag is fun and artsy—perfect for those that like their apparel to be unique and one of a kind.

  • 10 of 25

    Recycled Newspaper Envelopes With Liners

    newspaper envelops
    Kanelstrand

    If you learn how to make these recycled newspaper envelopes, you'll never be without an envelope again. Simply fold the newspaper into an envelope and add a brown kraft paper liner. These special envelopes will bring a smile to your pen pal's face. 

  • 11 of 25

    Turn Old Book Pages Into Bags

    newspaper bags
    Craft and Creativity

    These adorable stamped bags are created from book pages, but there's no reason you couldn't use the newspaper. You can choose to include a black stamp, washi tape, and a clothespin to your bag to add some extra beauty and pizzazz.

  • 12 of 25

    Fox Painting on Newspaper

    fox painting on newspaper
    Art Projects for Kids

    Young children will love this fox painting craft project. A sheet of newspaper is scanned and then printed onto computer paper. A fox outline is drawn with a black marker and is then filled in with paint. The newsprint peaks through the face. We think this project is just adorable, and perfect for use in the classroom.

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  • 13 of 25

    Rolled Newspaper Lamp Shade

    rolled newspaper lamp shade
    Hemgjord

    This rolled newspaper lampshade looks like it was professionally made. It's simply created from rolled newspaper strips cut at various lengths and attached to a lamp fixture with glue. This light would be fabulous painted white with high gloss varnish—you would never know that this lamp is made from newspaper.

  • 14 of 25

    Van Gogh’s Sunflowers Recreation

    newspaper sunflower art
    hello you creatives

    Lee Kyu-Hak is a Korean artist who specializes in recreating famous paintings using woodblocks wrapped with colored newspapers. The example above is a recreation of Van Gogh's Sunflowers. Take some inspiration from Lee Kyu-Hak and make some newspaper art recreations of your own.

  • 15 of 25

    Life Size Building Blocks

    newspaper fort
    Modern Parents Messy Kids

    When your kids complain that they're bored, make some memories with the newspaper. Build an impressive fort for your kids from these life-size building blocks and then they can enjoy hours of fun using their imaginations. What a thrifty, delightful craft project.

  • 16 of 25

    Snow White Mirror

    Kids Chaos

    If you have a space on your wall that needs a mirror, skip the high priced piece from your home goods store and make one from a newspaper instead. To make this Snow White mirror, paint, roll, and glue newspaper coils artistically around an inexpensive circular mirror. It makes a cute and fun addition to your wall decor.

    Fairy Tale Crafts – from Kids Chaos

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  • 17 of 25

    Newspaper Hats

    newspaper hat and spyglass
    All For the Boys

    Go old school with these newspaper hats. Almost everyone remembers making newspaper hats as a kid. This classic papercraft never gets old.

  • 18 of 25

    Shredder Chic Furniture

    recycled newspaper chair
    Whitaker Brothers

    Students Peter Plantan and Nusa Zupanc have proven it's possible to make furniture from a newspaper. They designed this paper chair using finely shredded newspaper and recycled foam board held together with a glue made from flour and water. You can make one for yourself following the directions.

  • 19 of 25

    Recycled Cubox Table

    recycled Cubox table
    Chartana

    This recycled cubox table is another example of functional upcycled furniture. The newspaper also doubles as a design element and the wood pieces come from recycled fruit crates. This DIY project is a recycler's dream. 

  • 20 of 25

    DIY Roman Blinds Out of Newspaper

    newspaper roman shades
    Otletes

    Make a statement with your windows with these DIY Roman Blinds from rolled newspaper strips. They look fabulous plain, but you could also paint them a reddish-brown color to imitate bamboo. Add a high gloss finish over the paint, and people will never suspect your blinds are made from the newspaper. 

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  • 21 of 25

    Newspaper Polar Bear Craft

    newspaper polar bear
    i Heart crafty things

    This newspaper polar bear wall hanging or card is cute and easy to make. Moms and their kids will have fun crafting this adorable newsprint bear together.

  • 22 of 25

    Durable Handmade Paper Beads

    newspaper beads
    Instructables

    We just love this bracelet made from newspaper beads. Add some sparkly glass beads to finish the bracelet and get ready to receive some compliments. Everyone will love your one of a kind handmade jewelry item.

  • 23 of 25

    DIY Paper Mache Nesting Bowls

    paper mache bowls lined with gold
    Well Nesting

    These DIY paper mache nesting bowls are a work of art you'll be proud to display in your home. To make them, you'll start by creating a regular paper mache bowl and then spray painting it gold on the inside and black on the outside. Use a white oil-based marker to draw a floral pattern on the outside of the bowl. So simple and very beautiful.

  • 24 of 25

    Paper Mache Cupcake Sculpture

    paper mache cupcake sculpture
    Manning Krull

    Sometimes you just need to make a paper mache cupcake sculpture. This tutorial will show you how to make a giant-sized paper cupcake using cardboard, newspapers and pool noodles.

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  • 25 of 25

    Newspaper Wall Map

    newspaper wall map
    Barbero Architetti Associates

    This tutorial will show you how to make a map of the world from the newspaper and decoupage it on a wall. The finished project looks quite elegant, and you can add pins to show where you have traveled and where you'd like to go next.