Okay, confession time: I am officially addicted to making paper bowls. It started as one of those “Pinterest curiosity” moments—you know, where you’re just browsing with zero intention of actually crafting—and somehow it spiraled into a full-blown obsession. One minute I was watching a YouTube tutorial on coiling paper, and the next thing I knew, I was elbows-deep in colorful magazine pages, glue on my fingers, and totally in the crafting zone.
If you’ve got a stack of old magazines, newspapers, or even junk mail hanging around, don’t toss them! What you’ve actually got is a goldmine of crafting material just waiting to be transformed into something beautiful. Seriously, these paper bowls are way easier to make than they look. All you need is some patience, a bit of glue, and a cozy spot to roll, roll, roll.
I’ve made bowls that now hold my keys, snacks, random buttons, hair ties—you name it. I even gave a few away as handmade gifts (and people freaked out when they found out they were made from magazines). They’re colorful, lightweight, surprisingly sturdy, and the perfect blend of art-meets-upcycling.
I think what I love most is how meditative the whole process is. There’s just something calming about coiling the paper, watching it form into a perfect little dish. Plus, it’s one of those crafts where imperfection makes it better. Each bowl has its own personality and story—kind of like us, right?
Recycled Magazine Bowl – DIY Inspired
Tutorial: Coiled Magazine Paper Bowls – Frugal Upstate
Recycled Magazine Page Nesting Bowls! – creative jewish mom
Tutorial Tuesday: Recycled Magazine Bowl – Indie Fixx
Make Bowls from Magazine Pages – Creative Cynchronicity
DIY Newspaper Rolls & Coils – Craft Basics
Now every time a catalog lands in my mailbox, I see bowl potential. It’s honestly kind of wild how satisfying it is to create something this useful and beautiful out of something that would’ve just ended up in the recycling bin. I’ve even gotten my kids into it—they love making their own little treasure bowls for their trinkets and LEGO mini-figures.
So whether you’re looking for a rainy-day project, an eco-friendly DIY, or just something new to do while binge-watching your latest Netflix obsession, give paper bowl crafting a try. You might just surprise yourself.
And hey—if you do end up making one (or twelve, no judgment), I’d love to see them! Snap a pic, tag me on social, or leave a comment and tell me how it went. Let’s keep this crafty recycling train rolling!
