I think one of the biggest wastes of money during any special event is the decorations. You spend all this money on fancy things that serve no purpose after…they just get thrown away. With that being said, decorations are a must to create the ambiance that you desire for any event. This is where a little creativity, a little time, and a little know-how really come in handy. Poms. Poms are a very common decoration used for many events. |
I refuse to buy poms because I know how easy and cheap they are to make. Not to mention, you still have to put them together anyway when you buy pre made ones...they do not come already 'fluffed'. So here is a tutorial on how to make your own poms and some ideas for what to do with them.
Half Pom
Half poms have so many possible uses, I cannot list them all. But for starters, they can be added to ribbon for a beautiful sash, used in center pieces, favor box toppers and bridal car decorations. Poms can be made out of paper, plastic or cloth…in my examples I have used white toilet paper (awesome for this project if the poms are for indoors), tissue paper, and the advertisements from a sunday newspaper. In the past, I have used super cheap plastic table cloth with no backing to make poms for the bridal car (so they would be water resistant).
Any result, when you are finished, pull the ends of each stack together to make a 'cross' or 'x'. An you are now right where you would be if you bought them pre-made.
Now pick a section. Gently peal the top layer to the center. If you pull to hard, it may tear. A trick to make this easier…spread the fan while pealing. Continue this onto the next stack. For a beautiful, well blended pom, peal one layer at a time. The ends of the stack will cover each other better. |
When you are done, your pom will have a flat back, which is perfect for adhering. For a ribbon sash, you can run the ribbon through the rubber band even before you fluff. Or you can use double stick tape, hot glue, or staple the bottom layer (not recommended if the back of the ribbon will be on something that may catch or scratch like tulle or a car). |
You can turn your pom into a carnation by putting a 'stem' between the stacks. This trick is particularly useful for a great functional centerpiece idea I have. |
Full Pom
These poms are great for flower girls to carry as well as for decorations. You can hang them or place them on a vase and let the ribbon dangle and collect inside.
I tied a ribbon loop around the middle instead of rubber band. And when pealing or fluffing, after I pealed about 4 layers, I flipped the pom over and started again on the bottom. I did a quick price check, just one 15" ball, to buy pre-made is $9-15 plus shipping…and you do most of the work anyway. You can make up to a 20" ball for $3 or less!
See my post Functional Centerpiece/Favor for a fantastic idea on how to make a beautiful centerpiece and favors for many events including personal or business parties, showers, or even weddings.