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I’ve been searching high and low for things I can use to decorate our barn that are 1. beautiful and 2. inexpensive.
With these two criteria in mind, the ubiquitous tissue paper pom has been at the top of my list for a while. Honestly, the idea seemed too easy. I was bound to screw up the DIY aspect of the project. Could it really be as easy as it looked?
My fears were confirmed when I tested my fan-folding technique on another wedding craft. I am an abject failure at fan folds. My folds are never ever even! My poms would be hideous! I shouldn’t even try!
Nonetheless, the necessity to clean out the backseat of my car – and thus, remove the pile of white tissue paper that had been lurking there since I wrapped an impromptu shower gift several months ago – pushed me to see if I could manage a paper pom.
I counted out eight sheets of white paper and began folding. The folds were uneven, as usual, but I decided to let perfection go and see how it turned out before I gave up.
My project ran into a speed bump when I whipped out my scissors to round the folded ends of the paper.
I slipped and cut my hand! Ouch! I found that cutting half of the folded sheets at a time worked better for me … You’ll get less blood on your pom that way. 
Slowly, I pulled each sheet up and toward the middle …
Success! Even DIY challenged moi can make a tissue pom!
My roommate’s cat Steve wonders whether I really could have made such a beautiful thing all by myself.
Add a little ribbon and we’re good to go!
I made mini poms with a couple leftover sheets by cutting the tissue paper in half lengthwise for a four-sheet pom.
Seriously, people. Do not be afraid of a DIY pom! Poms are very forgiving. You come to them apologizing for your uneven folds and your lack of artistic fluffing skills and they say, “There there, dear. I’ll make everything all better,” with the tone of a favorite aunt or a grandmother. And then they invite you to suspend them above your dining room table and eat tea and cookies beneath them.
Cost — 99 cents per pack of tissue paper, 0 cents for wire and ribbon I had on hand.
P.S. If you’re still afraid of DIYing poms, you can buy the Martha Stewart version here, or buy pre-made poms from Etsy’s Pom Love store here.
Oh wow, these are cute. I totally want to make them even though I have no feasible use for them. 
My fabulous bridesmaids sat and worked with me one night while we made hundreds of 3″ poms in our two wedding colors, and two accent colors. We’re going to use them tossed around the candle centerpieces. They were really easy, and definitely cheap! Just takes a bit of patience and an army of crafters.
I hate you! I made these and they looked so crappy I was embarrassed. They look so pretty fluffed up. Mine look very divided in the center. Any tips on fluffing them better? Ack, I gotta make some more
so cute! i was surprised too how easy these are! we are going to use tissue paper poms in lieu of flowers, in empty champagne bottle vases for the cocktail hour. we thought it would add fun and whimsy…and subtract from our floral budget!
I’ve been thinking about these as well. They are so cute! I found this place that sells wholesale store goods where you can buy tissue paper that it says is high quality. I haven’t ordered yet so I can’t vouch for that but its $26.95 for 480 sheets of tissue paper. Not a bad deal! http://www.robertham.com
I love them too, maybe I will make them and put them in the kitchen How EXACTLY where those made. I too am DIY challenged (though I think you might be fibbing ) and I might need a blow by blow
aw, cute kitty! these look great! a bunch of non-crafty friends & family members made some for a shower and they came out passable. they will look just lovely in your barn!
I’m no pro at poms, but I am about halfway through making 30 for my wedding. For a fuller look, I use 12 sheets per large pom. Also try various cust on the ends (round, pointy…) if you round the ends more they look more petal like.
@Ejs4y8- the trick I’ve found to getting them to be uber-fluffy is to twist the wire around the middle as tight as you can. It gives the pom a sort of “point of origin” to fluff out from. If that makes any sense.
These are really pretty with patterned/striped tissue paper too. I make some with a kind of shiny silver metallic tissue paper, and those came out really cool! They shimmered in the light.. sigh…
@ejs4y8 — Hmm … I pulled slowly, starting from both sides and working toward the center. There’s a great tutorial here:
http://hotdiggityklr.blogspot.com/2009/04/pom-pom-tutorial.html
The key I found for maximum fluffiness is to make sure that you pull the layers as much toward the center and the wire as you can get them. If you’ve got a really divided look, just go back and pull at the layers some more.
I was making “half-poms” but this should work for the round ones too. Don’t worry if it looks weird at first, you can always adjust the fluff once you’re done pulling.
Hehe….I love your DIY posts Ms. Bunny. I think we must be on the same DIY level!
something i learned gift wrapping in the retail world- pinch and flick. instead of pulling slowly pinch in the center of the tissue and pull it fast so the air makes it bunch. It makes lovely fluffy tissue very easily.
this was one of my favorite projects. i did some for my friend’s shower and everyone loved it. and they’re so deceptively easy.
these are sweet! maybe not for my destination shin dig but if I throw a party or shower or something they’d be great! an easy project to do while watching ANTM marathons on TV 
@vistagirl — Great tip! I’ll try that when I make the rest!
So cute!!! My mom had the martha stewart kit for my shower, but we forgot to bring them to the venue! I still have them all fluffed up.
Ok, you’ve just totally given me deja vu. I’ve been seeing tissue poms all over the net for over a year, and only NOW do I remember that my sister and I used to make this out of tissues (not tissue paper) when we were little. Dang. If I could do it when I was six, I should have thought of doing something like it for my wedding…
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Mrs. Bunny, Columbus Age and Occupation: 24, Associate Editor/Reporter Fiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Reporter Engagement Date: September 23, 2008 Wedding Date: July 2009 Venue: Everal Barn, Westerville About Me: Organized, but messy. I love art (all kinds). I don't have any secrets. I talk a lot and listen even more. I show love by baking. I'm timid by nature, but brave when it counts. Mr. Bunny and I work at competing weekly newspapers, which makes it a little interesting trying to describe our work joys and frustrations without giving away too much before the paper comes out. In spite of that little hurdle, we've managed to build a pretty solid relationship in the short one-and-a-half years we will have been together when we tie the knot. I can't wait!
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