July 4th Paper Photo Backdrop
Updated on June 23, 2021
The 4th of July is right around the corner! To get ready for some July 4th fun, I want to show you how to create an easy banner and backdrop for your Independence Day party. I love these accordion paper circles and the overall vintage, “carnival” look of my banner.
I enjoy pulling smaller craft elements together to create a photo backdrop. It’s fun trying to find what elements fit together to tell the greater story. The paper circles, made from old books, fans and twine come together to create a vintage style backdrop. All I need is a few hot dogs and ice cream to finish it off!
To create the paper garland, you will need:
- An old book
- Twine
- Craft glue
- Scrapbook paper
- Craft knife
- Scissors
- Circle cutter
To make one paper fan, start by cutting out two pages from your old book. I used an old poetry book for this part, and the pages were about 5″ x 7.”
Accordion fold both pages. Make sure each page has the same number of folds.
Tie both of the paper folds together with twine. Once knotted, cut off the excess twine.
Fold both pages outward to create the circle and spread out each corner of the pinwheel.
Spread out the four corners of the pages and secure the ends together with craft glue to create a circle.
Once the glue is dry, the accordion paper circle is complete. Create multiples of these to make the garland. You can create a garland with just the book pages, but I decided to add some red and blue circles to display our 4th of July greeting. For this you’ll need the scrapbook paper and a circle cutter.
Cut two circles, one at 2 1/4″ and 2 1/2.” Layer the two pieces together, with the larger circle on the bottom and the smaller on top.
For some added dimension, use foam tape in between the layers.
Add your lettering on the top layer. I printed and cut out white lettering reading, “Happy 4th.” Attach this element to the center of your paper circle with hot glue and hang it with twine. I didn’t want any holes in our paper garland, so I hot glued the twine on the backside of the paper garland.
I also decided to hang red, blue and cream vertical fans along the sides of the banner for some extra fun.
This backdrop is super fun and a great addition to any 4th of July party! I hope everyone has a great holiday spent with family and friends!
Happy DIY!