3D Paper Bag Snowflakes and Stars

If you’re looking for a quick project that makes a big impact, you’ll love these large 3D snowflakes and stars. You can use them to transform your home into a winter wonderland in no time at all!

Image is a collage of two project photos along with the title of the project, intended for Pinterest.

Table of Contents + show

How to Make 3D Paper Bag Snowflakes and Stars

This project is not only easy to create, it’s also very inexpensive. The main supply is plain paper lunch bags, and you probably already have everything else you need in your home. Just grab the supplies below, and let’s get started!

Materials

paper bags: brown or white (8 per star/snowflake)
adhesive or glue (I used Tombow MONO Air Touch Permanent Adhesive)
scissors
hole punch
twine/string

Image contains a pile of brown paper lunch sacks, with an adhesive runner sitting on top. Faux pine branches sit on a white table in the background.

Instructions

Glue 8 bags together directly on top of each other to form a stack.

All of the bags should be facing the same direction, with the folded flap facing up.

Image contains a stack of 8 brown paper lunch bags glued together. An adhesive runner sits nearby, in front of some faux pine on a white tabletop.

Cut the top corners off to form a point.

Cut half circles, and/or triangles along the sides of the stack.

Make sure these shapes are all above the flaps.

Image contains a stack of brown lunch bags cut to a point at the top, with “v” shapes cut out from the sides. A silver pair of shears sits to the side, and there is faux pine on a white tabletop.

Gently pull the top layer upward and the bottom layer downward, opening the bags until the two ends meet.

Image contains a 3D paper star made from brown paper lunch bags. It hangs from a fireplace mantel in front of a grey wall.

Glue the final two sides together. Punch a hole in the top and add a piece of twine or string.

Image contains a whitewashed fireplace with a dark brown mantel. Four stockings hang in front of the fireplace, and there is a large 3D paper star on either side of it. The mantel is decorated with metallic trees and a nativity set.

Crafting Tips

Try using white bags for a snowflake effect!
Experiment with different shapes and see what kind of unique designs you can create.
I find that adhesive tape works better than liquid glue or hot glue, and makes less mess!

Image contains seven women standing together in Amy’s craft room, smiling while holding their paper bag snowflake and star projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size is the finished project?

That depends on what size bags you use. The diameter of the star/snowflake will be twice the height of your paper bags.

How do I store these during the non-winter months?

If you’d like easier storage, rather than gluing the final sides together, just temporarily secure them with a small paperclip or two. Then, you can easily fold the project back up into a stack of bags and store it for next year.

More Winter Projects

If you enjoyed this project, take a look at these other ideas that are perfect for the winter season.