Making Paper Stars

Do you want to make some paper stars?

Supplies

Paper bags... the more you use, the harder it gets to cut. These were made with eight bags.

Glue... I used a glue stick. But white glue, or hot glue would work, too.

Scissors... sharp ones help.

Paper clips or... these are to hold the two ends together when you open the star for display. You could glue the ends, but then it will be hard to store. I couldn't find any paper clips. (Baffling. They are here. We can't not have paper clips.) I used bobby pins.

Some string, or thread... anything to tie to the star for hanging.

Start by counting out your bags... 7, or 8, or 9, or 10. It's your choice. Lots of bags make a fuller star, but I didn't want to be struggling cutting through all those layers. I think 8 was a good number. Face them flat/smooth side up, and make a generous width of glue from the opening end, down the center of the bag, to the bottom, then add an equally wide strip of glue across the bottom. The T should reach the edges of the paper, so the points stick, and the center holds together, too. Now, you are ready to lay the next bag on top of the first one. Line up the second bag, with the folded bag bottom going down.

When you have the two bag pressed together, get out the glue, and make the next T. Press the next bag, and repeat until all of your bags are layered and glued together. I did mine last night, and let them sit for an hour, to dry. I cut two stars, and saved one stack of glued bags for Maria to cut this morning.

This part is like snowflake cutting. And the first cuts are from the edge and up to the center of the bag, to make a point.

Maria is making the second cut to finish the point of the star. Our bags came with a lot of printing, which mostly gets hidden when the whole star is pinned, clipped, or glued together.

Now for the cuts on the sides of the bag, also like cutting snowflakes. The bigger the cuts, or the more of them you make, the more light will come through. We didn't cut near the bottom, where all the layers are thicker with the bag bottoms folded up and glued together.

Time to open the star! And when you pull up both ends and bring them together, use either glue, maybe staples, or if you have paper clips those will make your star easy to store for another day... attach the two ends together, and ta-da! You have a paper star!

We are making more to hang over the mantle. They would be pretty in a window, where light can shine through.

Making An Unboxing Video :: Electroforming Kit

We came home from San Diego Maker Faire with an awesome gift from our friends at Enchanted Leaves, and we made an unboxing video (our very first!) to share our electroforming kit!


And hey! Through Cyber-Monday, you can enjoy the sweet sale going on at Enchanted Leaves, where they sell beautiful jewelry, including electroformed designs by Nedda!

Making More Floral Crowns~

I've been making more floral crowns, and we have a tutorial for this activity, if you would like to make one, too. In the tutorial, we were using fabric flowers, but all the same principles and supplies apply. If you can't get to a floral wholesaler, look around your own garden, and I've had wonderful luck finding seasonal blossoms in plentiful bouquets at Trader Joe's.

Maria and I presented Amira with a Happy Thirteenth Birthday Crown of chrysanthemums and whimsical craspedia.

As described in the tutorial, the supplies you'll need are simple and few... 1/4" wide green, waterproof floral tape, 22 gauge green paddle wire, and a cutter. You can add ribbons, too.

I easily made three floral crowns from one floral bouquet from Trader Joe's... these crowns don't have flowers in a complete circle, but are more like a headband. Maria wore hers to the Viking Festival.

Ever since making them for Maria's school promotion, and sharing one with her garden teacher, I have continued making one as hostess gifts for my friends.

This one went to Linda, and with the chamomile it smelled lovely.

Yanina's was inspired by the sneak peek of her table setting she shared on Instagram... colorful, and artistic.

Our grade school graduate, and her misty blue crown. Those dried so beautifully, the crown is hanging in our entryway.

Someday, I would love to bring this hands-on activity to a Maker Faire and share it with everyone... I hope you will enjoy a chance to make your own floral crowns.