Paper Snowflake Tut

I frequently get bitten by a creative bug... this time it is cutting paper snowflakes. Remember doing this as a child? I do and I loved it! I saw one pin on Pinterest that became my muse. I did some Google searches and found more sites that taught *how-to* and gave design ideas. (Go HERE if you want to see them)

How could you NOT love a fun and inexpensive craft like this?  This is my second paisley designed snowflake (read on to find out what happened to the first one)



So here we go... you'll need a few simple tools: You must have scissors, pencil and paper! Optional- an exacto-knife, paper cutter, eraser, a little trash can and cutting mat.



Start by folding a corner of an 8.5" x 11" piece of white paper diagonally to the edge so you have a triangle with an extra strip down one end. I just use cheap copy paper.

EDIT- This link is included in the previous group above, but I just tried Tom's way of folding the paper and like it better than the one shown here. Take a look HERE.



Cut off that extra strip.  Scissors work just fine, but I have my handy-dandy paper cutter that I like to use.  (You can cut a bunch of paper in 8.5" squares if you want to speed up the process)



Now fold that big triangle in half again.



Now here is the important step... we want to make 6-pointed snowflakes, just like nature. To do this you have to make the next fold at a 30 degree angle (one third of 90 degrees). I figured out with my quilting ruler that on this size square that 30 degrees is just a titch over 3" from the double folded side.  Make a little pencil mark at 3".



My paper cutter has two blade, a cutting blade and a scoring blade, so I used the scoring blade to score the line. You don't have to do this (or you can do it with a ruler and a stylus). I find that it is easier for me to make straight folds this way... but I do tend to be a bit picky. You can just wing it and fold it without scoring.



Fold along the scored line from the point to the mark.



Open the side you just folded in and fold the other side into the fold line. (I scored this one too)



Trim off the extra points.



Now you are ready to draw on your design... or just start cutting. Be sure to leave some of the folded edges intact. Remember you have to have a continuous line to keep all of your snowflake together. (I learned the hard way!) Now comes the fun! Start cutting. What kind of scissors you use is totally personal preference.



Now this is the tricky part- carefully cut out your design. This is quite easy and straight forward if you don't have any inside cuts. I use a hole punch or an exacto-knife to get a start on these inside cuts. I find that sometimes it is easier to open the layers and only cut a couple at a time.  Do whatever works for you.



Oh, but be so careful if you use a knife! Don't be like me and bleed on your snowflake.



When you've finished your cutting (you'll notice I make changes as I cut) you can gently erase your pencil marks. But be so careful. If you make light marks they hardly show up on the finished snowflake.



And again with the carefully... unfold your finished snowflake carefully, frequently the cutting sticks the edges together. Ta-da!



I can't like all of the folds so I iron my snowflakes. Use a dry, hot iron. Don't slide the iron, pick it up and move it to a new area. Sliding will rip your creation.



Now go tape your beautiful snowflake on the window! But if you want to take the screen off of the window DO IT BEFORE YOU TAPE ON YOUR SNOWFLAKES! (You don't want to open the window if you have snowflakes on the dead pane).

This is what is left of my first paisley snowflake and its star-studded friend. Don't be like me... sniff...

Snow Day!

It started snowing yesterday morning and didn't stop for the next 24 hours!  Those of you who know me will remember that-

I LOVE THE SNOW!

Yes, if there is still snow on the ground in March it might start to wear a little thin but particularly with the first big storm of the season-

I'M JUST LIKE A LITTLE KID!

I do have one request of Mother Nature though... do  you suppose I could have longer than 24 hours between when I'm mowing the lawn and raking leaves and shoveling snow?

Now I have the ability to read the weather report or listen to *Fritz* and be prepared for this kind of severe mood swing that Utah weather is famous for, but my Japanese Maple didn't get that memo! I went out twice yesterday and knocked the heavy, wet snow off of her still foliated branches. But this is what she was wearing this morning. I shook, pushed and gently removed as much snow as possible and she looks none the worse for wear. (I got to shovel lots of red leaves with the snow)



Unfortunately, not all of my neighbors were as lucky as me... there was the buzz of chain saws cutting up downed limbs as I shoveled the walk.

Now, I'm going to brag about where I live (again)! My neighborhood was teaming with neighbors out helping neighbors clear the 11" of new snow.



We are so blessed to live here with so many kind and caring people. While Craig Pickering was plowing the snow from my driveway Denise spied him out *from up on top* and called my house to tell him she could see Heidi stuck in her driveway! Her message was, "Go right now and help Heidi!"

And not only are they caring... they are very creative...



I caught this out of the corner of my eye and though, how nice, they have a blade for their 4-wheeler... then I noticed it was Samuel... with a shovel.

Yes, it was a happy snow day in my neighborhood!

Paper Snowflakes

Recently I pinned some paper snowflakes on Pinterest so I had to try them!!!



I made this snowman last night... but I didn't know how to fold the paper to make the *authentic* 6-pointed snowflake, so Frosty is the *old-school* 8-pointed version. (And, yes, I iron them carefully with a hot dry iron to get the folds out!)



But this morning, after being outside (more on that later), I came in and it was obvious that I needed to Google *how to make 6-pointed paper snowflakes* and I found the folding directions right off the bat (I also found Tom Llewellyn's site... he is a champion snowflake-maker!)

This was my first try at the 6-pointed version...



BTW- I found that after I fold the 8 1/2 square in half diagonally twice (see more detailed instruction here) and needed to fold that triangle in thirds if I measure in 3" from folded edge[s] (along the long side of the triangle) it gives me that perfect 30* angle.

These snowflakes also found their life in my office...







By the time I finished several I thought I could branch out on my own with a paisley and ended up with this... in two pieces!!





But I'm still working on the design for my paisley snowflake and will post it when I get it perfected.

My thumbs started to protest so I'd just put things aside when Kevin, Camille, Brennan, Kaia and Elise arrived for a visit. Well, Grammie had something more interesting than the dungeon this time!!!



I brought the tools and supplies down to the kitchen counter and these sweeties went to work making their own snowflakes. I showed them how to fold the paper. When I showed them some of the design ideas they went to town. Kaia went out completely on her own for both of her snowflakes... what a creative girl. Brennan worked completely on his own; cutting and everything! Elise chose the design she wanted and then depended on Grammie and Mama to help her draw and cut.

How stinkin' cute is this?



(and yes, I mean the kids and their snowflakes!)