New Ideas for Paper Snowflakes
Are you tired of the same flat paper snowflakes year after year? Accordion folded paper snowflakes are 3-dimensional decorations that are easy and fun to make. These fancier snowflakes will liven up any festive adornment whether it be at home, on a Christmas tree, or hung about for party decorations.
What you will need:
-Plain White Printer Paper
-Stapler
-Scissors
-Clear Tape
Directions:
The instructions are simple. Start with a plain piece of paper. Using the short side, fold the paper accordion-style (alternating the direction of the fold, like making a paper fan when you were a kid) with each fold around an inch in width. You will finish with the paper folded into one long strip, the length of the short side of the paper. Staple the center. (Most staplers are a little short to reach the center so you may have to open up the stapler and use against a hard surface or scrunch the paper gently within it.) Fan open the folds. Cut only halfway down the fold line valleys (the down lines), leaving the mountain fold lines in tact (the up lines). Completely fan open the folds and tape together the two sections that meet up. You now have a 3-dimensional snowflake.
There are so many ways to get creative with this project. As you can see from the photo, nothing is off limits. You can make larger or smaller folds in the paper depending on how many snowflake points you want. You can cut designs into the folded paper before opening it. You can create pointed edges by cutting triangular shapes in the valleys. You can use scrapbooking scissors to give more texture to the snowflake. Have fun by using hole punchers in the design. Your creativity dictates the extent of the possibilities.
Feel free to experiment until you achieve the look you like. These snowflakes are quick to make and definitely inexpensive, so there’s no harm in having a few that don’t turn out as expected while you’re getting the hang of it.
More fun ideas:
-Use red paper to make paper poinsettias.
-Use colored paper and round the points to make flowers.
-Make wider folds for fewer points and use as star decorations.
-Decorate the snowflakes with glitter!
These elegant snowflakes make for lovely decorations. Plus they’re not only for Christmas. Snowflakes are appropriate decorations throughout all of the winter months. (I grew up in Virginia where it didn’t snow until January, so I have never associated snowflakes with December anyway.) Use these paper snowflakes to decorate for a party, a dance, or even as holiday decorations throughout the house and on the Christmas tree. I made a bunch and used them as padding in the Christmas presents I sent. Sure, they may get a little scrunched in the mail, but they will be more pleasing to the eye when the box is opened than regular crumpled paper.
However you use these 3-dimensional paper snowflakes, they will definitely beautify their surroundings. This is a craft project that spans the age gap, so feel free to get your kids and friends involved too. Have fun, and before you know it you’ll have a winter wonderland of paper snowflakes.
