This will be our first Christmas in our new house, We've spent the last year working away on it and it'll be lovely to settle into winter with the wood burner on. I'm desperate for our tree to be delivered so I am amusing myself making decorations for the house. I really love the nordic style - the influences are all over our home and I really wanted to make a feature of our new mantle piece and dress it up with garlands and lights.
These Nordic stars not only make a fantastic addition to a christmas tree but with a little alteration can make a fab star garland to sit across a mantlepiece.
I started by cutting some 4x4" squares - these can be any size as long as it is square but 4x4" will make a decent sized star and as you need 8 squares per star, it means that you can get at least 1 star out of a 12x12 piece of paper (and have enough to make an extra star if you make 8). I chose kraft paper but you can easily make it from any patterned paper - why not use scraps for a patchwork effect.
I started by folding the square in half corner to corner:
I then folded in the two bottom edges to meet the middle
I then folded in the two top edges to meet the middle - this should leave you with a diamond shape with the top half slightly smaller than the bottom
Fold the bottom half of the star across to fall in line with the edges of the top half
Unfold and then fold the other side the other way
Flip your paper over so that the slightly smaller half is still at the top - the back of the project face up. you will see the creases you have just made, fold along this crease so the it looks like below.
Now the tricky bit - fold the top point in half vertically - this will cause the pointy bit on the left to ruck a little
Holding the top point in place smooth out the left hand point so it too has folded in half so it looks like below.
You will have to then fold another 7 of these to complete 1 star, it seems like a lot but once you have all your squares cut you will find that you will get into a rhythm - a cup of tea and the latest episode of Grey's anatomy helps too :0)
As you will see in the picture above the left hand pint is slightly smaller than the right hand one. next you will tuck this smaller one inside the larger point of the next one. It should fit snuggly inside and once you work your way round you should come full circle and they should all connect. I used red tape and it seems to be holding together well - even above my fire.
These can be popped on the tree or as I have done, can be connected to a string of lights. As they were going above the fireplace, I picked up a small battery powered string of lights from ikea, though I have seen plenty in the pound shops that would do just as well.
I punched a scalloped circle of green paper - I love Claus and co 'Green stripe/stars' and then punched a circle of musical paper for the top - check out The story of us 'Music/gold foil. I punched a hole in the middle to allow the light through and attached using glue dots. I also put some spots of glossy accents on before sticking to give a bit of extra hold. I then popped the light through from the back.
I then punched a scalloped circle from the kraft paper and glue dotted/glossy accented ti to the back to keep the light from falling out.
To fill out between the stars I made some more of the scalloped green and music paper accents - I punched the middle out and put them on the lights in between.
You can make as many stars as you like depending on the length of the lights or where you need them to be. I made 5 and the accents in between makes sure i have enough to cover the length of my mantle and still have enough lights to wind round my christmas garland that will sit above it.
I love the versatility of the design and the fact that the difference in paper can give a completely different look - I can't wait to see your ideas - please share on our page if you have a go :0)
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