When you Wish Upon A Star

It has been months since my last update. I apologize sincerely. Holidays and living in a separate state than my husband is anything short of distracting. I promise I will try to do much better this year.

So what do I have for you lovelies today?

Wishing Stars!

For the new year, my girls and I decided to make Wishing Stars. Now these are the same as the origami Lucky Stars, but I thought why not make a wish, write it on the inside and make it a Wishing Star? At the end of the year we are planning on opening the stars back up and see if our wishes came true.

 We made ours with left over holiday Christmas wrapping paper, and yes, before you even ask, this stuff get's glitter everywhere. But we're a glitter, sparkle, fantastical kind of family, so no harm. ;D

Now I cut my wrapping paper into strips about 2 inches x 40 inches. This way I had larger stars. The paper itself is rather thin, so you may want to back it with another layer of paper, perhaps kraft paper or something slightly thinner just to give your star some stability. (Trust me, your stars will puff better if you have a slightly stiffer paper.) You could always add about 20 inches to the length as well and it will achieve the same purpose.

So supplies needed:

• scissors
• wrapping paper, or kraft paper, or even star paper (if you want small stars) these can be found all over, but I like to order some of my pretty star papers from here plus they have glow-in-the-dark. (I love Etsy don't you?)
• Ruler. - I used a quilting ruler due to length, and the fact that I had it handy, but this is not a necessity.

Steps: (after paper preparation...cutting strips)

Now I'm not going to try and re-invent the wheel to much here. A fabulously easy tutorial for these stars can be found here. I am enclosing a few photos though of my own, to give a quick tutorial if you don't feel like clicking through to a different site.

1. Write your wish on the back of your paper strip.
   
2. Tie paper in a knot. WHAT? I know, this part can be a little tricky. Don't pull to tight, just get it to where the edges line up, and then smoosh (technical term). Flatten out the paper and you should have a pentagon shape. Try to keep the knot off to one side, and just fold the extra in the back over, you'll wrap it up later.
   
3. Now begin wrapping over...
   
   4. and over...
   
   until you are left with about this much of a tail.
   
   
   

5. Tuck the tail under the V shaped opening like this. Continue to slide the paper into the star until snug.

 6. Last but not least press the sides of the star in towards itself gently. Your star should begin to puff up and you will be left with a puffy star.

Simple right? (Don't worry if you don't get it correct at first, it took me a little bit of practice before I figured it out on the small paper let alone jumbo sized).

Good luck with your stars. <3

Tuesday Tutorial - A Pinspired Project

So I promised a tutorial on how to make your own little Christmas Dragon, or an anytime dragon for that matter. As the title says this is a Pinspired Project, so my inspiration comes from Pintrest and some simple yet cute gator/crocodile clothes pins. I saw them and instantly thought of dragons so this is my take on them and I hope the tutorial is fairly simple to follow. As you can see above, my daughters (8 and 9) made a fleet or army of dragons if you will in about 2 hours.

Step 1: Gather your supplies

~ wooden clothes pins
~ acrylic paint your choice of colors we used plain and metallic (The metallic turns out very dragon-esque without adding scales)
~Googly eyes (I used the smallest I could find)
~Craft foam
~Newspaper
~Thin point permanent pen
~Glue
~*extra materials for your decorating pleasure*
        ribbons, beads, ultra fine glitter, fabric paint, stamps, 
        feathers, etc.






Step 2: Prepare work area

~ lay down newspaper to protect surfaces

Step 3: Paint clothes pins with acrylic paint

~This will take a couple of coats 2-3 depending on how much paint you use on each coat






Step 4: Dragon wings and Tails

~ Cut out and trace the dragon wing

template, or design your own wings

Step 5: Affix Dragon wings and googly

eyes with your choice of fixative

Step 6: Decorate your dragons wings with

wing marks ( I used glue and ultra fine

glitter), or feathers. Draw scales, or add

beads. Allow your dragon to speak to

you on how he/she should be bedazzled.

Step 7: Allow to dry then enjoy. Use your dragon as an ornament, or added to a package in place of a bow and as a double duty gift, or add a ribbon and have him/her be the Guardian of the Cards.

                                                                         

                                                                                          

Grinchmas, bringing the wonder back to Christmas time

I'll be the first to admit that I have become anything but "enchanted" by the season this year. The public pushing of plastic toys by and before Halloween has even passed seems to kill the magic that Christmastime should bring.

 

However as I drove to a Christmas party "with much dismay" to my Grinch-like heart my daughter began to sing in a small voice in the back seat. The tiny voice like a heater slowly began to thaw the ice of my heart. Then we were there, and since I am a shy person at best I tucked my way off in a corner and watched. The children giggled, and wrestled on the floor and piano music was being played in the background. It was there that I realized with my over analyzing adult brain, that the wonderment of Christmas was there in those tiny little souls, and that once you become an adult... well sometimes magic has to be made it doesn't just happen.

Magic is very similar in nature to writing, drawing, and crafting/art of any magnitude when you feel the blah's sneak in you have to counter-act them. With the above mentioned block if you will can be countered by almost anything:

• Taking a nap
• Taking a walk
• Visiting a gallery
• Talking with other people (some of us like to hobbit away in our holes, but we really do need human interaction)

Christmas time is no different, so when you feel a case of the Bah-Humbugs creeping up make the magic happen:

• Take a drive and look at Christmas lights
• Sing a silly Christmas song
• Make salt dough or felt ornaments
• **Remember what it was like to be a CHILD at Christmas**

That last one is important! once you remember what Christmas was like as a child, embrace it because that's where the magic is. Always listen to your inner child. If your walking by a snowbank, and your inner child says "Hey, lets make a snow angel!" listen, just do it. Make that snow angel and not care what anyone thinks.

When we were children we didn't care what anyone though of how we sung, or what we drew. Our sole purpose in life was to be happy, and make others that way as well. So my daughter sang in her off key voice, and like a couple of kids ourselves, my husband, daughters, and I chimed in with her and were happy.

No matter what happens where this Christmas season finds you, I ask you to please find the wonderment and magic and become happy.

Spend time with the ones you love and find Peace within your Heart. The magic lives within...



 

 Rekindle it's flame and burn brightly.

 

 

image courtesy of: http://www.theletter4.com/2011/12/christmas-printables.html