Cut + Fold - Kirigami Snowflakes

Here's a little holiday crafting fun for you - the prettiest kirigami snowflakes!

While I prefer to cut kirigami designs from origami paper, I can understand that not everyone has it lying around the house. So, for these snowflakes, I worked with Geri to craft up a series of printable snowflake templates that you can fold & cut right from standard printer paper! (But seriously - origami paper is so much easier to fold + cut - next year I'm stocking up on piles of plain white!)

There are 3 sets of kirigami snowflakes to fold + cut.  Each set includes one large and two small snowflake templates on one standard printout. Here's where to find them:

Set One - Click right here for printable template!

Set Two - template here (this is the easiest of the 3 sets - I'd recommend starting with set 2!)

Set Three - Oh My! Handmade Goodness

Here's the scoop on how to use these free printable kirigami templates:

1. Print out your kirigami template(s).2. Cut the three squares out of the printable. On the right of the page, you will notice folding instructions.

3. Fold the square in half as per the image above. The printed segment will be in the bottom right corner, facing away from you (down). Ensure each fold you make is sharp to make cutting easier.4. Fold the square in half again. The printed segment will now be on the left third of your triangle, facing towards you (up).

5. Fold the right third of the triangle over the middle third as per the left image above. The edge should line up with the edge of the printed segment.6. Flip over.

7. Fold the right side over the middle. Finished folded piece should look like the image on the left.8. Cut off excess paper points.

9. Begin cutting. Cut on the inside of the grey lines to ensure they don't appear on your final snowflake. Try cutting in one motion, turning the paper as you go rather than making sharp cuts. Make sure to hold firmly to the folded paper so that it doesn't shift.

10. For areas marked with a very small cut, don't be afraid to make them bigger. We've tried to make markings towards the bottom point very small to give you space to cut around the lines.

11. Continue cutting until entire pattern is cut. You'll notice that the more negative space you create when cutting kirigami, the more beautiful/intricate the final product is.12. Unfold to reveal your kirigami snowflake. Press flat under a pile of heavy books.Happy crafting! Hope you love making these as much as we loved creating them!

DIY Clementine Wreaths

'Tis the time of year when, betwixt the piles of butter-and-sugar-laden treats, we are often delighted to discover a pile of that sweetheart of the citrus family - the ever-so-easy-to-eat clementine.

This year, why not share the citrus joy with your friends & neighbours? These clever clementine wreaths are a lovely way to wish the ones you love a happy & healthy holiday season!

To create your own, you'll need clementines, cellophane, clear tape, twine, tags, and washi tape.

Add a strip of colourful washi tape to your blank tags. Here the tape is folded over the edge so that both sides of the tag benefit from the washi treatment.

Cut a piece of cellophane. Line up 8 clementines along the length of your cellophane. Leave a little space between each clementine.

Wrap the cellophane into a tube with the clementines inside. Secure with a few small pieces of clear sticky tape.

Tie a piece of twine between each clementine.

Join the two end pieces of cellophane together so that your clementine tube becomes a ring (or a wreath!). Secure with a piece of baker's twine, add your tag (write your message before attaching!) and tie baker's twine into a bow. If ends of cellophane are too long or uneven, carefully trim.

There you go - a  healthy DIY treat all ready for gifting.Images & project courtesy of Alexis Edghill Whalen. Thanks for sharing!

Send Pretty Mail #51/52/53/54/55 - Christmas

I couldn't let the holiday season pass by without some Christmassy pretty mail. These days, I'm rather smitten with the combo of washi tape and glitter tape. They're just so fun together!

Did you see the ornament & candy cards? Too cute not to slip into decorated envelopes, right?

Gift-inspired envelopes feature washi tape boxes and glitter tape bows - make those boxes big enough to hold the mailing address but small enough to leave space for your stamp(s).

Add some washi tape stripes on the envelope flap for even more fun. This idea works all year round!
 


Are your Christmas cards written, stamped & on their merry way already? The nice thing about these envelopes is that they work just as well for a birthday as they do for Christmas! And those striped flaps would look smashing on any letter you send.

Have you sent or received any pretty mail lately?

DIY Washi Tape Candy Cards & Gift Tags

Did you like the ornament cards? Then I think you'll be a fan of these ones too - turn plain card stock into sweet striped and swirly cards with the help of a little washi and glitter tapes.

Add stripes in varying widths (the plastic backing on the glitter tape makes it easy to cut into slim strips and other shapes.)

Or try adding long triangles of tape to create a swirly candy look.

And don't forget those gift tags - simple card stock circles are elevated into something special with a little bit (or a lot) of tape.Happy crafting!

DIY Washi Tape Ornament Card & Gift Tags

Have you sent out your holiday cards yet? I must admit we're a bit behind over here, but I figure if the cards in question are this cute, no one will mind a little tardiness. Right? Plus, who doesn't want another excuse to use their stash of pretty tapes?!

To create an ornament card, start by folding a piece of cardstock in half lengthwise. Grab a small bowl and a pencil. 

Trace around the bowl, leaving space (about 1/2 inch) at the top by the fold. 

Cover the circle with washi tape. No need to overlap. No need for neat ends.

Add a small strip of metallic tape at the top of the circle, right up to the fold. This tab will turn your circle into an ornament. Bear with me, you'll see what I mean soon.

Cut out the ornament. Make sure to cut just inside the line - you don't want to see any pencil lines on your card. Cut a straight line down each side of the metallic tape tab (as seen above) to shape into top of ornament.

Decorate with glitter tape. If you'd prefer, use patterned washi tape and skip this step altogether. You can see how that looks here. I decorated both sides of my ornament cards - but that's really up to you!

Punch a small hole in the centre of the tab. Feed a twine loop (about 10" long, folded in half and tied) through the hole.

Have fun creating different designs with your tape.

Or, why not craft unique ornament gift tags? Use a roll of washi tape as your circle template, then add a metallic washi tape hanger top to turn a simple circle into an adorable ornament.

Happy crafting!

Wrap It Sweetly

Are you stuffing stockings with washi tape this Christmas? Here's our favourite way to wrap single rolls - like festive candies! All you need is some colourful tissue paper, some slim washi tape and a pair of scissors. Cut, roll, tape and snip your way to candy-coloured cuteness!

Fun, right? Stockings are one of our favourite Christmas traditions. See how we made our own stockings right here.

Are Christmas stockings part of your holiday traditions?

Put A Pom On It!

Pom pom making is perfect for that time at the end of the day, when you're sitting in front of the TV but wishing you were doing something. You know, when you scroll through twitter with one eye on one screen and one eye on the other. Winding and snipping and shaping poms will keep your hands busy while you unwind on the couch. Just don't yell at me when you find yourself (and the couch and the floor) covered in fluff!

I think there's something so charming about a big fluffball of a pom pom (or three) atop a simply wrapped gift. Keep the tying-off yarn ends long and braid them together... 

Or, make them extra-long, and tie around the box like ribbon.

Or even wind multiple colours around the box creating a colour blocked look before topping with a big beautiful pom pom. I used a hair clip to attach the pom to the box - you can't see it (clever!) and then recipient can wear their new pom friend once the gift is unwrapped.

Aren't they fun? Like big fluffy snowballs... 

I used our new Pom Pom Makers to make these - the large set is perfect for pompoms of a gift-topping size.