By Carol Duvall
Although they started out as decorations for a wedding reception, the beautiful glittery snowflakes that viewer Linda Robeson sent to me also make versatile and appropriate holiday decorations. In fact, Robeson stated that after her daughter's wedding, for which she had made 700 of the foam flakes, she used them in her fireplace mantel wreath, across the mantel, in a basketful of pine cones, on the tree and as gift decorations. Versatile, indeed! And in the spirit of giving, Linda sent the snowflakes AND complete directions AND step-by-step props! Materials: "fun" foam (white)
paper
card stock for patterns
craft knife
small scissors
ballpoint pen or pencil
white glue
glitter*
small brush
waxed paper *Prismatic glitter makes the most sparkly snowflakes, but if you are making many, many flakes, it is more economical to mix the fine glitter with the larger, less expensive kind. Steps: - Fold a square of lightweight paper in half, then in half again and in half again. Trace snowflake pattern (figure A) onto folded lightweight paper (figure B). Cut out the pattern and trace onto card stock. Note: One pattern can be enlarged or reduced and printed in a variety of sizes using a copier.
- Cut out card stock pattern and trace onto foam. Cut out. Use a craft blade for the straight lines and a small scissors for the curved lines (figure C).
- Place flake on waxed paper and brush with white glue thinned with enough water to make it easy to brush on (figure D). Sprinkle with glitter. Wait 24 hours and repeat the procedure on the other side.
Note: If you will be hanging the flakes, it is a good idea to add the hanging cord before adding the glue and glitter. Robeson used nylon fishing line for hanging the flakes she made, and for those she hung from the ceiling she strung three in a row in graduated sizes.Snowflake Pattern If you do not have snowflake drawings to copy (Robeson used commercial patterns) you can make your own. Here's how: - Fold a square of paper in half and then in thirds.
- Fold in half one more time.
- Draw as illustrated in figure A and cut out. Using this basic fold you can make as many variations as there are snowflakes.
After unfolding, trace this pattern onto card stock OR try what Duvall did: - Cut the pattern from inexpensive colored tissue paper, the kind that does not have a protective glaze coating, so the color runs when it comes in contact with water.
- Cut the pattern from the tissue, open it and place it on the card stock.
- Using a small brush, daub the flake with water so the color transfers to the card stock.
- Cut this out as your pattern.
RESOURCES :
craft knife - X-Acto
Available in craft, hardware and home improvement stores nationwide.
Hunt Corporation
Toll Free Phone: 800-879-4868
Website: www.hunt-corp.com
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