Paper Star Tutorial [Christmas Mantel 2013]

Ok, I may have started a bad addiction  tradition. I am totally decorated for Christmas (minus the outside) and we still are still over a week away from Thanksgiving! But my excuse is that I have no one but me and the hubs coming over until after Thanksgiving, so why decorate when no one will see it???

Anyway, blogging is supporting this addiction tradition so I am going to take full advantage and show yall some tutorials for my super cheap and easy decorations! So far I've shared how I got the weathered wood look and how I made that pretty dang good looking wreath (if I do say so myself). Now it is time to share the fabulous paper stars that I've got pretty much everywhere and never wanna take down :)

First things first. You need some sort of glue (I used modge podge because I use it for everything.) paper, and scissors. Thats it! Then all you do is head over to Home Made Gifts Made Easy and check out their PDF download for the pattern. (She has a tutorial too, but I'm some one who basically never reads directions. I glance then do it how every I want.. oops!)

Second, make sure you have your baby cuddled in your lap and the best TV marathon you can think of. Yes, it is easy enough that you can do cuddled up with your pup while watching TV!! 

Third. Use those scissors and cut out all your pieces. The PDF has 3 different sizes and you can even resize them to fit what you are looking for. This is actually smaller than the smallest file provided. 

Once everything is cut out grab a ruler/straight edge. (sorry I forgot that in my materials pictures!) line it up with the dotted line and bend. Do this to each dotted line. Once you have folded and creased the paper nicely add glue to your right hand tab. This will be the tab that you tuck in to create the "cone" point of the stars. 

Fourth. Repeat that process for all 5 pieces of your star. Then once you have all of your "cones" put together you can start attaching them to one another. This was a bit tricky. Apparently I needed more elbow room and was annoying Tepe so she left. 

To attach them simple put a small amount of glue on the OUTSIDE of the two tabs on the top of your cone. Then you simply fit the taps to the underside of your next cone. If you are using double sided tape or a faster drying glue it would probably be less hectic. But I enjoyed the elbow flailing so I contorted my fingers to pinch the pieces together until they dried. 

Getting the first two together is relatively easy, attaching the next 2 are a bit harder but you can do it!
 

Fifth. Once you have four of your cones together it really looks like a star. I've found that it is easier to attach the final point if you 1. wait until the glue is totally dry. 2. pinch them all down flat. Yes, these stars can be folded and stored "flat"! But what this does is make it easier for you to get your fingers inside to attach the final point. 

Sixth. Attach your final point! It is a bit tricky and totally requires some strange finger twists and probably lots of elbow room. But it is possible! However, all you will be doing is attaching ONE SIDE of your final point. You can see in the first picture below that if you hold it by one end there is a slight gap. You can fix it by 1. tying some fishing line between your final ends or 2. glueing it together. I left mine alone because I'm lazy and I messed with them enough that it wasn't super noticeable :)  But leaving the unfinished side allows you to fold up your star and store flat once you are ready to take them down, or you can affix the side permanently and just never take them down :) 

And thats it! Just repeat that process as many times as stars your heart desires! I have 1 large, 2 mediums, 4 smalls, and 3 extra smalls all around our house. 

For our mantel I hung the stars by pocking a hole the through top point and threading fishing line through it and tying that to a thumb tack. I love that you can't see the fishing line, it makes them look like they are just floating!  

And thats my third tutorial for this mantel. I LOVE the way it is going. I may just have to keep it up forever... just kidding, but maybe. Don't forget to check out how I made the Faux Weathered Boards, and the Easy DIY Wreath! I'll be adding a few more tutorials next week too so be sure to check them out!!