What should you do with your 2014 calendars?

Origami Stars, of course!

I got the idea for the stars from my daughter (I acquire most of my craft ideas from her, thanks Jen!). She found the instructions on the website Homemade Gifts Made Easy. I tried making them a few weeks ago from construction paper but never did get them right. Then I discovered that calendar paper is perfect for origami. It is fairly thick so it holds it's shape and doesn't tear when you are forcing folds, but not too thick that you have a hard time making sharp creases. The pages are also glossy so the folds slide into each other with little effort and they create an interesting collage of colors on the finished product. So don't throw away your old calendars. Have fun with origami!

Here is the website so you can try it for yourself:
http://www.homemade-gifts-made-easy.com/5-pointed-origami-star.html

Another Year Over

This is one of my favorite holiday songs, I found myself humming it as I was tidying up the decorations last night (not packing away yet, just tidying). 

I wish everyone the best for 2015 and certainly hope the words to this song resonate a sense of peace to all. It was composed in the late 60's/early 70's as a protest against the Vietnam War, but I think the message is still relevant today.

                                       John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"

So this is Xmas

And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Xmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Xmas (war is over)
For weak and for strong (if you want it)
For rich and the poor ones (war is over)
The world is so wrong (if you want it)
And so happy Xmas (war is over)
For black and for white (if you want it)
For yellow and red ones (war is over)
Let's stop all the fight (now)

A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Xmas (war is over)
And what have we done (if you want it)
Another year over (war is over)
A new one just begun (if you want it)
And so happy Xmas (war is over)
We hope you have fun (if you want it)
The near and the dear one (war is over)
The old and the young (now)

A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

War is over, if you want it
War is over now

Happy Xmas

Advent Calendar

All of my day-discs are flipped... Christmas is over.... Time to pack up the fun...

As you can see, I did adjust the patterns a little. I simply cut triangles out of shinny foil wrapping paper and pasted them on a few of the tips in order to break up the color pattern. No more accidental swastikas and I think it actually was an improvement in the overall design. Much more festive, you can't beat shinny! Of course, I'm sad now that I have to pack everything away. My stairway walls will look ever so blah and boring without the Christmas decorations. I must think of a crazy Spring craft to adorn the halls.

It's been a while

I feel as though the holidays have taken over my every thought and I am guilty of neglecting my blog. It has been quite chilly in Northern KY, not very conducive to snapping pretty pictures on weekend outings. I have been out and about, just not snapping pictures (that would entail taking off my gloves since I do not have those fancy gloves that allow you to operate a touch screen, and it's been way to chilly to take off gloves!). So, instead, I will share my holiday craft project.

This is my origami advent calendar wreath made with origami disks/coasters/stars (not sure what you would actually call them). It took a few tries to get the origami folding steps correct, but after a few were done successfully, the process seemed to fall into place. I had a ball folding the papers and assembling the wreath. A little tinsel and some fake flowers and voila! Origami advent calendar wreath! Each morning I get to flip a coaster to hide the day number and reveal the pretty star behind.


I hope no one thinks the pattern resembles a swastika!!!

I certainly did not mean for that to happen. Hallmark recently had to remove a wrapping paper design from the market for the same reason. I'm sure it was not intentional on their part either, it just happens when you are creating patterns. It didn't occur to me until looking at the star from a certain angle and then hearing the news article.

Yikes, should I take down the wreath?!!!