Sunday, November 24, 2013

Easy 3D Paper Snowflakes

I recently went to an activity where someone taught me how to make these fun and easy 3D paper snowflakes. They look so cool when finished and you can make them in any color. I can't wait to make some using some fun, Christmas themed, 12x12 scrapbook paper!

Materials needed
6 sheets of paper (any color, or some of each color for a 2-tone snowflake)
a glue gun
scissors
optional: stapler

Step 1: Fold your paper so it will make a square. Cut off the extra rectangle piece at the bottom.
 Step Two: Keep your square folded in a triangle shape. Fold again into a smaller triangle.
 Step Three: Cut 3 lines into your triangle. Cut from the folded side toward the open side, stop cutting about a half inch from the opening. Don't worry if your lines aren't straight or your sections aren't perfectly spaced. You'll never be able to tell once it's finished.
 Step Four: Open your triangle.
 Step Five: Starting with the middle pieces, use hot glue to secure the two sides together.
 Step Six: Flip your paper over. Use hot glue to secure the next two sides together. Keep flipping back and forth until all the sides have been glued.
 This is what one looks like when it's finished. Repeat steps for your other pieces of paper until you have six pieces that look like this.
 When you have all six pieces glued, it's time to assemble your snowflake. Instead of thinking each piece goes side by side, you actually will lay each piece on top of each other. Match the points up at the bottom. You can hot glue them together or you can staple them (I like to staple because it helps make them sturdier). Keep laying pieces on top of each other, matching the points at the bottom up, until you've secured all six.
 You will also need to glue or staple the pieces on the sides where they touch. This also helps reinforce them so it stays together.

The finished product:

This is a fun craft for kids and adults alike. You can make tons of different sizes on plain or printed paper.

And if you need a video tutorial for these, I liked this one HERE. Enjoy!