Try your hand at this DIY festive creation and revel in the remarkable yet humble beauty of papercraft
Creativity is a wonderful word that has been of great significance in my life. It is my belief that in order for creativity to flow, we must first make time and space. For me, being creative is one of my great joys; it is always time well spent. We all need to do “real” things in order to feel grounded – things that we both start and finish. Successfully bringing a project to its conclusion with a satisfying result is an exercise in time and patience. You have to give things the time they need to achieve the best results.
I love the simplicity of paper. It’s all around us in everyday life, an inclusive material that is easy to get your hands on. So let this inspire you to create some paper poetry! If something doesn’t work on the first try, be gentle with yourself – take a few deep breaths, and try again. Then cheer yourself on and be proud when you are holding a crisp creative offering in your hands.
DIY LEAFY WREATH
Craft a wreath that is as simple as it is beautiful. It’s up to you how bushy you want your wreath to be. Changing the style is easy because the leaves are just attached with pins. When it’s time to put it away until next year, remove the pins and store the leaves and the straw base separately.
Level: easy
Time needed: 4 hours
The wreath pictured is made up of about 70 leaves pinned onto a base 37 cm in diameter.
YOU WILL NEED:
- Crêpe paper in a colour or colours of your choosing
- A wreath base made of straw
- Sewing pins
- Ribbon for hanging
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Create and cut out a template for the leaves.
2. Trace the template onto crêpe paper, making sure that the texture of the paper aligns with the leaf shape.
3. Cut out the leaves inside the lines.
4. Pull a little on the leaves to make them slightly cupped.
5. Pin the leaves onto the wreath with a slight overlap. Continue all the way around.
6. Tie a ribbon around the wreath – now it’s ready to hang!
7. The leaves may need to be adjusted so that they are at an even angle around the wreath once it’s hung.
 | This is an edited extract from Stars & Snowflakes by Jennie Lantz and Cecilia Möller Kirchsteiger. Published by Murdoch Books. |
