Love is in the Air

 

Get into the spirit of all things love-ly with decorations to make your heart soar!  We’re fashioning up festive paper lanterns and fluffy tissue flowers!  These make great decorations for above any party table or a creative canopy to a bed in a child’s room.  Mine are hued for my Valentine’s, but they can be made in so many festive colors and patterns you’ll be making them all year round!  And as an added side note, my five year old son saw my creations and gasped.. “Ooh, mom, those are just gorgeous!”  Yes, he is a character…. but he is SO right on this one!

 

 

Paper Lanterns        """"" (Extra Easy Kid Version Included!)

 

Supplies:

X        12”x12” paper (Preferably, a heavy, double-sided patterned cardstock)

o        The side you want for the outside of your lantern will be the ‘right’ side of the paper

X        Paper Trimmer

X        Stylus (optional)

X        Bone Folder

X        Double sided tape

X        Hole Punch

X        Fishing Line or ribbon (length depends on how high you want to hang them)

X        3M clear, removable hooks for hanging

 

Directions: 

Begin by cutting the center of your paper into eleven 1”x10” strips.  See Image A or cutting and folding guides.  You will have a 1 inch border around the entire piece of paper that is un-cut.  I used my ruled paper cutter, which did the measuring as I went, and allowed me to press the cutting tip into the middle of the paper when starting to cut a strip.  No pre-measuring or line drawing, can’t get easier than that!  Now fold the paper in half, wrong sides together, across your cut lines.  Next fold the top and bottom edges, right sides together, one inch from the edge.  To achieve crisp fold lines and precise measurements, I removed the blade from my paper trimmer and used the cutting groove to run a stylus across the paper to score my fold line. 

A bone folder helped me smooth my folds crisply. 

Next run your double stick tape down the entire edge of one side.  Overlap the taped edge with the opposite edge, and press the two together to create a paper cylinder. 

Voila, your lantern is formed!  All that’s left is to punch three evenly spaced holes around the top edge, string with ribbon, adhere your hooks to the ceiling and hang as many as you can!

Tip Time: 

X        You can use any kind of paper to get started, but a pretty double-sided scrapbook paper will give a beautiful finished look from any angle.  Scrapbook paper comes in 12”x12” dimensions, but some manufacturers add a quarter of an inch, so double check yours before you get started, and trim accordingly. 

 

X        This project can be done with only paper, scissors, tape and ribbon to hang it.  So if you’re in on a rainy day with your little guys and don’t have all the supplies in your arsenal, it’s a go either way!   For a no fuss kid version,  have them fold the paper in half to cut, eye ball everything, and have them tape the edges as needed.

 

Tissue Paper Flowers          """""  (Super Easy – Just be patient!)

 

Supplies for One Large Flower:

X        Ten sheets of 20”x30” crepe or tissue paper

X        Scissors

X        8” piece of floral wire

X        Fishing Line or ribbon

X        3M clear, removable hooks

 

Supplies for One Small Flower:

X        Eight sheets of 16”x30” crepe or tissue paper

X        Scissors

X        8” piece of floral wire

X        Fishing Line or ribbon

X        3M clear, removable hooks

 

Directions:

Begin by layering your paper on top of each other in a neat stack.  Next make 1 ½” accordion pleats across the entire length.  I will be the first to admit I am not big on measuring anything I don’t really have to, I eyeballed mine, and it came out perfectly in my humble opinion.  -This is supposed to be fun, not tedious!

 

 

Fold your floral wire in half and slip it around the center of your folded paper.  Secure it in place by twisting the wire and form a loop with the ends for hanging later.  Trim both ends of your folded tissue with a simple shape like a curved scallop or pointed triangle.  This will create a fun finished edge in the end.  Now we’re ready to fluff our flowers into shape!  Begin by opening the pleats of your folds and gently pull each layer towards the center of the flower, towards the wire.  To create a symmetrical flower half the layers on one side should go towards your wired loop and half towards the wire’s bent end.  Repeat with the other side.  Hang by tying the fishing line to the loop in the center of the flower.  Like I said…… Love is in the Air!

 

Tip Time: 

X        Don’t worry if the tissue rips in a few places as you go, these are so fluffy in the end you’ll never see it.

 

X        The dimensions for the tissue paper are approximate, use sizes that are easy to find or better yet, what you already have!

 

 

Love is in the Air

 

Get into the spirit of all things love-ly with decorations to make your heart soar!  We’re fashioning up festive paper lanterns and fluffy tissue flowers!  These make great decorations for above any party table or a creative canopy to a bed in a child’s room.  Mine are hued for my Valentine’s, but they can be made in so many festive colors and patterns you’ll be making them all year round!  And as an added side note, my five year old son saw my creations and gasped.. “Ooh, mom, those are just gorgeous!”  Yes, he is a character…. but he is SO right on this one!

 

 

Paper Lanterns        """"" (Extra Easy Kid Version Included!)

 

Supplies:

X        12”x12” paper (Preferably, a heavy, double-sided patterned cardstock)

o        The side you want for the outside of your lantern will be the ‘right’ side of the paper

X        Paper Trimmer

X        Stylus (optional)

X        Bone Folder

X        Double sided tape

X        Hole Punch

X        Fishing Line or ribbon (length depends on how high you want to hang them)

X        3M clear, removable hooks for hanging

 

Directions: 

Begin by cutting the center of your paper into eleven 1”x10” strips.  See Image A or cutting and folding guides.  You will have a 1 inch border around the entire piece of paper that is un-cut.  I used my ruled paper cutter, which did the measuring as I went, and allowed me to press the cutting tip into the middle of the paper when starting to cut a strip.  No pre-measuring or line drawing, can’t get easier than that!  Now fold the paper in half, wrong sides together, across your cut lines.  Next fold the top and bottom edges, right sides together, one inch from the edge.  To achieve crisp fold lines and precise measurements, I removed the blade from my paper trimmer and used the cutting groove to run a stylus across the paper to score my fold line. 

A bone folder helped me smooth my folds crisply. 

Next run your double stick tape down the entire edge of one side.  Overlap the taped edge with the opposite edge, and press the two together to create a paper cylinder. 

Voila, your lantern is formed!  All that’s left is to punch three evenly spaced holes around the top edge, string with ribbon, adhere your hooks to the ceiling and hang as many as you can!

Tip Time: 

X        You can use any kind of paper to get started, but a pretty double-sided scrapbook paper will give a beautiful finished look from any angle.  Scrapbook paper comes in 12”x12” dimensions, but some manufacturers add a quarter of an inch, so double check yours before you get started, and trim accordingly. 

 

X        This project can be done with only paper, scissors, tape and ribbon to hang it.  So if you’re in on a rainy day with your little guys and don’t have all the supplies in your arsenal, it’s a go either way!   For a no fuss kid version,  have them fold the paper in half to cut, eye ball everything, and have them tape the edges as needed.

 

Tissue Paper Flowers          """""  (Super Easy – Just be patient!)

 

Supplies for One Large Flower:

X        Ten sheets of 20”x30” crepe or tissue paper

X        Scissors

X        8” piece of floral wire

X        Fishing Line or ribbon

X        3M clear, removable hooks

 

Supplies for One Small Flower:

X        Eight sheets of 16”x30” crepe or tissue paper

X        Scissors

X        8” piece of floral wire

X        Fishing Line or ribbon

X        3M clear, removable hooks

 

Directions:

Begin by layering your paper on top of each other in a neat stack.  Next make 1 ½” accordion pleats across the entire length.  I will be the first to admit I am not big on measuring anything I don’t really have to, I eyeballed mine, and it came out perfectly in my humble opinion.  -This is supposed to be fun, not tedious!

 

 

Fold your floral wire in half and slip it around the center of your folded paper.  Secure it in place by twisting the wire and form a loop with the ends for hanging later.  Trim both ends of your folded tissue with a simple shape like a curved scallop or pointed triangle.  This will create a fun finished edge in the end.  Now we’re ready to fluff our flowers into shape!  Begin by opening the pleats of your folds and gently pull each layer towards the center of the flower, towards the wire.  To create a symmetrical flower half the layers on one side should go towards your wired loop and half towards the wire’s bent end.  Repeat with the other side.  Hang by tying the fishing line to the loop in the center of the flower.  Like I said…… Love is in the Air!

 

Tip Time: 

X        Don’t worry if the tissue rips in a few places as you go, these are so fluffy in the end you’ll never see it.

 

X        The dimensions for the tissue paper are approximate, use sizes that are easy to find or better yet, what you already have!

 

 

By Emily Loverin

Emily Loverin is our creative go-to-girl.  Her column Everything-Emily incorporates projects from fine arts to crafts and always keeps even the smallest designers in mind.  She is a Scituate native where she currently lives with her husband Marc, and their three children Addison, Charlie and Jake.  Visit EVERYTHING EMILY to learn more about her services, featuring full service interior design, planning of events, house staging, mural painting, invitations & graphic design.

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