Tutorial: Simple Paper Snowflakes!

So here's the deal, kids. The holidays are fast approaching. It's time to start decorating! And when you're a starving artist like me, you need to decorate on the cheap! So the other day when I began to ponder cheap-as-free decorations, one thing came to mind: paper snowflakes!

Now I figured nearly everyone and their moms know how to make paper snowflakes, so I grabbed some paper and sat on my bed and then realized that I needed some reminding for how to make them! So for all you people out there like me, here's a little refresher course:


You Will Need: Paper. this is 8.5 x 11 regular old printer paper. Scissors. Imagination! And a flat surface for folding. Optional: some Planet Earth to put on as background noise.


Step One: Fold in half diagonally.


Step Two: Cut excess off so that it's a perfect(ish) square. KEEP THE EXTRA PIECE. You will see why later.


Three: Fold in half diagonally again.


Four: Fold in half diagonally one more time. Then lay it flat.


Five: Using your scissors, cut the top of the triangle off, so that it forms a curve. You don't have to do this, but it helps make your snowflakes more circular instead of square-ish. The crease from your last fold-in-half should be on the right side of the triangle, as you hold it in your hand.


Six: This is the best part! Just cut some shapes! Make it as insane as you want, it doesn't matter what you do.


Seven: This is what mine looked like. If you want a hole in the center, cut the bottom point off.


Eight: Unfold and shabam! You have a beautiful snowflake! Aren't you amazing! Aren't you creative! Don't you want to make a bazillion more? Go for it! BUT WAIT. There's more!


Nine: Remember this little guy? Since I am a bit obsessed with wasting as little paper as possible, I figured this piece of excess paper would be perfect for a mini snowflake or three!


Ten: Fold in half diagonally, making a tiny square. Cut off the excess paper again.


Eleven: Fold in half again, and then once more, just like with the larger one.


Twelve: Cut the top in an arc again, then cut some crazy shapes into it like before.


Thirteen: Unfold and viola! A pocket-size snowflake! How cute is that! You can make a good three out of one sheet of excess paper from a large snowflake.


Fourteen: There you go. Large and Small snowflakes, for next to nothing. I made a ton of them and then strung them on some twine with a hot glue gun, and hung them through the house. They add just the right amount of seasonal flair and each one is different! You could make them out of patterned paper, that would be awesome, or hang them on a tree - one year we strung them individually from the ceiling at varying heights so it looked like it was snowing indoors.

Does anyone else do any D.I.Y. holiday decorations? Any favorites?