O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree… no, not the real ones with pine needles that are reach up to the ceiling! How about the ones made of paper that fit right on a page? This paper tree collage is a perfect rainy day or evening activity during the holiday season.

All you need is…. paper! Well, okay… paper, scissors (or a paper cutter if you have one at home), and glue. When it comes to paper, let’s specify. You’ll need a large sheet of white paper for your background and then a variety of paper scraps that include the color green. You could use construction paper, scrapbook paper, leftover wrapping paper… whatever you like!

Cut your green paper into strips of different widths and lengths. Once you have a nice little pile, start stacking them on your white sheet, longest strips on the bottom. The rest can be random and don’t be afraid to mix your patterns and angles. Use a glue stick to adhere them down when you’re ready. If you like, you can cut out some ornaments, a brown tree trunk, and a star from construction paper to decorate your tree. Ta-da!

Quick, simple, and pretty! And your entire cleanup consists of sweeping any scraps of extra paper into a recycling bin. Display and enjoy!

Hi Scribblers,

I bet you didn’t know it, but today, December 27th, is Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day! I used to love making cut-out snowflakes in school, but as I sat down to try to make these fun little crafts, I realized I didn’t remember how to fold the paper to make the 6-sided shape! After some tinkering, I eventually figured it out and to save you the hassle, I decided to make today’s post a photo-tutorial to help you along!

To start, all you will need is a piece of paper and a pair of scissors.

First, fold the corner of the paper into an isosceles triangle (two equal sides).

Cut the remaining rectagluar piece off so that you have a square piece left over when you open up the triangle.

Refold the square into a triangle.

Fold in half again to make another triangle.

Imagining that your triangle is split in thirds, fold the first third over towards the center.

Next fold the opposite third over so that the points overlap.

Cut off the top (the points) at an angle, making sure to cut it so that all the layers are equal.

Cut into the folded sides to begin making your snowflake.

Get creative- cut out different shapes of different sizes and angles. Hint: For more intricate cutting, use cuticle nippers to make a more precise cut.

Unfold your finished snowflake to admire your work. You can glue your snowflake to a piece of colorful paper or string onto monofiliment and hang up near a window.

Enjoy!

For a little extra fun, save the scraps!!

These cut-out pieces make great confetti!