Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Star Book Tutorial - HOT OFF THE PRESSES!

Okay, so bazillions of you are asking for a tutorial on how to do the star book ornaments, and because I love y'all so much -- here it is (sorry some of the photos are a bit blurry, I am tired and was in a hurry, so they did not come out perfect -- but Merry Christmas all the same):

Ingredients:

*1 (or maybe 2 if you want variety) sheets of double sided 12x12 paper
*2 squares of cardboard (panty hose cardboard is about the right thickness) cut into 2 inch x 2 inch squares (sometimes I add an eighth of quarter inch on these, try it once one way and if you prefer it a little bigger, go ahead and make it bigger)
*adhesive
*ribbon
*beads (the cheap ones from walmart that are a little big big and ugly -- but not in this case)
*terrifically tacky tape (or similar)
*Any embellishments you may want

STEP 1

Choose which side of the paper you want to use for the cover and what will be used for the inside. Cover your 2 inch squares with the paper you choose for the cover -- (Remember you can click on any image to see the larger version and then use your browsers back button to return to this tutorial).



STEP 2

Take a sheet 12x12 paper and cut it into at least 5 (that is all you will need, you might have leftover) pieces that measure 4x4 each (also know as about double the size of your cover). Then fold those pieces in half, open, turn and fold in half the other way. Then fold on the diagonal both ways in half -- opening in between each fold.



STEP 3

Take two diagonal folds and fold them inward and then allow the other pieces to fold (easier to see in a picture -- super hard to describe - two views to help you get it). It will make your 4x4 squares turn into 2x2 size squares that look like a little frog almost . . . Repeat this on all the 5 sheets of 4x4 paper.



STEP 4

Take the ends where the paper is folded into a point and put them all together in a stack with those ends together. Then use adhesive to stick them together -- on the in-between layer. Set aside.



STEP 5

Place ribbon across cover creating a loop that will serve as a hanger at one end, and leave enough ribbon at the bottom where there are two open ends, to add the bead and leave space to tie a knot, so that when you flip the book, you can use this as a hanger.



STEP 6

Place sticky strip on one cover piece, peel and adhere star book to cover. Repeat with second cover piece at other end.





STEP 7
Flip book into star formation. You will have your two loose ribbon ends hanging down. You are going to thread these through your bead. After the bead is on the ribbons, tie a knot in the end of the ribbons.




STEP 8

Embellish cover to suit your occasion. Or, if you got confused before this point, send me an email and I will reply as soon as I can. I hope you get it though. Good luck!



NOTE: To flip the book, you are going to put the two covers against one another and then slide your bead down to secure it in the star position. Can be hung on a christmas tree in either way.

I learned how to make these while I was in El Paso, TX at a get together earlier this year. These are what Tracy T did for her swap. I hope you enjoy it.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for posting the tutorial Amanda! I was one of the several people who put in a request. Hopefully I'll have some time in the next day or two to try to make some. Your instructions look great! Happy Holidays!

Anonymous said...

Amanda,
Thank you for your wonderful tutorials. You are so good at them.
I so enjoy your blog. Thanks for sharing with me.
Merry Christmas,
Shelley Davis

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for the tutorial! I have been wanting to make these for a long time. (Being a visual person I never could find a clearly explained way that could help me understand.)This is such a good one you've put together. Thanks again!
Peggy

Cyndi said...

Wow Amanda this is great! These make such wonderful little gifts. I really like to make them too.

It was wonderful to learn from Tracy in El Paso how to do these. It was so much easier seeing it in person!

Heather said...

Gorgeous!!

I also wanted to say a great big THANKS for the goodies you sent me. My family oohed and ahhed over the ornament. I hate to use the tags, because I love them so much, and the candy...well...it is sitting by my computer, s-l-o-w-l-y disappearing.

Thanks tons, Amanda!!
Heather aka memorygarden@cox.net