A Bookish Christmas Decoration DIY

I don't know about you guys but I love Christmas. The food, the presents, the decorations, the music...even the terrible made for TV movies. My Christmas creativity is usually reserved for baking (mmmmmm, gingerbread) and coming up with gift ideas, but since this is my first Christmas in my own house with my boyfriend (yay! Adult!) and Christmas gear can get a little pricey, this year I set out to make my own decorations to save money and add a little individuality.

They worked out so well I thought I'd post my directions for making pretty Christmas paper ornaments. I've primarily made mine as strings of decorations draped across doorways, walls and windows, but they could also be used as Christmas decorations, present adornments or anything you like.

What you'll need:

*Scissors

*A stapler

*A pencil

*A ruler.

*Twine, ribbon or something to string them up with.

*Paper. I chose to use a book I'd bought for 20cents for exactly this kind of purpose. It was never going to be read so I've put it to better use. You could also use comics, old Christmas cards or just plain old coloured construction paper if you'd rather.

Step 1:

1. Rule your page into columns. I made mine about 2cm wide, but it depends on how large a decoration you want to make. These ended up about 10cm high, 8cm wide, but if you cut them shorter and thinner they'll be much smaller and better suited to tree and gift ornaments.

2. Cut your ruled pages out and separate them into groups of 5, that's how many you'll need to make each decoration.

Step 2:

1. With your 5 sheets in a pile fold in both ends. Make sure the fold is deep enough for a staple and a hole to thread your twine through.

2. Put two of these sheets aside. Cut two of the others shorter, about to where they folded over with the first fold. With the final sheet cut it shorter again. The measurements don't really matter, but mine ended up, with folded ends, about 10cm, 7cm, 5cm. The shorter the middle page, the more squat the end decoration will be. After you've made a few you'll be able to work out exactly what shape/style works best for you.

Step 3: 

1. Organise your sheets so it goes long, short, shortest, short, long. Make sure the folds are aimed outwards (see picture). Once it's arranged, staple the end.

2. Start making your ornament. hold the middle piece flat and curve the outside strips so that the folded tab sits flat against the middle strip. It can be a little fiddly at first, but once you get the hang of it you can make them in minutes.

Step 4:

1. Once they're in place staple the end. You're almost done!

2. Take a pencil or your scissors and poke a hole through one of the ends.

Step 5: 

1. Tie your twine or ribbon through the end and tie the end up to make an ornament, or put it to the side and thread it onto one long piece of twine to make Christmas bunting.

2. Finished! Make as many as you need, and perhaps try some different shapes. The website I saw a picture of these on also had heart shaped ones, but I enjoyed these ones too much to bother with any others!