How To Make A Paper Snowflake

HI! When the winter comes I love making these winter (paper) snowflakes to hang around the house.  They are rather simple to make, and take about 16 minutes (on average) and I wanted to share with you how to create these beauties.  The end result is the picture right below, but I have broken down step by step, with pictures, the construction process of one of these bad boys. 

Supplies you are going to need: 

- 8  pieces of 11x8 1/2 paper (they can be any color, and I find computer paper is the easiest to manipulate)

-A pair of scissors

-Some scotch tape

-And finally, a stapler

1. Fold the paper to make a perfect square. This is done by simply folding over the the corner to the nearest edge. 

2. Cut off the excess strip of paper, after done will form a folded triangle

 3. Fold the paper in half again (this has been done two times now) and you will still have the shape of a triangle, but just a smaller one.  MAKE SURE the folded part is closest to your stomach or for all intent and purposes the bottom.  ALSO, the long triangle side (hypotenuse) should be on the right. This is the key to the whole thing, and I think the hardest part. 

 4.  This part might get a little tricky too, but I have faith. You are then going to cut from the 'bottom' going upwards keeping PARALLEL to the longest (hypotenuse) side of the triangle going RIGHT TO LEFT. You are going to 3 slits about 3/4 the length of the paper.  The very end of each slit should line up evenly. 

 5. After you cut the slits, it should look like this.  If it doesn't, just make sure the fold in on the bottom closest to you, and the longest side is on the right.  

 6. Next, you are going to fold over the 'smallest' slit to meet each other and then tape so if forms a circular shape like pictured above. 

 7. Then turn over the paper and you are going to do the same thing with the next slit, so that the slits that are being taped are making an 'every other' pattern. 

8. This is what it will look like when you alternate each way and tape the slits together. 

 9. For this next one you will obviously need another piece of paper to attach to the other, so please repeat steps 1-8, and come right back here to hang out and continue. 

        ***You are then going to take the tip of each 'piece of the snowflake' and STAPLE them together like pictured. 

 10. After the tips are stapled, you are going to STAPLE the edges that meet so when the are all connected, they will stay securely together.  Refer to picture if this is a little confusing. 

11. You are going to continue making serveral of these pieces of the snowflake and then staple them together at the tip, and then where each edge meets. As you add more pieces of paper it gets a little more tricker to staple, so just watch out for your fingers!

This is the finished product! You did it! I punched a hole in the top, added some string and now they are the winter window decor for the windows.  A small side note- they also sell the kits to make these at Paper Source, and you just got the inside information from this nifty blog. Enjoy!