| |
|
Would you like to add photo frames
and page accents like these to your scrapbook albums? They come in
any of three sizes and are fairly simple to fold. (Especially after
you fold the first one!) You can make these stars in 9 easy folds
out of a rectangle of paper. Your papers can be scraps or full
sheets of paper. You choose the pattern paper designs you like! You
choose the colors. |
| |
| I love this Star technique because you can make
anything from small page accents or ornaments all the way up to the
largest frame which fits a 12x12 layout perfectly. I know you
feel your family members are the STARS in your life. You are a star
as well! So let's make up a few of these. I'll show you
how step by step. |
| |
| Finished measurements of the three stars shown are
as follows: Small: outer
measurement is 3.25 inches diameter, inner opening
measurement is 1 inch diameter
Medium: outer measurement is 6.25
inches diameter, inner opening measurement is 2 inches
diameter and fits a small photo
Large: outer measurement is
11.25 inches diameter, inner opening measurement is 3.5
inches diameter and fits a normal photo |
|
|
|
 |
| |
|
Materials: Your materials will
depend on which sized star you plan to create. I suggest starting
with the medium star. It is the easiest to handle. Part of the
charm of these stars is that there is a little white triangle
showing around the inner circle. This contrast is formed by using
patterned papers that have white backs. Do not use cardstock
as it is generally too thick to fold into these shapes and has no
contrast. Remember to use lightweight patterned papers for ease of
folding.
| small star: 8 coordinating scraps of
patterned lightweight scrapbook paper cut into 2x3 inch
rectangles |
| medium star: 8 coordinating scraps of
lightweight scrapbook pattern paper cut into 4x6 inch
rectangles |
| large star: 8 coordinating pieces of
patterned lightweight paper cut into 7.3 x 11 inch rectangles
(for this larger size I use 8 sheets of lightweight 8.5x11
paper sold in variety packs and cut it down to the width size
I need.) |
|
Plus: adhesive, paper
trimmer, bone folder- optional |
| |
|
| |
| The Basic Piece: |
| Each basic piece starts out looking like a rectangle and ends up
looking like half of a folded boat. LOL You join them all at
the end of the process. Make 8 of them identical like this and
set them aside until all eight are folded. |
| |
|
Step One: Cut your 8 Rectangles.
You can cut 8 coordinating rectangles in any
size given above in the Materials section depending on the size
frame you want to end up with.
2x3 or 4x6 (recommended to
start) or 7.3x11 |
| |
| However, I recommend starting with 8 of the the 4x6 sized
rectangles which will make a medium star. This can be used as a page
accent or a photo frame for a small photo like a charm or a wallet.
(At the holidays, you can also make them out of foil gift wrap into
tree ornaments! :) |
| |
|
Step Two: Fold it Horizontal
Lay the paper patterned side down on the table
and fold it in half horizontally to mark the center and then open it
up again flat. You will be mainly working with the backside of
the patterned paper for much of the construction of the basic piece.
In my figures shown here, my pattern paper is yellow and my backside
of the paper is white.
 |
| |
|
Step Three: Fold it Vertical
Now fold the paper in half vertically. This
marks the center. Open it up again.
 |
| |
|
Step Four: Fold the Top in Half Again
Now go back and fold only the top half in half
horizontally again to mark it. Unfold it. The fold you just
completed marks the paper for the second time horizontally.
 |
| |
|
Step Five: Fold that Top One More
Time Horizontally.
Fold it so that the fold marks now the paper
again horizontally. The flap you create is about 1/8 the total
height of the paper.
 |
| |
|
Step Six: Bottoms Up
Now we go back to the bottom of the rectangle
and fold up that bottom until it meets the flap at the top in step
5. |
| |
|
Step Seven: Lower that Top Down one Fold
Now fold the top down one notch further (on the
fold line you made in step 4) so it looks like this. It will overlap
a bit like a gum stick wrapper.
 |
| |
|
Step Eight: Fold the Top Half Backward
Flip that top section toward the back now. You
will see white instead of pattern along the top now. Unfold the
bottom half of the rectangle flat again so you can do the next
triangle folds.
 |
| |
|
Step Nine: Triangle Fold 1
Fold the top right corner down to the (step 8)
foldline. You should see a little triangle bit of the pattern paper
now in the white as shown here.
 |
| |
|
Step Ten: Triangle Fold 2
Make a matching one on the left side.
 |
| |
|
Step Eleven: Fold that Bottom Up Again
Now that the two triangles are made, fold up
that bottom again. It will look a little like a boxy ocean liner
boat at this point.
 |
| |
|
Step Twelve: Half way Horizontal
Fold the basic piece in half vertically
along the fold line created in step 3.
then flip it over. This is the completed
Basic Piece. You will need to go back to step 2 and create eight of
them in total
 |
| |
| The first basic piece folds may take you a few minutes to
master. but once you learn it, the other rectangles will go quickly.
After you learn it, you will be able to make the basic piece in
under a minute each. When you get eight identical pieces done,
you are ready to assemble the entire frame. |
| |
| Assembling the Basic 8 Pieces of the Star
Light Frame |
| |
|
Insert
Insert the edges of the second basic piece
into the top folds of the first. In my example below I am inserting
a pale polka dot pattern basic piece into a yellow basic piece. I
start pushing the edges of the second piece into the first one at an
angle. The second piece slips behind the white triangle and under
the pattern paper of the first piece. Don't force anything at
this point. You just want to get it started.
 |
| |
|
Snug
Now I push the second piece into the first a
little more snugly. Those little white triangles help guide
me. When the white triangles meet, I stop pushing. We will
make further adjustments later.
 |
| |
|
Keep Joining The Eight
Now I go on and continue adding my basic pieces
in the same manner. I insert piece 3 into piece 2 and so on around.
 |
| |
|
Joining the Last One
This can get a little tricky. I usually think
"Oh my how will it fit!" about this point. But it will. Go
gently and guide it along as you did the others. It may look a
little distorted or wavy like this at first.
 |
| |
|
Flatten
But just flatten it out by laying it on the
table surface and gently push on it from above and from the sides to
slightly get the pieces to settle into the right proportion.
 |
| |
|
You're DONE!! Hurray!
You can now either mat it....
or use it as is on a page. the 4x6 rectangles
make a mat that will fit a 2 inch photo. Be sure to use a page
protector over it so people don't try to take it apart and figure it
out! *smile*
 |
| |
|
After you master the Basic Piece fold for the
Star Light Frame, make a few more. They make great page
additions, hostess gifts for swaps, page challenge rewards, and
goodie bag items for cropping parties. Now that you know the basic
fold, you can create the larger frame for a 12x12 page too.
What a wonderful gift that would be for a grandmother or grandfather
set into a frame! Your scrapping buddies will want to know how
you did it! Everyone will ask you to teach them how to make
them!
You'll be a STAR! *smile* Let your star light shine for all
to see....and to fold!
Happy New Year!
Rockester |