Friday, 19 December 2025

The Silent Stars Go By

Often I will make a special tree decoration to mark the year - the year of lockdown, the year of the Raised Bed, etc. This has been The Year Of The Kitchen. I had a whole stack of IKEA instruction booklets - every item comes with its own A4 manual, about 8 pages long with pictures of how to assemble the flatpack furniture. I had a crazy idea about some sort of paper sculpture decoration.
Using my die cut machine, I produced lots of 3" circles, and carefully folded and glued a 'honeycomb' ball. But although it was suitably round, the honeycomb turned out very uneven and I was unhappy with it. I found a pattern for folding a 5 pointed star. This proved much better.

I found an excellent online TUTORIAL , offering both words, diagrams and a video - so you could choose which instructions suited you best. You begin with some very clever folding of a square of paper, and then make one cut, which gives you a perfect pentagon. This is then folded into a pretty star. 

Whilst watching University Challenge, I folded my stars. I've given them a thin coat of PVA solution to protect and stiffen them, and help them stay folded. I have chosen the best one to hang on the tree. On some you can read the different languages, on this one you can see screwdrivers and hammers!
I may add this line to my 'reworked carol lyrics' collection
"Westward leading, still proceeding
Folding the Kitchen Star"







22 comments:

  1. I made a gazillion paper stars during the Christmas Lockdown, it was very calming. But what to do with them? I hot-glued them onto embroidery floss and strung them here there and everywhere. My flat looked like it had been invaded by giant - if rather artistic - spiders.

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    1. My Practice stars are just in a basket with the Christmas cards

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  2. I loved making magazine stars last year but these involved 5 bits of paper. Please can you WhatsApp the Video you used, I would love to try these!
    I think that's very innovative of you!!
    On the subject of reworking Christmas carols, Classic FM posted a hilarious, "Change one letter of a Christmas Carol title to ruin it!" It was naughty but the ideas people left were hilarious! If you don't think you'd be offended, I'll WhatsApp screenshot to you x

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    1. Sorry, link to tutorial didnt post properly. I have amended post now (check TUTORIAL) Please do WhatsApp me the carol thing

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    2. If you Google 'Mind Origami Stars' there is a worksheet explaining how to make them.

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  3. Sarah Davies (Dragons Den) was on yesterday making cardboard stars! She reminded me of a disciplinary Brown Owl! I switched over! Does that mean if we don't watch Nigella, Kirsty, Jamie et al, our Christmasses will be ruined??!!!I think not.

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    1. I tell myself "this was filmed in July. It is fake snow. They have a team of elves to help with cleaning up. That isnt their home/ kitchen . That piece of beef cosg £50. It is all so unreal. My Christmas is being with people i love, laughing and appreciating the things that matter"

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    2. I tell myself "this was filmed in July. It is fake snow. They have a team of elves to help with cleaning up. That isnt their home/ kitchen . That piece of beef cosg £50. It is all so unreal. My Christmas is being with people i love, laughing and appreciating the things that matter"

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  4. Thank you for sharing the video about how to make the stars. Might be something to try. :)

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  5. Love your use of scrap paper to make Christmas decorations. Will keep in mind for next year! Thank you. Catriona

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    1. ⭐⭐⭐I wanted to use something kitchen related!⭐⭐⭐

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  6. Would be a nice idea for those people who made them and don't know what to do with them to include a star in some Christmas cards . This year I got a flat folded bell instead of a card from someone, greetings written on the bell.
    JanF

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  7. What a brilliant idea to commemorate the Year of the Kitchen. I may have to make some 'stars' for my tree next year. :-)

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    1. If you move house, you could use flyers from the removal company!

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  8. I like how your star turned out. I have a bookmark section of crafts, with some paper star tutorials but so far I haven't tried any!

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  9. I've hung the tiny little cross stitch postcard you sent me on the tree,brought back memories of our first collaboration. So pleased to see it again!

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    1. Your sparkly green tree against the golden curtain reminds me of a Klimt painting

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