It's a Party and You're Invited!

12.29.2010




You are cordially invited to attend a cyber party of the bloggers on the eve of the fresh beginning. This New Years Eve celebration, hosted by ring leader Boxer, offers an evening of great company, great drinks and food, fashion, games, events and fabulous prizes....and its all for a good cause with money earned by playing going to charity. At this party you can have drinks with your friends without facing a gauntlet of law enforcement on the way home and you will definitely find a good parking place. Plus, you'll avoid contact with carriers of holiday cold and flu cooties. And you can wear whatever you want.

Koby say she wanna go.

Every blogger in the Ring of Boxer is posting their own New Year's Eve celebration to link back with the host Boxer. When you visit these blogs you might find great recipes, astonishing photographs, jokes, quizzes and contests, open bars and on this blog, an art activity. This is something I know Boxer wants to learn.

Oh hell no. another garland?
 

You need to find two free hours and these supplies: a glue gun, or "Zots" those pre-fab glue dots on a roll. You also need scissors, some kind of string or heavy thread like embroidery floss, a bone or tool to use to crease paper, a stapler and a selection of decorative papers. If you have left over Christmas wrap this is a good way to use it. You also need to print the PDF below of the letters that spell Happy New Year and the rabbits that divide the words. (2011 is the year of the Rabbit)




Happy New Year

Cut all the letters out and fold them in half on the gray line. Now prep the other papers by folding a two inch strip into one inch and cut them into sections to make filler on either side of the letters. I used some patterned paper that i thought would look good with black and white and some gold cardstock. Other great options are kraft paper or even printing the PDF twice so your garland is all "happy new year". Really tricking it out might include printing small photos of your family or friends or chickens and incorporating them into the design.


Use something hard (like a folding bone or barware) to make really good creases on your folded paper so that they hang on the string straight. Now for the stars or flowers - the part Boxer wants to learn. Cut a perfect square. I will cut two 5" squares and two 4" squares for my garland.

  • Fold the square in half both ways so that when you open it up you see four even squares
  • Now fold the outer edge in so that it aligns with the middle fold.
  • Fold the outer edge in again. Flip the paper around and do the same thing on the other side.
  • Open the paper up and you will find 8 even sections to fold back and forth like an accordion with the decoration part facing out.
  • Staple the accordion on the middle fold going the other way.

  • Now take the stapled accordion and make sure the open part is facing to your right.
  • From the corner of the folded edge cut at a diagonal toward the staple and stop about a half inch before you reach it.
  • If you want a flower make the cut curved (as shown); for a star, cut a straight line

Open the star/flower up and glue the two sides together. This works best with a glue gun. If you are in a pinch, you can use a stapler or a Zot. It doesnt work with regular glue because the paper is being bent in a way it will work against. Now take the other squares you cut and make some more stars.


Now that you've made all the elements, you are ready to string the garland. Tie a loop at the end of the string and begin with a few of the folded squares. Open them up and give them a little zig-zag of glue that goes across the fold. Then take the hot gluey piece and fit the fold right on the string. Press it down good to make sure it doesnt slide along the string. When you get ready to add a star/flower, cut the string so that you can glue the end into the crease of one of the petals as shown above. Continue on the other side with the string glued to a petal fold. Make sure you have it on the exact opposite side or it won't hang right. Now just decide on how long you want it to be and string the garland so the "happy new year" part is situated in the middle. I usually make mine about 6' long which is good for fireplace mantles, windows, stairwells and pianos.



The garlands look good incorporated into your left-over Christmas decorations and on your tree. I have some stretched across an arched doorway between two rooms. Or you can just lay them out on a table.


************* ******************* ********************************

Now for the charity part. For every blogger that makes this garland, or any other hand crafted decoration that reads "Happy New Year" and posts a photograph of it on their blog, I will give $10 to my charity which is called "Heather". You must come to this blog and leave a message that says you posted this crafty project in order to win. We all know many good and well known charities that we could donate to. But I am often frustrated by the administrative costs and the slow trickle down to the ones that most need help. In this case, I am familiar with my charity and can give the money directly to her. Who is Heather? She is the assistant to the Director of the Arts Center of Blue Ridge. She is young and single and she is foster parenting four children ranging from 14 to infants on her modest salary. When I found out she was doing this during an event this fall I was blown away by her selflessness and sweet natured attitude toward the hardship of it, because the stipend she gets from the state for the childrens' care is a joke. I plan to give Heather a minimum in case you all peter out on me and make nothing - but if you DO make something, Heather will get more. So mix yourself a cocktail if it helps, put on some music, get a snack and sit down to a crafty New Year's Eve eve.

*bonus: first person to find Coco in this post will win a photoshop tribute to appear on this blog New Years Eve.

33 comments:

  1. I love the garland! Will see if I can get something made! I needed a good project! And is that Coco on the computer screen behind the doggy's ear??? Is that Koby? I can't tell your doggies apart since they reached the same height. Merry New Year and what a great charity you have identified.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow!!!!!!!!

    I love this.

    Love/love/love.

    AND,I'm so glad you put this up today because my plan for Friday afternoon?

    Vodka. Glue Gun. Scissors. Vodka. Garland. String. Vodka.

    And (like Troll) I'm awarding a prize early (because who cares what day it is!)

    BEST DIY PROJECT.

    It will be a pleasure to send your charity some $$$.

    xoxoxo. Happy New Year!

    Weeeeeeeee

    ReplyDelete
  3. COCO.....is in the last photo, upper left side. Of course with a Santa Hat on.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Will have to get out the good paper...since I have no Christmas paper, new or left over. I love the stars.

    ReplyDelete
  5. dang! Shamy beat me to Coco--that I seen afore I saw yore question --drat!

    Yeah, uh...nice IDEA ChicK9, but glue guns an tipsy folks? THose will be SOME kinda garlands--cain't wait!

    ReplyDelete
  6. gorgeous photos as always. i've always wanted to know how to make your stars, so thanks for posting that.
    since this summer i've become a bit wary of glue guns.
    i had an unfortunate incident that involved my fingers and legs ... long story, only clutzy i could achieve it. but, i was in some pretty bad pain for several hours.

    i'll probably be in and out new years eve. the husband is working new years eve ... it's what happens when you are in the food and drink business. i'm still trying to decide how sociable i want to be. that bartender there makes a mean chocolate martini though. i might go just for that .. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your creativity is stunning and it's a great charity choice. Will try to attempt something but my rabbits (and dogs and bears and...) often more closely resemble cats.

    Happy New Year to you and yours.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Go, Shamu! I will do something crafty if Troll's bottle-catching game doesn't steal my soul entirely.

    Girl, you better be wearing that snake and fur ensemble or I'm going to snatch it from you. J'adore.

    Your charity is perfect. Bless her.

    ReplyDelete
  9. amazing and wonderful, sugar! happy new year ;~D xoxox

    ReplyDelete
  10. pam: i hope you do! they really are lovely and a nice home made decoration. I also made another one, its in champagne colors, but i thought "thats a lot of printer ink" so i posted the black and white one instead. But i have one that makes bigger letters -but you have to print it twice. The first dog is Koby and the second is Trout. I really like that photograph of Koby - theres some arty qualities to the new camera i really like. but i just dont know how to get there everytime and its frustrating. Merry New Year to you too and i hope to see you many times over the party hours. as boxer would say

    "weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee'

    boxer: if you plan to drink why crafting, do the cutting first. grrherhahaha. No, yours will be great no matter what. Be sure to personalize yours with Coco photos. I might make one with all those baby chick photos i have.

    yes, Heather is an amazing young woman. I saw her the day of the Christmas parade with all her foster kids...i think at least two of them are from one mom who was on Meth when they were born. WOuld you step forward to take that on? I would not. But Heather did. Its just...good

    ReplyDelete
  11. shamy: ding ding ding! YOU are the winner of the first of several prizes to be awarded over the Boxer Party period. YOU will be highlighted on NYE with great fanfare. Congratulations. and, i hope you do make a NYE decoration - after seeing your dead squirrel and chicken feeder light - i know to expect something highly original.

    aunty: well, look at it this way - some people wont have to worry about what to wear - they will have glued an outfit on. grrrrrherhaha

    er, did you check out my outfit? (from red link in first paragraph? I might need to have it 'taken in" a bit, but it'll work)

    ReplyDelete
  12. foamer: i hear ya. I have a few permanent burn marks..but lets dont scare everybody! Its just like any firearm-observe safety rules and keep a cool hand and head. I might have to go out on the earlier part of the evening -hope not. I just hate being out on that night. Maybe you could take some of your artful photos and show us how it "looks out there". an onsite report? Got a smart phone? upload that stuff!

    Troll: you just click on "print" on that posted PDF and the wabbits are already there. but remember, the offer is that ANY hand made new years eve decoration wins 10 for Heather. But it MUST be hand made and it MUST be posted to your blog. I finally got the game to load...it was hard with the touchpad..im going to try it with my pen tool at the studio and see...i did okay but not great. and yeah, its way fun.

    ReplyDelete
  13. troll: forgot to say:

    HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! *HONK HONK*

    Moi: thank you for noticing my snake and fur get-up. Isnt it groovy? This is what i plan to wear to command the western resistance of the North Georgia Mountains Liberation Front. Inspiring!

    savannah: Hey there sugah!! I know that NYE in savannah will be awesome. are you going out? good food is a no brainer there. Im coming over today to see what you have going on. Thank you for stopping by and i hope to see you at Boxers! HNY!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hey Trout - you look good in garland.

    ReplyDelete
  15. My first comment is no longer here. wtf?

    ReplyDelete
  16. WOW ! amazing eh ? (from les Canadian)
    Holy Darn Coco !!
    I spied her instantly
    I "do" have the cold/flu cooties
    My glue gun is AWOL
    "but" I'll see what "we" (me and those crazy creative cats) can come up with

    thank you merci
    for the most excellent, multi use, banner, star tutorial
    xoxoxo, les Gang

    ReplyDelete
  17. ADORABLE DOG and what a cute idea this is. Thank you for inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
  18. ALERT:

    i just checked my email to find Xl was the first to post and the first to identify Coco's photograph. SO the WHITE CAT will also have a photoshop tribute on NYE.

    I dont know what happened to your comment, cat!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I see your name on the list of

    "Do Not Chomp Wire."


    Whew. Good think I checked.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Love the garland! Gonna start going through my paper stash later this afternoon.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hey, I don't want you to work overtime so if she was first, that's cool with me. The tribute can be all hers.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh, thank you. I suspect it was Blogger/Google evilness at play!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Chickory, I saw this post last night after my class and thought to myself, Dang, that gal is clever! LOVE your idea! Not sure if we'll be around or not but I am going to do these stars....(eventually!) Thanks for a great idea and for your kindness towards Heather. People like her just blow me away by their generosity and spirit.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Coco: way better than that halloween get-up.

    xl: i found it! you WIN!

    susan: i send you my sympathies there is nothing i hate more than the dread cold! horrible. do the neti pot a few times a day. really helps. and feel better. dont craft if ya feeling peekid.

    Happy New Year to you and les gang!

    bambi: thank you. and i am so sorry about your mother!

    Private Nutz: im still in it to win it. (the pecan roll)

    Dani: oh do! id love to see what you make. Happy New Year. its the year of the chicken (only for us though)

    shamu: no. too late. i already have something for you...but its not a photochoppy. its better. i went on a foodie field trip today.

    xl: the NSA.

    la diva: what class? the one you taught on fabulousness? theres no doubt you will be out on NYE - if you do -take lots of pictures. i always loved your farmers market reports. and now a potential report on NYE tropicale. thanks about Heather. she is something else.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I have made garland! Bwahahahahahaha!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I bought stuff to make garland. yay!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Would you accept a garland of song? I have a medley of old Hawaii standards-style songs that I could interpolate "Happy New Year" into and post it. It wouldn't be a craft garland, but you wouldn't want to see a craft garland I made...

    Lovely idea, and beautiful garlands! I'd like to contribute in a way that would really, err, contribute, and I sing much better than I craft. Possible?

    ReplyDelete
  28. OK well, you don't know me but hopefully Shamy will vouch for my bona fides, and I've decided to go ahead and submit my garland in the form of a garland of song. I posted it on my blog already, since I get readers from a variety of time zones (and I myself am in a wonky one): http://makingspacethejourneyout.wordpress.com/2010/12/30/happy-new-year/ I hope that this offering meets the spirit, if not the letter, of the challenge, and that Heather can be helped a bit more with this garland of song.

    Blessings to you and yours this new year and beyond. And may Heather feel the warmth coming to her from all over, even halfway 'round the world.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Mah black-eyed peas is set to soakin' Pup. will cook'em tomorry wif hawg jowls--cause them RODENTs ain't managed to chomp so much as one bag of Pork Rinds. Heh.

    ReplyDelete
  30. OK deary! I made my garland and a photo is posted over on my blog. When the family wakes up they are going to think I'm nuts! HA!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Geat Garlands Galore!
    The party started yesterday?????
    OMG, I was out of town for the day, yada, yada so I must work hard at catching up!

    LOVE the garland tutorial, will try to get to that today/tonight.
    Coco is in the last image.
    Trout, the decorated one, has my sympathies. Again.
    I might have to start a charity:
    "Dignity4Trout.com"

    Happy Last Day f 2010

    ReplyDelete
  32. I order to prove that even the artistically challenged can do this craft, I took a shot at it
    Here.

    This is one of the more interesting party challenges.

    Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Thinking of Heather these 3 years later on the start of another new year. Wishing her the best in all things.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

 

© chickory All rights reserved . Design by Blog Milk Powered by Blogger