How to...make awesome paper snowflakes

This one's for you, Eliz... :)

I originally wanted to finish this post sooner, but I think my timing is quite perfect.  Snowflakes aren't for Christmas, they're for Winter (or Halloween this year).  I'm hoping we have much more snow ahead of us in the next few months.  Until then, why don't you enjoy this quiet holiday week by relaxing at home in front of the fire with a warm drink and a stack of paper-- ready to decorate your house with AWESOME PAPER SNOWFLAKES?  You're finished with the holiday hubbub- so here's a wintry craft how-to.

What you'll need:

Paper (any size, color, quality- though regular computer paper weight is easiest to fold & cut)
Scissors
String and/ or tape for displaying these beauties

The paper can be any size, but it MUST be a square.  Fold the bottom right corner up to the left side, crease the diagonal edge and cut off the excess...

Turn the fold so it's facing you and the point is away from you.  Then, fold the triangle in half horizontally like so...

So you don't end up with a square snowflake, you will next fold the triangle into thirds (so the paper is in sixths)  Keep the point where it is and fold the sides in toward the center...

And cut the uneven part off the top...

Cut from the point to make a design in the center, the top for the outer edge, and both sides for the main part of the snowflake...

Then unfold!

The fun thing is, you never really know what you'll get.  I didn't plan on making that star pattern throughout this- I love it!  Every snowflake is unique :)

Try using different size squares to have a variety of snowflake sizes.  And/ or some sweet colored/ textured paper- I love metallic paper.  I didn't have any this time, but I did use silver thread to hang them in my kitchen...

Have fun!!  I would love to see pictures of your creations when you're finished!

xo,
N