Ambitious but committed

Ok so I didn't start off March by posting our first craft for our Create it Today section. But I am renewing my commitment today. I thought this was a great project and so many people admire the paper stars that are hanging in the store..I thought this might be fun. This comes from HGTV. We've made these and their great. The proportions are easy and they've been really fun once you get the hang of connecting the individual arms of the stars.

Hanging Paper Star Lantern:
Project designers: Holly Christian, HGTV Ideas magazine
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_occasions_other/article/0,,HGTV_3478_1383819,00.html

Materials:

paper
pencil or marker
scissors
straightedge
glue stick or liquid  glue and foam brush
large-eye needle
string
string of holiday lights or  or light fixture
small binder clips
hole punch (round, star, heart, etc.)
two  small pieces of lightweight cardboard
18-gauge galvanized wire
wire snips and  needlenose pliers

Steps:

1. Copy the template and cut it out. 

2. Trace the template onto chosen paper. Each pattern piece will be folded to become one of the three-dimensional points of the star. Trace the pattern five times for a five pointed star, six for a six-pointed star and so on.

3. Carefully cut out.

4. Lightly draw the fold lines on the side of the pattern piece that will become  the interior of the star. 

5. To ensure that the star points fit together correctly, crease the pattern pieces at the fold lines as exactly as possible. A straightedge held along each fold line is helpful. Fold the two narrow flaps that are adjacent to each other to the outside of the piece. Crease all the other fold lines by folding to the inside of the piece .

6. To glue each star point together, first smooth the piece flat with the exterior side facing up. Apply glue to the single connecting flap (figure A). Turn the piece over and fold the piece with the glue-applied flap to the middle vertical line. Fold the opposite piece over and press in place on the glued edge (figure  B).

7. Glue all the star points together as above and allow to dry.

8. Use a hole punch to perforate the star points to allow light to shine through  the star when lit. 

9. Assemble the star flat, with the connecting flaps of each star point glued to the corresponding edge of the next point. Then carefully open. Arrange the first star point with the flapped edge facing up and the flaps at the top (figure C). Apply glue to the exterior side of the flaps. Place the second star point on top of the first one in the same position, align the top edges and fold the glued flaps of the first starpoint to the inside of the second starpoint (figure D). Hold  the corners together with clips.  

10. Use the same method to glue each star point to the one below it. 

11. Glue the flaps of the top star point to the inside.

12. When all the glue has dried, carefully spread the points of the star to open it. Glue a small piece of lightweight cardboard on the interior of each side of the opening to reinforce string ties. Use a large-eye needle to attach the string to each side.

13. Fit the paper star around the light source and tie the opening together.

Follow this link for the paper star pattern Star Pattern