A generation ago, it might have been popcorn and cranberries, but this year I looked to nontraditional materials to handcraft some holiday cheer. I took three everyday items:

• holiday catalogs from the mail,
• aluminum soda cans and
• plastic water and soda bottles

and gave them a second life to deck the halls. They make cheery garlands for the
tree or mantel, and two of these projects are weatherproof and can be used as
outdoor decorations.

No need to be a master crafter to create these, so let’s get started, with Holiday Catalog Origami Garland:

Materials and Tools:

• A standard 8 x 10″ catalog
• Yarn or string
• Scissors
• A large craft needle

Instructions:
For this garland, you’ll make one origami star from one page of the catalog, then string them together.

1. Since most origami patterns start with a square piece of paper, trim the catalog page to make an 8″ square. Then fold the square in half and cut into two pieces.

2. Papercrafty.com has published excellent directions to make each star, so follow the folding steps you’ll find on Papercrafty here. If you need more detailed help, do a Google search for Ninja Star Origamiand you’ll find some visual how-to’s on YouTube.

3. I’ve found it takes about a minute to fold each star, and when you have made a dozen or so, you can start to string them into a garland. Thread the craft needle with yarn or string, then run it through the center fold of each star.

4. Ready for decorating, these origami stars make great individual ornaments, too!

Diana Durkes is a creative recycler and a confessed alley shopper. She gives a makeover to one found item each week, and publishes the before & after on her blog, Fine Diving.