A few years ago, when we went for a drive down to the coast, and we stopped at a “ye cutie olde town shoppe”, which I promptly dragged the family into. I love looking in those shops, mainly because I get ideas of things I might like to make. Hanging up were a whole lot of embossed metal stars, strung together to make a garland. They looked so pretty and easy to make, and they were being sold for more money than I was prepare to part with, so I announced to CB that I was going to make some myself. CB is used to me seeing things I like, and announcing that I will have a go at making them, so he patiently waited while I had a closer look. A few minutes later, I announced that I thought they would be super easy to make, and that I needed to go to an art store next time we were in town. Turns out I was right. They are super easy to make, so have a go!
You will need:
- Craft aluminium – I got mine from an art supplies store. It is slightly thicker than an aluminium soft drink can but it is still pliable.
- A star shape printed on paper and cut out.
- Sharpie
- Scissors.
- Tea towel without a textured weave (the texture would affect the embossing)
- Lead pencil – not too sharp.
- Hole punch
- Twine to hang it with.
To make each star:
1. Trace a star onto the aluminium, and then cutting out the shape. Be careful, as the edge can be sharp. I cut just inside the sharpie line so that you cannot see the pen on the final star.
2. Once you have the cut out the star, place it on the teatowel, and gently run the ruler over the aluminium to flatten it. Press the ruler from the centre to the points.
3. Use a pencil with a rounded lead to press a pattern into the back of the aluminium. A ruler will help you get straight lines around the edges. Remember, if you are using letters, to make them mirror reversed so that they face the correct way on the front of the star. Abstract designs work well.
4. Use a hole punch to make a hole in the top of the star and then thread some twine through the hole to hang it with.
The stars are super easy to make, and once you have everything set up, they only take a few minutes each. I’m planning on stringing a whole lot around our veranda for Christmas day. I might even hang a few in the nearby trees.
Do you go shopping and find things you want to make yourself? Have you made any Christmas crafts yet?
They are pretty. I made knitted red pine trees and outlined them in dark green. I had been given hunreds of vintage buttons by a friend hose mum had been a dressmaker. I picked out several small pearly buttons for each tree and sewed them on as decoration. Then sewed trees evenly to a length of soft cord. They look very good on my front door, ttrees are about ten cm high. Perhaps a bit more.