Paper Bird

Teaching my daughter to make an origami paper bird was getting tiresome. She wanted to make a bird with different colours and was continuously trying to make it fly! So, I changed the approach and deviced a simpler method to let her enjoy making this dual coloured paper bird with outstretched wings. She was elated that Mumma was borrowing some of her stationery to make this adorable piece of craft with her.

Things we need to make the paper bird are -

1. Craft paper (different colours)
2. Sketch pens
3. Pencil
4. A pair of scissors
5. Glue
6. Some thread
7. A jar lid / or some round object like a bowl etc to make a circle on the paper
8. Pin or a needle for piercing

Take a craft paper of your choice and make a circle on it. I have used a jar lid for making a perfect circle. Cut it out nicely.

Fold it in half and place it at the edge of the second craft paper of a contrasting colour. Now draw the outline carefully and cut. This is the wing.

Cut the tail and the beak also. For the tail, take a paper strip and fold it in the middle. Draw the outline as shown and cut it. For the beak cut a small triangle and fold it in the center.

 We have four pieces. I have cut out the wings, tail and the beak from the same craft paper for contrasting effect.

Stick the beak first, inside the fold of the body.

Then let's glue the tail on the other end of the body. First fold the tail piece in the centre and make a crease. Open it and carefully paste it in between the fold of the body by applying some glue. No need to close the edges of the tail. Only, stick the edge of the semi-circle to close it, like this -

The body is ready. After letting it dry for a few minutes, take a sketch pen and draw the eyes, on both sides. You can use goggly eyes as well if your young sweetheart likes a dramtic effect  :)

Now set the body aside and let's make the wings. Take the semi-circle piece of craft paper we cut earlier, and fold it in the middle to make a crease. Open it and draw a few curves on the straight edge.

Cut those curves just about and not too deep towards the center. The top side should look like this -

Apply some glue in the ridge of the fold on the reverse side of the wing and paste it on top of the body as depicted in the pic.

Let it dry. Use a pin or a needle to pierce a hole though the wing and body in the center at the top edge.

Insert the thread through this hole and secure by tying a knot. Cut the thread to desired length.

Fold the wings upwards to make them outstretched and the bird appears to be flying. Make some more of these winged birds in varied colours and let you little one hang them in the places they like and enjoy their  play  :)

Crepe Paper Bow (Party Decor)

This one is a simple yet elegant Birthday party decoration idea.

Things required

1. Colourful crepe paper
2. Glue
3. A pair of scissors

Take a crepe paper of your choice. Cut a strip about 4" or 5" inches broad and 10" in length. Cut a smaller 1.5" broad strip of a different colour and 3" in length.

Take the bigger strip and fold one end gently towards the center and paste it in place.

Make sure the loop is not creased. Fold the other end and paste it in center.

Pinch and fold in the center and paste to form a bow.

Take the small crepe paper strip and glue one edge at the center and fold it around to form a narrow loop. Secure the open end with the glue. And the bow is ready.

Cut a couple of more 1.5" broad crepe paper strips of different colours. Stick one end of each strip at the bow, like this

Twist the strips around each other as shown in the pic

Do it till the desired length and secure the end with glue. Make a few more.

Use them as party decor along with balloons as I have done here :)

Colourful Paper Fish (Origami)

Drawing and colouring a fish is one of the first things that a child learns. Let's try and make it a bit more interesting by making a simple paper fish. This origami piece requires the following things -

1. Craft paper
2. Water colour pens
3. Glue
4. Outliners (Optional)

Take a craft paper of your choice. It needs to be a square piece.

Fold it in half.

 Make a crease and open it. Now fold it diagonally to form a triangle.

Make a crease and open the fold. Do it again with the remaining two sides. So that when you open the folds, the creases should form an "X" and your paper should look like this with all the creases -

Now push the vertical fold in and press the edges to form a triangle.

So let's make the tail fin. For that, fold the upper tip of the paper from the centre point but a little away from the center line. 

Stick this fold to hold it in place. And then fold the other side on top of it and stick it. Make sure both the folds overlap each other snugly for a neat look.

Turn over and you can see the basic shape.

Make the eyes, mouth and the fins using the water colour pens. You can use glitter pens as well.

Add some colourful designs to complete the look. I have used some outliner colours to give it a funky look.