Hanging Ball Made With Old Cards

Take 20 used Christmas card (or any other card) fronts and cut out 4 inch circles. Using a triangle template, fold the edges of the circles up to form flaps. Glue the flaps together, add a hanging ribbon and you have an 8" decorative ball.

Approximate Time: 1-2 hours -- longer with young children

Supplies:

• 20 used Christmas card fronts
• cardboard
• regular scissors
• pinking shears
• glue
• paper clips (optional)
• large binder clip (optional)
• ribbon or yarn

Instructions:

Preparation:

1. With regular scissors, cut a 4 inch circle and a 3-7/16 inch equilateral triangle on sturdy cardboard (not corrugated). Using these dimensions will make a ball about 8 inches in diameter. Any other size circle will work - just make the equilateral triangle so that it fits inside the circle with all three points touching the edge of the circle.
2. Select 20 Christmas card fronts that are all about the same thickness of card stock and at least one-fourth inch wider than the diameter of the cardboard circle.
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3. Place the cardboard circle on a Christmas card front and cut around it with pinking shears. So that the circles are uniform, try to get as close as possible to the cardboard circle's edge without cutting into the cardboard. I use a binder clip to hold the cardboard circle and Christmas card securely - it's easier on my hand. You could also use other craft scissors that cut other patterns such as small scallops.

 
4. Divide the card circles into two groups of ten.
5. Take each card from the first pile and center the cardboard triangle with one of the points up (pointing away from you); fold the exposed edges upward to form three flaps.
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6. Do the same with the second group of ten, but place the triangle with one of the points down (pointing toward yourself).

Assembly:

1. The ball is made in three parts - a top "cap", a middle band, and a bottom "cap". As you are assembling the ball, make sure all the pictures are in the same direction. Paper clips are handy to hold the flaps together while the glue sets.
2. To make the top "cap" of the ball, take five cards from the first group that were folded with the triangle point up and glue the side flaps together. Set aside.
3. To make the bottom "cap" of the ball, take five cards from the second group that were folded with the triangle point down and glue the side flaps together. Set aside.

 
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4. To make the middle band or ring, take the remaining ten cards and glue the side flaps together, alternating those that were folded with the triangle point up with those that were folded with the triangle point down. Set aside.
5. Cut a length of ribbon or yarn to use for hanging the ball. Glue one end to a small piece of cardboard. Thread the other end through the hole in the center of the top "cap".
6. Place the top "cap" on the middle band and glue the flaps together where they meet. Attach the ball's bottom under the middle band and glue those flaps together.
7. If you used paper clips, remove them carefully to avoid tearing the points around the circles.
8. In order to find the best part of the picture to cut out a circle, cut out a sample circle using scrap paper. Lay this over the card front before cutting and move it around to see how the circle will look.
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9. Make interesting groupings by varying the length of ribbon or make various size balls. Use Christmas cards that have the same theme - all Santas, all wreaths, all one color, etc. Make a ball from other greeting cards - Easter, birthday, flowers.

By Linn VW from York, PA