Recreate the tradition of receiving a beautiful flower lei in Hawaii by designing pretty paper versions at home. Let your kids help with this simple craft, then wear the colorful necklaces during your next backyard luau or hula dancing session.
Instructions
1. Cut a piece of string, yarn, jute or ribbon to serve as the base of the lei. Measure before cutting to ensure you'll be able to slip the necklace over your head without untying it.
2. Gather a bag of large plastic beads to use as spacers between the paper flowers. If you don't have beads on hand, use dry macaroni or make spacers by trimming drinking straws into one-inch pieces. Be sure you cut the straws straight across so they won't have pointed edges that the children might cut their fingers on.
3. Select cardstock or patterned paper to create the flowers for the lei. Choose sheets with vibrant colors, designs and textures. Check your local scrapbooking store for paper in a Hawaiian theme as an appropriate touch.
4. Use flower-shaped jumbo paper punches to make the flowers or trace flower-shaped cookie cutters onto the paper and cut each one with scissors. Younger children can simply tear circle shapes out of cardstock and the uneven edges will make them resemble wild flowers.
5. Punch holes in the center of all the flowers using a hole punch that's ? inch or smaller, depending on the width of your ribbon or string.
6. Tie a knot at one end of the ribbon and begin constructing your lei. Thread a paper flower, then a piece of straw or a bead. Thread a flower in a different color or texture for variety, then another straw or bead. Repeat the process until the ribbon is completely covered. Knot the two ends of the ribbon or string together to secure the lei.
Tags: ribbon string, straw bead