Monday, December 05, 2011

Paper Chain Zen Circles Christmas Garland

This year, I wanted to have a long term Christmas project that our family could work on in our off hours. When you've got a four-year-old yearning to play in his water logged sand box, you've got to have something up your sleeve.  So, we've spent the last few weeks creating a paper chain garland for our Christmas tree. I was inspired by this beautiful zen circle...

Red Zen Circle by Ren Adams


We painted our chain strips in a similar style.







Walker was sad that we didn't yet have a Christmas tree to hang it on.
Patience, baby, patience.  Nothing ever comes all at once.  Especially good things.



Wondering how to make one of these beauties for yourself?  
Here is a video of Walker (age 4) explaining the process to his Daddy.



Yesterday, we brought home our Christmas tree 
and were finally able to hang our garland. 



Charlie was mesmerized.


Did you make hand made Christmas garlands as a kid?  
What materials did you use?

9 comments:

  1. white collar | green soulDecember 5, 2011 at 7:16 AM

    Ooh, so fun!! I really love this idea!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Danielle Sigwalt InteriorsDecember 5, 2011 at 10:08 AM

    How fun and chic at the same time...nothing like the ones we made in school! So nice to see little Charlie is doing well..yippeeee! xx Danielle

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnnDecember 5, 2011 at 11:15 AM

    Aawww!
    You are the bestest mom!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alena: Oh, Its Just Perfect!December 5, 2011 at 12:20 PM

    So beautiful! What a wonderful craft for the whole family. We always did the popcorn garland and then ate most of it :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. jillDecember 5, 2011 at 6:54 PM

    I love it!
    We made garlands as kids out of construction paper, but they never made it on to my mums tree, I love that yours did, it's beautiful

    ReplyDelete
  6. MirandaDecember 6, 2011 at 6:20 AM

    Wonderful project, beautifully executed.

    When we were kids, after Thanksgiving we would make a paper ring garland that hung down from the ceiling. The garland had 25 rings. Starting on Dec. 1, each day we'd take a turn tearing off a ring, counting down the days until Christmas ... a variation on the advent calendar. It was wonderful to see that garland getting shorter and shorter.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Caitlin @ Hardly HousewivesDecember 6, 2011 at 5:58 PM

    this is really great! i'm pinning it for future children/future christmas trees!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Meera @ firstsenseDecember 7, 2011 at 9:27 AM

    This is a beautiful garland and even more charming after Walker explained how to make it :-) Too cute!!

    Meera xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousDecember 7, 2011 at 9:53 PM

    Well, these are great. When I was a kid here in Australia, we made paper dolls that were not very Christmassy at all in design but with green, red, gold and silver glitter added they had such a Christmassy effect once placed on the tree. A wonderful way to get back in touch with the simpler side of life.

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me happy!
I love hearing from you.