5 Accordion Crafts with Astrobrights

  

BY LYNN LILLY
  Craft Box Girls

Happy National Craft Month! This month is a time to celebrate creativity and get inspired to make something! Whether you are a beginner or expert crafter, paper crafting can be an art that everyone can enjoy! Today I am sharing 5 different beginner crafts you can make by starting with an accordion fold. These are great for a craft night or a parent and me craft! Astrobrights has a variety of paper packs to create with, but for these projects I absolutely loved the Interstellar Pinks, Galactic Blues and Solar Sparks packs. They were the perfect bright colors for these spring crafts! 

Materials:

• Astrobrights Interstellar Pink Paper Pack
• Astrobrights Galactic Blues Paper Pack
• Astrobrights Solar Sparks Paper Pack
• Scissors
• Paper Adhesive
• Hot Glue Gun & Glue
• Pipe Cleaner
• Googley Eyes 
• Ribbon
• Wood Craft Sticks

Directions:

Project 1: Pinwheel

If you are making a small pinwheel, you will need two sheets of paper. If you are making a larger pinwheel, you need four sheets of paper.

1. For a smaller pinwheel start folding on the 8.5” side of the paper. Fold the end over about ½”-1”. Flip over and fold back ½” -1”. Continue folding forward and backward until you get to the end of the paper. 

2. Fold it in half and use the hot glue gun to glue it together. 

3. Repeat set 1-2 for the second piece of paper. 

4. Glue the two pieces together and stretch to form a circle and glue together.

If you started folding on the 11” side you will need to repeat steps 1-2 3 additional times. 

Project 2: Banner

For the banner you can make it as long as you want it. Each piece of paper is a link in the banner. 

1. Start folding on the 8.5” side of the paper. Fold the end over about ½”-1”. Flip over and fold back ½” -1”. Continue folding forward and backward until you get to the end of the paper. 

2. Repeat step 1 for each piece of paper. 

3. Glue each piece together alternating one facing up and one facing down.  

Project 3: Butterfly

1. Start folding on the 8.5” side of the paper. Fold the end over about ½”-1”. Flip over and fold back ½” -1”. Continue folding forward and backward until you get to the end of the paper. 

2. Fold a second sheet of paper starting on the 11” side. 

3. Using a scissor round the edges of each accordion.

4. Glue the two pieces together. Center the shorter piece on the longer piece. 

5. Wrap a pipe cleaner around the center and twist in place. Use your finger or a pencil to curl the antennas. 

6. Add googley eyes.

7. Pull out the wings. 

Project 4: Flower

For my flowers I did a multiple color flower. You will need 4 sheets of paper. 

1. Start folding on the 8.5” side of the paper. Fold the end over about ½”-1”. Flip over and fold back ½” -1”. Continue folding forward and backward until you get to the end of the paper. 

2. Fold it in half and use the hot glue gun to glue it together. 

3. Repeat step 1-2 for the remaining 3 pieces of paper. 

4. Use the scissors to round the edges of the accordions. 

5. Glue all for accordions together in a circle. 

6. Use a cup or something round to trace a circle. 

7. Cut and glue in the center of the flower. 

8. Cut a stem and glue to the flower. 

9. If you want your flower to be stiff and more easily displayed, glue a dowel to the back of the stem. 

Project 5: Hand Fan

1. Start folding on the 8.5” side of the paper. Fold the end over about ½”-1”. Flip over and fold back ½” -1”. Continue folding forward and backward until you get to the end of the paper. 

2. Fold it in half and use the hot glue gun to glue it together. 

3. Repeat step 1-2 for the remaining 2 pieces of paper. 

4. Glue all three pieces together but do not connect them. 

5. Glue a large craft stick to the end of each pinwheel. 

6. When you pull them together this will make the perfect fan! 

7. Use a ribbon to tie the sticks together and keep it open. On the flip side when you want to keep it closed use the ribbon to keep it closed!