Word of the Week
Infinite (in-fuh-knit): Endless or limitless possibilities, coming from the Latin words in, meaning "not" and finitis, meaning "finished."
Boo!
Paper chains are one of those simple childhood activities that nearly everyone remembers. But what do you really know about them?
First seen in the 1850's, they were used as decorations for Christmas trees. An economical way to add some charm to the holidays, they also filled the hours with a project that the entire family could participate in. Those early paper chains were often constructed by cutting or folding newspaper. . .recycling at its best!
Paper chains today are as varied as the people that create them. Think of all the options we have at our fingertips. We can use newspaper, old magazine pages, scrap paper, construction paper, origami paper, wrapping paper. . .basically anything that can be cut into strips!
How you design and utilize your paper chain is another choice that will make your project unique. Are you creating for fun, to show progress towards a goal, or as a countdown to something special?
Trying to read 100 books? Create a reading chain and add a link for every book you read. You could even write the book title on each link you add if you like! Are you anxiously awaiting a special visit from Grandma? Make a countdown chain, start with a link for each day until she arrives. Each day, remove one link and you'll be able to "see" her visit approaching. Talk about endless activities!
Join me and create a paperchain ghost to spice up your Halloween, just for fun! There isn't a whole lot to it. Cut a bunch of white paper into equal strips. You can use a glue stick (or a stapler with adult supervision) to create your circles for the chain. First create a long chain. Grab it by the middle and build more chains off of the center to create your ghost shape. Cut black paper to create the ghost's eyes and mouth and glue onto the existing white paper links! That's it! The final products will each be unique, with infinite possibilities.
Don't forget to find the perfect place to hang your spoooooky creation!
Happy crafting. Stay kind. . .
Gram