let's get crafty: paper ornaments

After we posted about our crafty evening with Mark Montano, we got a few requests from people wanting to know how to make the super cute paper ornaments we showed. Without further ado, here's a quick, easy tutorial for making the cutest paper ornaments in 10 easy steps!

• 16 strips of paper cut to 6 inches long by 3/4 inches wide

• thin wire (picture hanging or jewelry wire will work)

• drinking straw

• needle nose pliers/wire cutters

• 2 small beads

• hole punch for 1 inch diameter circles

1. Cut a 4 inch length of wire, using the needle nose pliers, bend one end of the wire around one of the small beads

2. Punch out two circles using your hole punch, then poke a small hole in the center of each. (A sewing needle or safety pin works great for poking the holes).

3. Slide one of the holes onto the end of the wire, colored side facing out.

4. Using the needle or safety pin, poke a small hole onto both ends of all 16 strips of paper. Place the hole as far toward the edge of the paper as possible, we recommend about 1/8"

5. Slide all 16 pieces of paper onto the wire, colored side facing out.

6. Cut a 3 inch piece of straw and place it onto the wire. This will help keep the shape of your ornament.

7. Take the strip of paper on the very bottom of the pile (it should be the first piece of paper you placed onto the wire) and bring it up to the top of the wire, sliding the top hole over the top edge of the wire. Note: It's very important that you always take the strip of paper from the bottom of the pile.

8. Continue taking strips one at a time and placing them over the top edge of the wire. Again, always grab the strip of paper that is on the bottom of the pile.

9. Push the paper tightly against the edge of the straw. Then, take the second circular hole punch and place it over the wire.

10. Place the second small bead on top of the ornament and use your pliers to bend the wire into a small loop. You'll use this loop to hang the ornament on the tree.

And there you have it! Play around with color and pattern combinations as much as you'd like to create a fun mix of ornaments for your holiday decor!