How-To: Paper Gift Bow In 4 Steps

     Hello again! I've always loved gift bows, so I thought I'd share how to make one out of paper! It was really fun, they took me around 15-20 minutes, and they are really cute!

Heres is what you will need:

• Paper. (I used scrapbook paper, but you could always use some newspaper or recycled stuff.)
• Some double-sided tape or scrap-booking dots. (I suppose you could use a glue stick.)
• A stapler. (I found this works best, but you could use the double-sided tape again, or even regular tape.)
• Scissors or a scrapbook cutter. (I used a scrapbook cutter because I love to cut things quickly, and even better, with a perfect, straight edge!)
• pencil
• ruler
• 15-20 minutes

    

 Step 1. Cut the paper into nine strips, 11inches tall and 3/4 an inch wide. Set three of the strips aside, these will be your full sized strips. Now, cut 1inch off of three of the strips and two inches off of two of the strips. The last one you have left will need to be cut to a length of 3 1/2inches tall. You should end up with three 11inch tall strips, three 10inch tall strips, two 9inch tall strips and one strip with the length of 3 1/2 inches.

Paper strips - Step one

   
     Step 2. Take each strip except the 3 1/2 inch strip. Fold them so that one folds from the left and one folds from the right. Staple in place. Take the 3 1/2 inch strip and tape it into a short cylinder. The picture will REALLY help this part.

Folded strips - Step two

     Step 3. Now, take your three largest folds and use the double-sided tape to stick them together. The first two should make the same angle as this symbol: >< Then, stick the third one smack-dab in the middle. This should make a little star shape, and the base for the bow. Now, grab your 10inch folds and repeat the steps. (These two stars should look like the picture for First two stars - Step three) Stick your last two folds (The smallest ones) in the shape of this symbol: + And put the Small, short cylinder in the middle. (It should look like the photo Single star - Step three)

Single star - Step three

First two stars - Step three

     Step 4. Stack all of the "stars" on top of one another with the double-sided tape. Stack them with the largest on bottom and then the smaller star, and then the star with the cylinder in it lastly. And... VIOLA!! I hope this article was helpful, and that you enjoy making stars. Thank you for visiting!

Enjoy!

Completed gift bow - Step four

Hello Again!

     Hey everyone! Thanks for visiting my blog. I'm currently working on a DIY project blog that I'll be posting soon. Keep checking in! Thanks, and if you have any opinions on what I should blog about, feel free to comment!
     -Maranda

Five Strange Plants And Flowers

         I was reading about plants and stumbled across some of these... I thought I'd share with you! Enjoy!

     1. The bleeding tooth fungus (Hydnellum peckii) also known as Devil's tooth or Strawberries 'n' cream, Is a small fungi most often found in Northern America. It resembles a bleeding tooth while young. It's said to have a peppery taste, and is inedible due to it's acidity. They remain whitish-cream while young and change to a brownish color in adulthood.

Bleeding Tooth Fungus. Photo by H. Krisp

     2. The Baobab tree (Adansonia grandidiers) Is a large tree, ranging from 80-100 feet in height, and grows in the south-western parts of Madagascar and flowers between may and august and the flowers smell like watermelons. Unfortunately the Baobab tree is endangered.

Baobab Tree. Photo by Leo Za1

     

3. The Hydnora Africana is a parasitic plant native to Africa. Its flower lies above ground and smells like feces (I recommend not sniffing it) to attract its pollinators. (Dung beetles and Carrion beetles) It then acts as a trap, so the beetle stays inside of the flower long enough to pick up the pollen.

Hydnora Africana. Photo by Lytton John Musselman

     

4. The Amorphophallus titanum, also known as the Corpse flower, is another flower I don't recommend smelling. It's the largest non-branched flower in the world, and it has the smell of a decomposing body. These stink-flowers can reach ten feet in height, (the largest recorded being 10ft 2.25in) and are native to Sumatra Indonesia.

Corpse Flower. Photo by Erin Kohlenburg

     5. The Lithops plant (Lithops leslier) is a species of succulents native to South Africa and Namibia. To avoid being eaten, the blend in with their surroundings, in other words... they look like rocks. They bloom yellow or white flowers in the fall.

Lithops Plant. Photo by Marie-Lan Nguyen

Do you know about any strange plants? Feel free to comment!