Stars to Greet the New Year

I think this may be my favorite project ever, partly because it turned out almost exactly as I pictured it, but mostly because it was a true collaboration with the whole family. Ian in particular likes to watch the spinning stars and ask, “Who made this one?” I can sometimes tell, and sometimes not.

The idea was inspired by the golden branch in this Living with Kids house tour.  I started with some poster board that we already had and traced a star-shaped cookie cutter. Simon and Ian decorated the stars  with silver and gold glitter and metallic Sharpies faster than I could cut them out. I sewed a few strands and hung them up, and I knew we were on the right track, but to achieve the look I wanted, we needed more! more! more! (This is the Anthropologie Theory, coined by the woman whose stars inspired this in the first place: “You know how Anthro can take even the simplest item [like a piece of plastic] that seems super cheap and not that great on its own, but then use it 500 times in a display and suddenly it’s stunning and you just love it?” So true.)

Jason and Clara joined our second round of decorating stars, and I kind of wandered back and forth from my sewing machine for the better part of the day — not that it took that long all told, it’s just I learned a long time ago to take a break from a project (especially sewing) when it stops being fun.

I’ve never been one to decorate for every holiday, but this was so much fun to do with the family that I’m already thinking about what we can do for President’s Day (just kidding, Jason, I’ll wait until at least Valentine’s Day before I make you craft again).