Paper Gem DIY

We have seen a lot of geometric designs this year, in architecture and in interiors. We can see it in furniture, textiles, glassware, pottery, basically it's almost everywhere. So this Christmas, I would like to merge our holiday color theme with this trend.

I'm adding accents of these geometric gemstones on the mantel and coffee table perhaps. You can actually make more as these can also be used as a Christmas Tree ornament and so versatile that you can also use it even long after the Christmas season is over, during parties or simply to decorate a bookshelf.

Unlike the banner/bunting tutorial which is very easy to do, this will need craftier hands to execute. It took me at least 30 minutes to finish my first gemstone. I hope I'll get a little bit faster on the next templates. Also, I think those who have thinner fingers will find it easier to assemble and close the gems. (And that's me saying I'm not one of them.) If you want to try it out, here's a list of what you will need.

Materials:

Printed Paper Gem Templates
A4 Card Stock
Cutting Mat
Cutter
Scoring Tool (optional, I just used a regular ballpen to do the work)
Double-Adhesive Tape
Metal Ruler

*Choose a card stock that is neither too thick nor too thin. It'll be easier to fold and fasten it together when you have just the right thickness. 

Procedure:

1. If your card stock has a shiny texture (like mine), you might want to print the template on a piece of A4 paper first, and then tape it temporarily on the underside of the card stock before cutting. If not, you can directly print on the underside of your card stock and cut along the template lines carefully.

2. Once it is cut, score the lines so that it will be easier to fold the card stock. If you do not have a scoring tool, you can use a regular ballpen to trace the lines, leaving a groove for easy folding.

3. Assemble the gemstone by pasting the flaps together. I used double-adhesive tape so that it will have an instant bond. 

4. If you are going to use it as a Christmas Tree ornament or if you wish to hang it somewhere, make sure to add a string at the center top portion before closing it.

Here's the finished piece!

Now, I'm going to try the other shapes as well. Let's do this!