I have been making paper snowflakes my entire life, from the time I was old enough to use a scissors, I have enjoyed this craft. But today, as me and the children sat around making paper snowflakes, it was sweet Mickey who taught us a brand new technique! It is like a 3-D asian/origami looking effect that is so so gorgeous. I will get some pictures up as soon as possible (the software that links my digital camera to my computer doesn't work.) to show this great effect!
You see, we are deeply devoted to the idea of NOT having post-Christmas depression, and we have planned on replacing all Christmas decorations with Winter Themed ones, rather than just look at the bare heinous blank spots where merriment reigned for so many weeks. We are making Light blue, dark blue, and white papersnowflakes, as well as hanging blue and white lights and silver snowflakes (from a store) as well as anything snowman. A little sub-theme of our house is birds, as well, and my grandmother sent us some adorable bird-in-the-snowy-trees type of stuff to put around the house as well. So Hallmark! So NOT cutting edge! And yet we crave it, even Steve does.
What can we learn from sitting around making paper snowflakes? How did you guess that for us, it was more than meaningless busiwork, more than "small motor skills"?
KINDNESS:
You see, we are deeply devoted to the idea of NOT having post-Christmas depression, and we have planned on replacing all Christmas decorations with Winter Themed ones, rather than just look at the bare heinous blank spots where merriment reigned for so many weeks. We are making Light blue, dark blue, and white papersnowflakes, as well as hanging blue and white lights and silver snowflakes (from a store) as well as anything snowman. A little sub-theme of our house is birds, as well, and my grandmother sent us some adorable bird-in-the-snowy-trees type of stuff to put around the house as well. So Hallmark! So NOT cutting edge! And yet we crave it, even Steve does.
What can we learn from sitting around making paper snowflakes? How did you guess that for us, it was more than meaningless busiwork, more than "small motor skills"?
KINDNESS:
In the way we related to each other, from please pass the blue, to "yours is so cute!", kindness was all around the table today
SHARING:
2 scissors, four people. One roll of tape.
IMAGINATION:
"Oh my gosh, Greta's looks like a Chinese dragon! Mama's has a face! Casey's looks like real ice crystals! Mickey invented a whole new art form! People are gonna want to buy these!"
EMPATHY:
Casey's snowflakes falling apart, Mickey helping him tape it...remembering how hard it was to cut when we were three, feeling sorry for the ones that did not turn out how we thought they would, and the one that got jelly on it.
RESPECT:
Genuine praise and appreciation for everyone's skills, everyone's ideas, everyone's own human desire to have a turn to speak and to be genuinely heard.
OPEN MINDEDNESS:
Trying new techniques, trying new skills, really wondering what would happen if you cut straight through, really wondering if Casey would get hurt from taping his hair all up, not laughing at anyone's ideas, letting Mama try a rectangle one, and trying to tell her that it looked cool.
LAUGHTER:
Most of all, almost 2 hours of communication and a really smooth pleasant time was had. Especially Casey's headgear he made. Especially Charlie shadily eating the little scraps, playing it off like he was eating his gerber snackypuff thingys.
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