by Silva Payne

Created on: December 31, 2010

Recycling everyday household waste should be high on everyone's New Year's resolution list. One way of reusing old cardboard is to make some winter decorations. Snowflakes are easy for kids to make with a little help from a grown up.

Cardboard can be recycled from a number of common packages. Cereal boxes are ideal because they have good size sections at the front and back of the box that can be used again. Of course, you can still put the bottom, top and sides into the recycling bin once you have cut away the front and back portions.

To make a snowflake from recycled cardboard and yarn, you will need some scraps of cardboard, some white yarn of any kind (although yarn with a glitter or sparkly thread through it is a good choice), a pen or pencil, scissors or a craft knife.

Draw a simple snowflake shape onto the cardboard. You may find this easier if you use a mug or saucer as a template for a circle. Then using a ruler, draw 2 or 3 lines across the circle, passing through the centre each time, as guides for the arms of your snowflake. Next add some detail such as branches to the arms, diamond or triangle shapes at the ends or a hole in the centre.

Cut the snowflake out using scissors or a craft knife, depending on how complex your snowflake design is. Cut a long length of white yarn and secure one end to the card snowflake with a small piece of sticky tape.

Next wrap the yarn around the cardboard so that it covers the snowflake completely. You may find it easier to start from the centre and work up and down each arm of the snowflake in turn. Aim to finish winding the yarn at the end of an arm. Then make a loop in the yarn so that you can hang up the snowflake.

To make a 3D snowflake decoration, you will need thicker recycled cardboard. Again cut out a simple snowflake shape, but cut a second identical snowflake from the same cardboard. Cut a slot up the centre of one arm to the middle of the snowflake, on both cut out pieces. Slide the 2 snowflake pieces together.

Now you can wind the white yarn around the snowflake as before, while holding the 2 sections in place. This will give you a 3D snowflake that will look good as a Christmas tree decoration.

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