We’re organising a cute girl’s 1st birthday party this weekend and I’m in the midst of some craft work to make paper pin-wheels. I couldn’t find any in the right materials and colours for the party, so we’re making them ourselves and good old Martha Stewart has come to the rescue with a recipe for success!

These are just divine and so much fun as cute favours for all sorts of kids parties.

Colorful pinwheels, made out of coordinating sheets of origami or lightweight paper, stand tall against a blue summer sky, poised to whirl at the slightest suggestion of wind.

Cut a thin dowel or skewer to desired length (clip pointed end from skewer); paint and let dry. Choose two coordinating sheets of origami or lightweight paper. Cut a square from each the size you’d like your pinwheel to be (ours range from 3 to 6 inches). Use spray mount to glue squares together. Fold in half, diagonally, and in half again, then unfold. Cut along each crease two-thirds of way to square’s center, dividing each corner into two points. Bring every other point to center so points overlap. Hold in place, poke a pushpin through center, and, keeping points in place, remove pushpin. Insert a map pin into hole formed (the pushpin hole is slightly larger than circumference of the map pin, enabling the pinwheel to spin). Thread a small bead onto pin behind the wheel, and poke pin into dowel 1/2 inch from top. To prevent wood from splitting, soak the dowel tip in water before inserting map pin.

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn