let's make {pinwheels}

The temperatures are rising, the days are getting longer, and school's almost out. Sounds like the perfect time for a party, right? Well, why not beckon your guests over with a jolly pinwheel-lined path? Customize with your favorite colors, and have your guests take one home as they part for easy cleanup/party favors!

Sweet, aren't they? Alrighty then. Let's make pinwheels.

What you'll need:
One sheet of 8" x 8" cardstock (for each pinwheel) in your favorite design/color (two-sided works best)
One wooden dowel (1/8" diameter by 12" long) per pinwheel
One brad (3/16" brad) per pinwheel
Scissors
Paper scorer and ruler (or another straight edge)
Standard single-hole punch
Glue stick, glue dots, or tape
Pliers

First, you'll need to cut your cardstock to 8" x 8" squares if you haven't already done so. Using a paper scorer and a straight edge, score each paper square along both diagonals. If you don't have a scorer, don't fret, you can just make a light mark with a pencil.

You'll end up with a nice, barely noticeable line that you can now use as a guide.

Using your scissors, cut along the scored lines until you almost get to the center where they intersect. Stop cutting when you get about 1 cm (or 1/2 inch) from the center.

Now, this next part requires a little finesse, but you can do it! Using your hole punch, punch a hole in the very center of the square. I find it easiest to slide the hole punch in one of the slits, gently pulling the two halves apart until you reach the center.

It should look like this!

Now, if you look at your square, you'll notice that it comprises four triangles. Punch one hole in the lower right side of each triangle only, getting as close to the corner as you can but still leaving a few millimeters of paper on each edge.

Here's what we're going for.

Get out your gluestick/glue dots/tape dispenser and apply adhesive all around the four corner holes you just punched.

Grab one of the corners and bend it up toward the center hole so that the two holes line up. Press down until it sticks.

Working in an anti-clockwise direction, lift the remaining corners and press them down on the center.

After the four corners are folded in, you'll have something like this.

Now, take one brad and press it thorough the front of the pinwheel.

Flip over the pinwheel and splay the tabs on the brad wide apart.

Place a dowel on top of the brad tabs, leaving about one centimeter of wood above the brad.

Wrap the tabs of the brad tightly around the dowel (you may need to use pliers), one over the top of the other.

Flip your pinwheel over and enjoy! As I showed in the first photo, I love how these look lining a sidewalk, but they also look great "planted" in a flower pot (use sand), or even in a vase as a festive centerpiece.