the hybrid chick

Everyone sing with me “Dreidl, dreidl, dreidl, I made it out of….paper”….  When I saw Viva Artistry’s new Lights digital kit, it inspired me to pair it with Kelleigh Ratzlaff’s Drop Ornament template and create this paper dreidl.  (Yes, it actually works, too!).  A bit of digital magic helps to make this hybrid toy a reality just in time for Hanukkah!

PRODUCTS USED:

Viva Artistry’s  Lights

Kelleigh Ratzlaff’s  Drop Ornament Template

Epson Premium Presentation Paper

I used Photoshop (you could use another digital image software as long as it can manage .png files for this project)

Adhesive of your choice (I like double sided tape because I’m too messy with glue)

Scissors

Paper Cookie Treat Sticks (the ones I used were by Wilton).  You could use other cylindrical items – e.g. straws – for the stem of the dreidl

HOW TO:
1) Kelleigh’s template is beautiful, but not quite a dreidl shape.  I opened the .png files in Photoshop & altered the file.  (Obviously, I worked on a duplicate of the file because I still want the original template to make ornaments!!!).  I erased the “top” of the ornament and squashed up the bottom of the ornament so it wasn’t so long.

The blue lines are how I adapted the size of the bottom, the black lines are the original (just so you can see how I adapted it).

2)  I selected the paper I wanted from the Lights kit, and then also the elements for the dreidl.  In the Lights package, the different characters for the dreidl are actually part of a bigger dreidl image…so I just cut out the portion that I wanted.   I used the smaller of Kelleigh’s templates so I could fit two on a page.

3) Cut and score along the template lines.

Since I had erased the top template lines, I simply continued the score lines from the “body” of the dreidl up to the top portion, and cut along them.

4) I like to ink the edges of the cardstock to mask the edges a bit (especially if I don’t line things up perfectly).  Otherwise, I find that the edges are white & tend to draw the eye more than I’d like.

You can also see the double sided tape that I used.

5) Assemble the bottom portion of the dreidl as you would normally assemble the ornament.  Kelleigh has a great tutorial on her website HERE.  I do have to say that her templates are pretty clear on their own, though!

Then….I did a “dry run” for the top flaps and marked the (approximate) centre of the topmost flap.

I then used this to mark where I should punch my holes for the other flaps.  I’m sure there’s a more precise, scientific way to do this…but it worked. LOL.

6) Once I was happy with the holes, I did another dry run to be sure that the stick fit through all the layers before I actually stuck everything together.   I cut down the Treat stick so it wasn’t too long.

Finished – and ready for a spin!! (Sorry, couldn’t resist).  Incidentally if you’d like more information about the dreidl game itself, check out Wikipedia here.

Other Articles by Linda (yamstamps):

• Votive Covers - July 5th, 2010
• Personalized Travel Mug - June 14th, 2010
• Travel Challenge - with a Give Away! - May 23rd, 2010
• Quick Hybrid Album - May 10th, 2010
• Quick and Easy Pinwheel! - April 12th, 2010