Around this time of year, the MAH is usually filled to the brim with festive cheer and well wishes for our December First Friday Festival. We would have an interactive snowflake art installation called Wishy Wonderland, a local teen art & crafts market, a live band in Abbott Square, twinkle lights, hot drinks, smiles, and warm fuzzy feelings.
While this year many holiday traditions will look different, you can bring our annual MAH festivities to your home with a DIY Wishy Wonderland craft! Grab a warm beverage of your choice, pop on our local bands Spotify playlist of your choosing, and settle in as we all set our sights on 2021 with an easy at-home craft.
How to Make a Wishy Wonderland
1. Write Down Your Wishes for the New Year
Cut out 6 small rectangles from one sheet of paper. On each small piece of paper write: I WISH… Then write &/or draw each piece with one wish you have. Your wishes can be about you, others, your community, or even the world! Think about this a bit before you write it down. Keep those wishes off to the side for now.
2. Make Paper Snowflakes
From a blank piece of paper cut your piece of paper into a square. Fold a square piece of paper in half diagonally. Fold the triangle this makes in half. Fold this smaller triangle into thirds and cut the top flaps off. Sketch a partial snowflake design and cut it out. Unfold your snowflake. Ta-da!
OR Use a Template
We love the templates from firstpalette.com. They also have some great snowflake coloring sheets and if you don’t like intricate cutting, just color these then cut a circle around the snowflakes and add a hole so you can hang them.
3. Hang it Up!
Tie one piece of string, twine, floss, ribbon, whatever you have on hand to each wish, and one piece of string to each snowflake. Use something circular, maybe an embroidery hoop or even a hula hoop, to let your wishes and snowflakes hang from. You can also use what you have on hand, tape them to the top of a window sill, or hang them from your doorway. We recommend keeping the installation somewhere you walk by frequently to enjoy the festive vibes and continue manifesting your dreams.
Near Downtown Santa Cruz? Stop by our outdoor exhibition, Community is Collective Care, to pick up FREE wishy wonderland creativity kits to help get you started.
Bright lights and sparkly decor can really boost your mood, and I know I seriously need it this year. Luckily, you don’t need to break the bank to boost your decoration game.
There are tons of DIY winter and holiday crafts that appeal to all ages. We have put together for you a Winter Crafts Pinterest Board, with links for DIY winter crafts such as wreath making, toilet paper tube gnomes, and a winter wonderland chess set! We hope you have a creative, festive, and safe holiday season this year.
If you want to share anything you crafted, please tag @santacruzmah or send me an email jamie@santacruzmah.org!
Happy Holidays & Happy Crafting!