Oh, Betsy, Betsy... Betsy...

You know, if it hadn't been for the story about Betsy delftly cutting a five point star from a single piece of paper, I might have let this go... but there's something about all that history that has made me want to get this right.  Of course, that little doubting voice in my head tends to spur me on too... I do so love proving it wrong.  So wrong...

So... first attempt... what was involved?  The desire to make some gorgeous paper stars to dress Charlie, the Christmas tree, in this holiday season, a story about how Betsy Ross convinced George Washington that a five point star, rather than a six pointer, would be better to use for our flag, some cardstock... and maybe a couple of glasses of wine.

It worked.  Sort of.  The front didn't exactly match the back, those pesky folds really just changed the size more than I expected... but, due to my desire to make it work, I did.  Eventually just trimming the back where it didn't fit.  Success... kinda.

Sometimes kinda, sorta works for me.  Sometimes... not so much.  This was one of the not so much times.  I went to bed thinking about that silly star... and whilst I was drifting off, as it so often happens, another theory came to me.

Remember... theory and practical application... in my world, sometimes distant cousins.  Twice removed.

It dawns on me... these stars would be so much prettier if both sides were folded... that would solve the issue about the base star not fitting the top star exactly, and, as an added bonus, I'd have prettier stars... great idea!  In theory.

Practical application... well.....

Several attempts at a pattern later, I think I have it.  Nothing else I can do but give it a shot.  I used more of the scrapbook paper, and cut two stars out.  And, here's something interesting... I discovered (trial and error, mostly error) that, just because the star has five points and was cut from one piece of paper, it doesn't mean that ALL of the points are exactly even... go figure.  I end up marking the "up" direction 

Both of them look just like this... see where I've added the fold lines, but didn't draw in the score lines...

I'm going to score from point to inner edge using a ruler... and I'm going to score the outer edges as well, this time the back of an x-acto knife (I swear I am going to find my embossing tool this weekend!).

When I get everything scored, I'm going to fold each of the lines, ALL of them, just to get the bending going.  Then I am going to fold the tabs to the back, and glue them together where they meet at the tip of the point. 

Whilst gluing, I added a hanger made of brass wire to one of the stars.

After all the tips were glued, I glued the two halves together... took a bit of effort, and realized a tacky glue would be much better for this than a thinner glue.

And, suddenly... I have this wonderful little star... just perfect to grace Charlie this holiday season... maybe even hang from windows... toss in a bowl on a table... or hang from the mantle...

Ahhhhhh... persistence... or maybe stubbornness... either way... I got what I wanted, and in the end, that's what counts!