make | A Lily-Pad Leap Year Party Hat

Aren't you always saying you need an extra day in the week? Well, guess what. Wish granted. This Wednesday - February 29th - is Leap Year Day!  I've been saving up every ounce of celebration for the last four years. So let's celebrate with a little extra flair by making lily pad inspired party hats (you know,  lily-pad ... leap frog ... leap year ... get it?)

Materials:

• Green Railroad Cardstock: from Blick Art Supply
• Headbands : 2 for $2.50 at Forever 21
• Peach Tissue Paper
• Hole Punch
• Yarn
• Floral Wire
• Sharpie

1. cut out a lily-pad shape from a piece of scrap paper. It looks kind of like a round heart or a lima bean. Trace it onto green railroad cardstock and cut out.
2. punch two holes half way up the side, and two holes directly in the middle (by folding it in half)
3. using your yarn, tie the two outside holes to the headband. Angle the lily pad slightly towards one side, placing the first hole right next to the beginning of the headband. 
4. cut out eight 7 1/2 inch squares of tissue paper. Accordion fold them by alternately folding back to front. 
5. fasten the accordion fold shut with a length of floral wire, leaving the ends long (about 5 inches). Snip the ends of the tissue paper to a point.
6. thread the long inches of the floral wire through the two middle holes in the lily pad, and wrap them around the headband. Thread back up through the opposite hole so nobody gets poked in the head. Twist and cut off extra wire.
7. gently peel apart each of the pieces of paper, making half a pom pom (or in this case, a water lily!)
8. wear with flair.

tune in tomorrow for a very special Leap Day inspired cocktail!