Craft a Paper Candle Stick for The Feather Tree

Vintage paper candle stick made
using a accordion paper folding
technique that most children 
learn in school.

        This light weight, construction paper candle stick ornaments is perfect for a feather tree ornament. Here I have clipped it onto a regular tree branch but it is so "feather" light that it could be attached even to a young cedar tree and not bend a single branch!

Supply List:

• any two colors of construction paper
• two cotton balls
• tacky white glue
• recycled paper egg carton
• acrylic grey to silver paints for the candlestick "holder"
• 2" clothespin
• green or white paints for the clothespin
• orange paint for the pretend flame

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Fold your accordion braided candle stick to any length you wish but cutting two long lengths of narrow paper strips from contrasting colors. 
2. Cross the two strips of paper on top of eachother with a dab of glue to start. 
3. Then alternate folding the strips over and over on top of each other to create the braided look you see here. I've included a diagram below illustrating the steps.
4. Finish the candle stick off with glue at the top. 
5. Then unravel the cotton ball and wad up a tiny ''flame'' shape, rolling it between the tips of your fingers with a dot of glue. 
6. Glue the flame to the top of the candlestick and let it dry before painting the flame orange.
7. Now cut a small dish for the candlestick to sit inside from a paper egg carton cup.
8. Glue this egg carton part to the top of a 2 inch clothespin.
9. Paint the little dish grey or pewter or silver.
10. Once the candle stick is dry, paint the clothespin the color of your Christmas tree so that it will appear to disappear into the branches once attached.

Left, the candle sticks are attached with tacky white glue. Right, al of the pieces of this ornament
have been finished with acrylic paints.

Illustrated accordion braid process.