Appropriate age group(s):
Elementary School
Middle School

Estimated time to make this decoration:
10-15 minutes each

Materials:
'Tinsel stems' (like chenille sticks/pipe cleaners, but Sparkly ;-) Blue and Silver are preferred colors

Assortment of Beads (w/hole large enough to stuff a tinsel
stem thru!) Blue, White, Crystal, Silver...round, 'tri-beads'...variety!

Nylon fishline, slim silver elastic cording, or narrow ribbon for Tying on packages or tree

Instructions:
Tinsel stems are generally 12 inches long; snip 'em in half. You'll need 3 pieces, 6 inches long, for each snowflake.

Twist two stems together, at center, and twist the third stem tight 'round that joining. You'll have what looks like a blue or silvery "spider" ;-)

Choose 6 pretty beads that would look especially good clustered in the center (almost like a flower). Slide one bead on one of the points of the snowflake, and then think of how you want your pattern to go from there.

As long as you keep the pattern consistent, with all six points matching, most anything goes; after all, "no two snowflakes are alike."

When you are within about 1/2 inch of each end, it's time to fasten off. Carefully twist the tinsel stem under and around the last bead; this prevents beads from falling off! One point will invariably be Slightly longer than the others, and that's a good one to attach your tie/loop/ribbon to. Simply bend the tinsel stem over your tie/loop/ribbon just before fastening off.

Other comments or suggestions to consider:
Economy sized bags of crystal-like beads will go far. The colored beads are great accents, so you should need less of them. The colored beads in our first two snowflake ornaments were made using the beads from a thrift shop bracelet. (When power beads fall out of fashion, they look quite fancy applied here!)

My son is 7 1/2. He easily picked up on the concept of making these, and chose his own pattern. These will be perfect on the tree, or tied to Grandma's gift.