The Ten Days of Carpmas

1) Start by folding a full-sheet of card stock in half. Cut a slit in the centre, through the folded edge, but only part way (as you see above)

2) Fold up the corners of the cut edge as pictured. Score the new folded edges with a ruler. UNFOLD – flat again (not pictured)

3) Open the sheet to its full flatness (like an open book) and use you fingers from behind to press the folded triangles out towards you. You have now made a pop-up mouth!

4) Fold the sheet back to its original half, but leave the “mouth” popped forward. Cut a small slit in the upper folded edge.

5) Fold the corners out — in the same manner as Step 2. It will be tricky if the paper is thick. Use a ruler to score the edges.

6) Unfold the sheet and use your fingers to pop these new folds out and forward to create eyes. If you find it difficult, try poking and then pulling the end of a pencil through the “eye” towards you. The folds will likely follow.

7) Paste your mouth to another piece of card stock or construction paper, being careful to line up the folds in your fish to the folds in the additional paper. Draw a fishy body — create a fishy environment, like a lake… or a Christmas Eve dinner table!

Collect: glue stick, hole punch, two rubber bands, card-stock cut into a 100 mm x 80 mm rectangle, a paper picture-drawing of a carp (on 90 mm x 70 mm paper) and a paper picture-drawing of a platter (on 90 mm x 70 mm paper)

You can color-up you picture-drawings to make them pretty if you wish...

Glue-stick the paper to the card stock — try to centre the drawing as much as possible. IMPORTANT - the image/picture on the rear-side must be pasted upside down in relation to the frontside.

Punch holes through either side and loop in some rubber bands....