Aryn Henning Nichols

Make it: Road Map Lanterns!

Remember paper maps?!? Got some old ones laying around? Make these adorable lanterns for a fun adventure-inspired night outside. Cheers to summer!

Supplies:

• One map page from a large road atlas (this will make a square roughly 11 x 11 once we’ve done our cutting)
• Scissors
• Battery-operated tea light (to be on the safe side…)

Carefully rip one page out of your road atlas.

Fold one corner up so the bottom edge of the paper meets the side edge.

Use the scissors handle to make a solid crease (as that will help with the future folding).

Take the bottom left corner and fold it to the right, back up over your already-folded section.

Use the scissors handle yet again to make the crease well-defined.

Cut the excess paper off the top. This should make your paper a square (if you wanted to just start with a square piece of paper – 11×11 or 12×12 – you fold the paper as stated, but obviously skip cutting any excess off)

Align the middle point to the left, and get ready to fold the two opposite corners together.

Like so. This is kind of like the folding you do when you make a snowflake.

Use the scissors handle to make that crease defined again!

Keeping the middle point to the left, get ready to fold this in half again.

Like so!

Don’t forget to make a solid crease!

Unfold your paper to show all your creases.

Here’s where it gets a little tricky. You’re going to fold the paper one line from the center line. I marked the line on the photo above.

Fold across. There will be a corner above the paper edge.

Trim that corner off.

Open the paper back up, turn it 45 degrees, and repeat.

Fold across that line one up from the center, and trim off the excess.

Repeat four times, so you will have trimmed off all four corners.

Open the paper back up. You now have an octagon.

Turn your octagon so the bottom section is flat (not a point). From the middle, go two creases to the right and two creases to the left (see where I marked above), and fold the section below up like a flap.

Like so!

Turn your octagon 45 degrees and repeat. Finding the correct creases on each side…

…and then folding the flap up.

Repeat for all four sides. If you have a section that overlaps a bit (like it does above), trim off the overlap (it’ll make the final parts easier).

After you’ve folded up all your flaps, your paper should look like above.

Open the flaps back up, and do the folds again with the other four sides (remember, this is an octagon).

Find the middle, go two creases to the right and two creases to the left…

…and fold the flap up.

Repeat on all four sides again, trimming the bits of the flaps that overlap over each other a little.

Leaving those flaps folded in, turn the entire paper over, with a point at the top.

Take that top point, and fold it back over itself. This crease already exists, as you made it when you folded up those flaps previously.

Rotate and repeat.

Until you have all four points folded back over the project, like above.

Now, flip the whole project over again, with those folds still holding. Face a flat edge to to the bottom, and find the middle point. I’ve marked it with an orange highlighter above. This point is going to fold up and over the project (this is the actually tricky part of this project).

Note: Here’s a link to the video that taught me how to do this. I do my beginning folds a little differently than her, but the end part – this part above – is the same.

Grab the middle point and start pulling it toward you.

The creases you’ve made will allow the point to fold into itself.

Pull it up over the back. This will feel awkward and like it’s not working, but try to pull it over the edge as much as you can. Two points will form on each side of that flap you’re pulling over.

Stick your finger in the points and along the outside to better shape each star’s point.

Move over one section and repeat with the next middle point.

Folding that up and over the project…

Pulling it down…

And shaping your points.

You can even use a pen to help form the star’s eight points.

As you continue this process, the points get a littler harder to maneuver. But keep going. It will come together!

You will have to fold these flaps over four times (remember: two star points form for every flap you fold over).

Once you’re done, spend a little time forming your points to your liking.

Then gently place your hands inside the lantern, and push down on the center. it will flatten out so it will sit flat on a table.

As you can see, mine isn’t perfect, but I’m all about embracing a wabi sabi way of life!

I suggest you use battery-powered tea lights for these paper road map lanterns just to be on the safe side. The ones we have are even rechargeable!

Roxie Nichols & Connection to the Land:

Close your eyes and put yourself in my shoes…or, really, at this moment it’s bare feet. You’re lying in the sun, you can faintly hear the water trickling down the smoothed-over-time rocks, there’s a couple of birds calling peacefully, and the breeze gently floats across your toes. Think about what you love most in this moment in nature.

My favorite part could be trees, rain, rivers. Although honestly, I’d be lying if I said there was one specific part I liked over another. There are so many amazing things on Earth that give me goosebumps. I love climbing trees and hearing their leaves wave in the wind, their branches creaking like hinges on a door. I love sitting in the sun by the river, hearing water trickling as it flows. There are also those times when I get home from school and run outside to dance around in the rain or have an evening fire with my lovely parents (and/or) neighbors. If I think about it, my favorite part could be the smell of fresh air and the feeling of being “free” in a way. Maybe wild is a better word. It’s just an irreplaceable thing that you can’t experience inside or online. 

I love nature and being “wild” out in the wild. I feel most connected to the land around trees, running water, and birds. For the last three years, I’ve been part of Red Oak Outdoor School programs, or as we like to call it: “Ida Camp.” Ida and Red Oak Outdoor School have helped me and my friends learn more about and feel more comfortable in the outdoors. Ida has taught me how to identify plants as edible or harmful, introduced me to new games and songs, and made me care for plants and animals more than before. All while having fun! I’ve just become extra excited to go into nature and learn more, make more, and see more. Altogether, the different camps and events I do are the highlight of my summers and teach me all new stuff that is often not taught in school nowadays. These summers have planted in me the huge importance of caring for Earth. I learned more about stars and the universe in fifth grade this year, and it helped me realize just how small we are here on this planet, and just how special this place is.

So, now it’s time to open your eyes. You can see a robin rummaging through the dirt to find a worm for their newborn babies. The sun’s going to set soon, and the stars start to come out. Think about how those stars are trillions of miles away and are also millions of miles wide, even if they look no bigger than your pinky finger. Now, think about the observable universe, which is 94 billion light years across. We are tiny specks in this universe, living on this unique planet, standing an average of five-foot-six. Now zoom yourself out of my toes and back into your own perspective… but hang on to the importance of loving – not destroying – this beautiful thing we’re living on. Please remember to care more about our little 7,926-mile-round Earth.  The next generation – my generation – needs you.

Kindness is free! Share it with others this summer.

Make your vacations a whole lot more enjoyable by tapping into your compassion as you interact with folks in the service industry this summer. Treat going out or traveling like you’re going over to a friend’s house. You would likely express gratitude, and not overreact to a minor inconvenience, or complain loudly if something wasn’t to your liking. These places are communities – not just experiences – and we’re all just out here, seeking happiness. Your kindness and compassion can change the direction of someone’s day, and, in turn, change yours too. 

The following graphic shares some tips and reminders about interacting with others as you head out on your summer adventures. Remember: Being a kind human doesn’t cost a thing!

Remember Your Manners 

Be polite in your communication, and offer courtesy and respect. Please and thank you go a long way, as well as smiles and eye contact. It costs $0 to be a kind human, but the compassion sent out into the world is priceless.

Kindness Meets Kindness

If you have a complaint, be kind and calm as you explain the problem. Don’t yell or make a scene as you work to find a solution. Extend a little compassion – you never know what others are going through. Courtesy works both ways. Treat others how you want to be treated.  

Restaurant Respect

Be kind. Don’t take your frustrations out on staff and servers who have no control over menu items, what’s in stock, what’s sold out, etc. There are currently many supply issues and shortages, and costs have increased across the board.

In a hurry? Know what you want to order when you get to the front of the line. Ask for your check right away, and remember to tip. These moments of generosity go a long way for the people behind the bar, counter, or table.

Tipping To-Dos

• 15-25 percent of the bill is generally the norm (moving along the range depending on quality of service).

• Cash is king, but of course, a tip on a card is better than no tip! 

• A round amount is always nice (vs a pile of change).

Practice Patience

Sometimes it’s busy. You’re on an adventure, so take the opportunity to slow down, enjoy your environment, and be patient (here are some patience tips!). 

Be Good with Boundaries

These are real people with families and lives. Respect the boundaries they’ve set. With small staffs and small communities, hours can shift. Try not to complain about this. Plan ahead – check websites and social media for hours – maybe even call ahead to confirm, if it’s a long drive. Make reservations if needed. Try to avoid showing up five minutes before close. If you realize you’re cutting it close to closing time, ask if it’s ok if you still order/can still dine in. 

Reviews

Leave 5-star reviews when you love a place, but take a pause before you leave a review when something goes wrong – try contacting management to resolve the issue first.

General Etiquette

• Put your phone down while interacting with the people helping you

• Give compliments freely

• Be friendly; not lewd.

• Try not to make too many menu adjustments

• Clean up if your kids leave a huge mess

• Follow the pet policy – unless it’s a service animal, no pets means no pets