Origami Puffy Star Tutorial

It's been a really long time since I posted an origami tutorial, hasn't it?

This origami star is one of the first origamis that I ever learned, and it has remained one of my favorites :)

If you have special pre-cut strips of origami paper, you can skip to the folding. If not...

Start out with a sheet of paper. We're aiming for a long strip, so I wouldn't recommend anything shorter than the standard computer paper 11 inches. 

Make a straight line down about 1/2 an inch from the edge of the paper...

...and cut along your line.

Then, without creasing the paper, fold it into a v shape.

And then fold the short end over the long end. It looks kind of like one of those cancer awareness ribbons, doesn't it?

Then, line up the edges of your paper and crease.

Here's what it looks like from the back.

Start out with your short end now. Fold the strip along the edge of the pentagonal shape you just made. It's easiest not to follow a specific series of steps, but just let the paper fold in the direction that it wants to go. 

When you get to the end...

...tuck the end in under another fold.

Do the same for the long end of the strip.

You may have to tear off some of the end if it's too long to make sure you can tuck it in neatly.

This is the fun part. Ready to pop it? :)

Center your thumb and forefinger nails in the sides around one of the corners.

Gently press inwards with your nails until the corner puffs up. 

Go around the star and puff all the corners...

Until you get this!