Originally used as inexpensive offerings at home and church altars, paper flowers have become a predominant decoration throughout Latin America. Using bright, multicolored tissue paper, cut squares up to 10 inches wide and stack them in layers of five or more sheets. Fold all layers at once, accordion-style, back and forth until you have a long, thin rectangle. With sharp scissors, cut out a small notch on either side of the middle of the rectangle. Using floral wire or pipe cleaners, wrap the "stem" around the notches and twist tightly near the paper to hold in place. Unfold the tissue and arrange the "petals" as you'd like. Trim to soften edges. Bunches of these delicate paper flowers can be twisted together to create garlands or bouquets.
Traditionally created to mark the birth of a baby, God's eyes, made from sticks and yarn, grow larger with each birthday up to the fifth year. Using small sticks and colorful yarn, affix one end of the yarn to the middle of a stick. Cross the sticks to form an "X" and hold in place. You will now work out from the middle, wrapping each of the four appendages in turn. Wrap the yarn around the first stick one time, drawing it tightly toward the middle. Turning your "X", wrap the next stick once, in a consistent manner (always clockwise OR counterclockwise around each stick.) Continue turning the "X" as you build out toward the edges. The back of the God's eye will show the wrapped sticks, while the front will look like a solid mat of color. Change colors if you like, tying off one before starting the next. Leave a half inch or more of stick showing at each point of the "X" to ensure that the yarn does not slip off. Adorn with beads or feathers and hang.
Cut paper flags are hung across streets and from significant buildings during celebratory times throughout Latin America. Traditionally hand-cut in elaborate designs, the banners are now often manufactured. Using tissue paper, create small folded squares or triangles, much as you would when making a paper snowflake. With sharp scissors, cut designs from paper, taking care not to remove an entire folded edge. Open to display your design. Fold the top one-fourth- to one-half-inch of paper over a length of sturdy string or yarn and glue into place. Repeat this process, making multiple flags. Hang them side by side until your banner is as long as you'd like. Hang flags from both ends of a string.