Crafts

Here are some projects that are fun to do, and add color to brighten our days


Frightful Flowerpot Friends



Designs by Jolene Hall.( Crafting Time: 1 Hour Ea., Skill Level: Easiest - EASIER - Easy)

MATERIALS CHECKLIST:

For Each Project:

For The Witch: For Frankie Frankenstein: For The Count: TOOLS: HERE'S HOW . . .

Project Tips:

The Witch:

  1. Paint large bead with Normandy Rose for head, large flowerpot with Black for body, four small flowerpots with Lavender for legs, two small flowerpots with Lavender around rims and Black on remainder for arms, two 10mm beads with Black for feet, two 10mm beads with Normandy Rose for hands.

  2. Use black marker to draw eyes, nose and mouth on head. Use cotton swab to add blush to cheeks. Use tip of paintbrush handle dipped in White to add highlights to eyes and cheeks.

  3. Paint Yellow stars on body and Black area of arms.

  4. Refer to diagram to assemble figure. Use pliers to bend and coil wire as shown. Curl ends of wire to secure.

  5. Use pattern to cut cape from lavender felt and hat top and brim from Black felt. Wrap hat top around cotton ball to form a cone-like shape; glue edges together to secure. Glue hat top to center of hat brim. Glue hair to top of head and hat brim to top of hair. Glue cape to back of figure.
Frankie Frankenstein:
  1. Paint large bead with Lime Green for head, large flowerpot with Pumpkin for body, four small flowerpots with Black for legs, two small flowerpots with Pumpkin around rims and Black on remainder for arms, two 10mm beads with Black for feet, two 10mm beads with Lime Green for hands.

  2. Use black marker to draw eyes, nose, mouth and stitches on head as shown in photo. Use cotton swab to add blush to cheeks. Use tip of paintbrush handle dipped in White to add highlights to eyes and cheeks. Use paintbrush to add hair to top of head with Black paint.

  3. Paint jagged triangle shapes along bottom of body with Black to give appearance of ragged vest. Paint a black triangle at top of body. Use marker to draw a straight line down from point of triangle to bottom of body and dots next to line for buttons.

  4. Follow step 4 above to complete project.
The Count:
  1. Paint half of large bead with Normandy Rose for face; when dry paint other half with Black for hair bringing hair down to a point over top of face for a widow's peak. Paint large flowerpot with Black for body, four small flowerpots with Cardinal Red for legs, two small flowerpots with Black for arms, two 10mm beads with Black for feet, two 10mm beads with Normandy Rose for hands.

  2. Use black marker to draw eyes, nose and mouth on head. Use cotton swab to add blush to cheeks. Use tip of paintbrush handle dipped in White to add highlights to eyes and cheeks. Use paintbrush to add two fangs beneath mouth and to paint shirt on body with White. Paint lapel on each side of shirt and a bow tie between lapels with Cardinal Red.

  3. Follow step 4 for "The Witch" to assemble figure.

  4. Use pattern to cut cape from black felt; glue to back of figure.




CHOCOLATE EGGS


You can make your own solid chocolate eggs to give to people at Easter using this simple method.
Place an amount of chocolate into a bowl and place the bowl into a small saucepan with some water in it. Gently heat the saucepan until the chocolate melts. (Get an adult to supervise this !)
Position a greased Large Table spoon on a work surface with the handle raised such that the rim of the spoon is horizontal.
Carefully pour in some melted chocolate until the spoon is full. When the chocolate has set remove the egg half, and repeat the process to make a second egg half.
Join the two egg halves together using some melted chocolate, and hey presto. Eggstreamly yummy eggs !!
PS: If Yuo want to make the Egg with an Extra surprize, place a nut or candy, or even jewels in the chocolate before it hardens.
In Europe they make great hallow Eggs and put all kinds of items in them. The bigger the Egg the bigger the surprize.



PINIATA CRACKERS

Christmas "crackers" that pop as they are opened. These amusing noise makers are easy to form and are perfect to hide special gifts, candies, or sayings. This is also an idea that will be popular with the kids.


Materials:
 three toilet paper tubes
glue stick or rubber cement
colorful wrapping paper
1/4" wide ribbon
cellophane tape
pencil
ruler
scissors
fillings for tubes such as wrapped candy, small toys, folded paper games, etc.
aluminum foil
popping device*

* These devices are often referred to as "Pull Tricks" or "Boobie Traps," and are supplied in white or yellow boxes of 12 thin paper rolls with a string on both ends. When the string is pulled, the mechanism produces a popping sound.

 Steps:
 1. Cut two pieces of strong ribbon into 8 inch lengths.
2. Extend the length of the boobie trap strings by tying a ribbon to the end of each of the two strings using a tight square knot.
3. Tape the boobie trap inside the cardboard tube length-wise, so that the strings hang out of each end of the tube. Use three pieces of tape, one to hold the boobie trap and one to hold the string on each side against the tube wall.
4. Place your gifts, candy, games, etc., inside the tube. Use aluminum foil to wrap any gift that might burn. Be sure the strings are still hanging out, one on each end.
5. Cut two 3 inch diameter pieces of aluminum foil. Using a spare cardboard tube, make an aluminum foil cup by covering one end of the tube and folding over along the outside tube wall. Pierce a 1/4 inch hole in the bottom of the aluminum cup at the edge near the tube wall.
6. Run glue along the outside of the already gift-filled cardboard tube.
7. Remove each aluminum cup from the empty tube. These will be placed over the ends of the filled cardboard tube. Be sure to run the ribbon from each end through the hole of the aluminum cup. When completed, the filled cardboard tube will have an aluminum foil cap on each end the pull strings will be hanging through the small aluminum foil cup holes.
8. Pre-cut a piece of colorful holiday paper to a size that is three times the length of the cardboard tube and just wide enough to wrap around the tube and overlap your starting point.
9. Using the glue stick, place glue on the wrong side of the center of the holiday wrap so that it will stick to the cardboard tube. 10. With the colored side of the holiday wrap down and the glue side up, place the cardboard tube along the center of the long edge of the holiday wrap.
11. Take two extra empty cardboard tubes and place one on each end of the positioned cardboard tube. Be sure to run the strings from the now center tube through the end tubes. These three tubes will look like one large long tube.
12. Roll the three tubes so that the holiday paper wraps around them, but glues only to the center tube.
13. Move one of the ends about 1/2 inch away from the center tube. While holding the center tube with one hand, and the now offset tube in the other hand, rotate the end tube. Be sure to maintain your hold on the holiday wrap. The object here is to create a waist between the center tube and the end tube. Make the smallest waist possible.Note: The ribbon must pass through this waist (for best show, only pass the ribbon through, leave the string portion on the not-seen side of the waist even though it appears to be loose).
14. With a 4 inch long piece of ribbon, tie the waist with a loose knot, then remove the end tube.
15. Repeat steps 13 and 14 for the other end.

Safety Advice
* Safety is a priority. The only danger noted is from the remote possibility of a spark from the popping device. Hands pulling the popping device are protected by the aluminum foil cups and the paper waist.
* As stated above, wrap any "burnable" contents in aluminum foil.
* When tying the ribbon to the popper strings, be sure to test the strength of the knot. To test, pull the ribbon and the string that is immediately tied to the ribbon. Do not test by pulling the string coming out of the other side of the popper because the device will pop.




WASHI PAPER ORNAMENTS



Emi Fukushima's intricate paper ornaments are the perfect garnish for any home, whether hung on the Christmas tree, contributed to a centerpiece, or exhibited among a collection. Indeed, these charming paper spheres are ideal for showing off during the holidays or any special occasion, and they are also an uncommon yet worthwhile gift idea. Materials:
 Japanese Washi paper
glass, plastic or papier maché ball
thin tacky glue
brush for glue
24 gauge wire
varnish
beads and charms

 Steps:
 1. Size and cut Washi paper to fit over ball, with a 1/8 inch seam around the ball. The top and bottom of the ball should have 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch overlap.
2. Fold the paper in half length-wise.
3. Fold in half the other way.
4. Cut 3/4 inch up towards the fold into 1/4 inch strips.
5. Cut each strip at an angle on each side so that they resemble a picket fence.
6. Open the paper so that you have upper and lower "fences."
7. Apply glue to the center of the paper. Center the ball and wrap paper around it, taking advantage of the 1/8 inch seam.
8. Apply glue and paste onto the ball, overlapping each flap. To smooth, use the back of a brush or chopstick. Remove the excess glue with a wet paper towel.
9. Roll the ball onto a hard, smooth surface to remove the air bubbles.
10. Varnish the ball.
 11. Wrap decorative wire around the top of the ball. Hang beads and charms from the wire.


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