(cardboard tube, tempera paint, poster board)
1. To make the ring, cut a 1-inch section from a cardboard tube. Paint it to look like tree bark.
2. Draw and cut out an apple from red poster board. Add a green leaf. Glue the apple to the ring and let dry.
3. Place a napkin through the ring.
(old newspaper, apple, table knife, fabric paint, paper plate, white fabric place mat and napkin)
1. Cover your work surface with old newspaper. Cut an apple in half using a table knife. Then cut one half into quarters.
2. Squeeze some fabric paint onto a paper plate. Brush paint on one side of a quarter piece of apple or on an apple half.
3. Press the painted side of the apple section on a white fabric place mat and napkin, creating a decorative print.
4. Wash your brush. Follow the directions on the fabric-paint label for drying.
(two apples, two candles, plastic lids, table knife)
1. Ask an adult to help you cut a hole from the center of two apples, large enough to hold a candle.
2. Cut feathers from different-colored plastic lids. Use a table knife to cut small slits in the apples, and insert the feathers to create a tail.
3. For each apple, draw and cut out a neck, head, and wattle from a plastic lid. Add features. Cut slits and insert the heads.
4. Place the turkeys in the center of your holiday table.
(large paper bag, rubber band, yarn, construction paper)
1. Cut through the center of the bottom of a large paper bag and along the sides, as shown. Open the flaps. Make fringe with scissors by cutting strips to the folds. Secure the bag below the strips with a rubber band and tie on pieces of black yarn.
2. From construction paper, cut and glue facial features and fringe. With the bag on your head, have a friend carefully mark where the eyeholes should be. Remove the bag and cut out the eyeholes.
(large paper bag, construction paper)
1. Measure about 6 inches from the opening of a large paper bag, and cut around the entire bag. Set aside the cut section.
2. Cover one large side of the paper bag with construction paper, gluing it in place.
3. To make the frog and lily pad, draw and cut pieces from construction paper and glue them in place.
4. Put the bag on your head. Using a crayon, have a friend carefully mark where the eyeholes should be on the outside of the bag. Remove the bag and cut out the eyeholes.
(large paper bag, construction paper, crayons, markers)
1. Measure down about 6 inches from the opening of a large paper bag, and cut around the entire bag. Set aside the cut section.
2. Using a piece of light-colored construction paper about the same size as one side of the paper bag, draw the opened mouth of a hippopotamus. Color it with crayons and markers.
3. Glue the hippopotamus face to the paper bag. Put the bag on your head. Using a crayon, have a friend carefully mark where the eyeholes should be on the outside of the bag. Remove the bag and cut out the eyeholes.
4. Add cut-paper flowers around the hippopotamus's head. Trim the bag around the bottom of the head and mouth with scissors.
(large paper bag, construction paper)
1. Measure about 6 inches from the opening of a large paper bag, and cut around the entire bag. Set aside the cut section.
2. Put the bag on your head. Using a crayon, have a friend carefully mark where the eyeholes should be on the outside of the bag. Remove the bag.
3. Cut out and glue facial features on the chick, but make large eyes. Cut out holes for the eyes. Add curled strips of paper to the top of the chick head.
(large paper bag, construction paper, heavy paper plate, poster paint, large plastic bottle top, old newspaper)
1. Cut off 6 inches from the opening of a large paper bag. Set aside the cut section.
2. Put the bag on your head. Using a crayon, have a friend carefully mark where the eyeholes should be on the outside of the bag. Remove the bag. Cut and glue pieces of construction paper to make eyebrows, large eyes with glasses, a nose, a mouth, ears, and a beard. Cut out the eyeholes.
3. Glue a large plastic bottle top in the middle of a painted heavy paper plate. Glue on top of the clown's head.
(large paper bag, construction paper, yarn)
1. Cut off 6 inches from the opening of a large paper bag. Glue construction paper to one large side of the bag.
2. From paper, cut out and glue a head, a nose, a mouth, and two eyes. Add yarn whiskers.
3. Put the bag on your head. Have a friend mark with a crayon where the eyeholes should be. Remove the bag and cut out the eyeholes.
(lightweight cardboard, felt, small bottle tops, safety pin)
1. Cut a shape from lightweight cardboard. Cover it with glue and a piece of felt. Let dry and trim around the edge.
2. Glue small bottle tops on top of the felt. Use felt to decorate the bottle tops as holiday characters.
3. Glue or tape a safety pin to the back.
(construction paper, yarn)
1. Cut a triangle from black paper for the witch's body. Cut a circle from light-colored paper for the head.
2. Use a marker to draw a face. Glue on some yarn hair, and glue the head to the body.
3. Cut a smaller black triangle for the hat and glue it on.
4. Cut a big circle from yellow paper for the moon, and glue it in back of the witch.
(construction paper, large brown paper bag)
1. Glue a half-sheet of construction paper on each wide side of a large brown paper bag, as shown. Let dry.
2. Draw a handle on each piece of paper, across the center of the bag. Cut around the outside and inside of the handles and around the sides of the bag.
3. Use crayons, markers, cut paper, or stickers to decorate the outside of the bag.
(lightweight cardboard, brown paper bag, construction paper, yarn, pinecones)
1. Cut an owl head from lightweight cardboard. Cover it with a piece of brown paper bag. Trim around the edges. Add two big round eyes and a triangular beak from construction paper.
2. Punch a hole at the top between the eyes, and add a loop of yarn for a hanger.
3. Glue eyes and a beak on each of four pinecones to make little owls. Glue a piece of yarn to the top of each one.
4. Punch two holes on each side of the big owl's beak. Tie a little owl to each hole.
(fallen leaves, construction paper)
1. Select various kinds of leaves, and glue them on a piece of construction paper.
2. Use markers to draw lines around the leaves to create witches, cats, or other Halloween things, and finish the scene.
(plastic food container, construction paper)
1. Cut a 2-inch section, starting at the top, on each side of a plastic food container, as shown.
2. Use pieces of construction paper to make the outside of the holder look like a pumpkin.
3. Place paper napkins in the cutout section.
(aluminum pie pan, wooden dowel, paper)
1. Punch a hole in the side of an aluminum pie pan. Push a wooden dowel through the hole and to the other side. Glue or tape the dowel in place.
2. Decorate the bottom of the pie pan with paper to create a black cat. Add paper-punch dots around the rim of the pie pan.
(two heavy paper plates, poster paint, tissue paper, felt, plastic-foam tray)
1. Draw eyes, a nose, and a mouth, making a pumpkin face on one heavy paper plate. Cut them out. Place the paper plate on top of the second plate, trace around the openings, and cut them out.
2. Paint the outside of each plate orange, and glue a piece of yellow tissue over the facial features on the inside of the plates. Glue the plates together, rim to rim with the painted sides facing out.
3. Make a slot in a green plastic-foam tray. Stand the pumpkin in the tray. Add glue and let dry.
4. Add a felt stem to the top of the pumpkin, and glue leaves around the base.
5. Place the pumpkin where light can shine through it.
(potato, table knife, black construction paper, white paint, white crayon)
1. Wash and dry a potato. Cut the potato in half. Trace around the potato half, with the cut-side down, on a piece of paper. Cut it out. Draw a ghost on the potato tracing and cut it out.
2. Place the ghost pattern on the cut-side of the potato. Have an adult help you use the table knife to cut away the area around the ghost, leaving it about 1/2 inch higher than the rest of the potato.
3. Paint the ghost design with white paint, and press it onto a piece of black construction paper. Repeat the painting and printing until you have the design you want. Let dry.
4. Write a message with a white crayon.
(poster board, chenille sticks)
1. For the lenses of the spectacles, cut two circles from a piece of orange poster board. Draw two off-center circles on the lenses for the eyes, and cut them out.
2. Draw black triangle-shaped eyes, a nose, and a big smiling mouth in the area next to each eyehole.
3. Cut a small piece of chenille stick, and glue it to the lenses to make the nosepiece.
4. For the earpieces, punch a hole on opposite sides of the spectacles. Insert a chenille stick into each hole. Twist the ends together. Be sure they are long enough to fit comfortably over your ears.
(black poster board)
1. Draw a large circle about 14 to 18 inches in diameter on a piece of large black poster board. Draw a circle in the center about 5 to 8 inches in diameter. (The size really depends on how large your head is.)
2. Cut out the small center circle. Cut tabs along the inside edge, as shown.
3. Draw another circle about 9 to 12 inches in diameter on black poster board. Cut a section from the circle, as shown in the diagram. Roll the section into a cone shape, fitting it over the tabs of the brim.
4. Use transparent tape to hold the cone shape together. Tape the tabs to the inside of the cone.
(ice-cream stick, construction paper, yarn)
1. Cut four identical circles from black construction paper. Glue two circles to one side of an ice-cream stick and two to the other side to form the body and head of the cat.
2. Cut ears, eyes, and a mouth from paper, and glue to the head.
3. Glue pieces of black yarn to the face to make whiskers, and add a piece to the back of the cat for a tail.
(small cardboard food container with lid, construction paper, chenille stick)
1. Glue orange construction paper to the outside of a small cardboard food container and its lid. Cut out paper features for a jack-o'-lantern face, and glue them to the container.
2. Add a green leaf to the middle of the lid. Punch two holes in the lid, making it look like a button, and insert a chenille stick. Twist it together to form a stem.
3. Store treats inside the holder.
(small cardboard jewelry box, pumpkin seeds, clear nail polish)
1. Glue pumpkin seeds around the outer edge of the box lid to form a design. Glue seeds to the top of the box lid, again forming a design.
2. After the seeds have dried, cover them with a coat of clear nail polish to give them a nice shine.
(two heavy paper plates, poster paint, cotton balls, construction paper, moveable plastic eyes)
1. Paint the outside of one heavy paper plate with poster paint and let dry.
2. Glue cotton balls on top to make ghosts. Add moveable plastic eyes.
3. Cut pieces of construction paper to make pumpkins with cutout faces and leaves.
4. Place cookies or other treats on the undecorated paper plate. Use the decorated plate to cover the treats.
(bathroom tissue tube, tissue paper, yarn, paper)
1. Place some wrapped candies inside a bathroom tissue tube.
2. Cut a piece of orange tissue paper so it will measure at least 3 inches beyond each tube end.
3. Wrap the tissue paper around the tube, and close the ends with pieces of yarn.
4. Cut a bone shape from paper, and glue on the tube.
(crepe paper, thread, poster board, sequins)
1. Wrap a 1 3/4-by-6-inch piece of crepe paper around a pencil, and glue in place. Let dry.
2. Push the ends of the paper toward the center of the pencil to crush. Remove the pencil. At one end, tie off a head section with thread. Stuff a small ball of crepe paper in this part for the head, and glue to close.
3. Cut a strip of poster board as long as the bug from neck to tail. Cut legs from both sides of the strip and bend down. Glue the body to the legs.
4. Add sequins to the body and to the head for eyes.
(three plastic drinking straws, tongue depressor, felt, straw)
1. Cut three plastic drinking straws in half. Glue three pieces to a tongue depressor vertically for the body and three horizontally for the arms. Leave space at the top of the tongue depressor for a head and space at the bottom for feet.
2. Fold a piece of felt in half, and cut out a coat shape. Cut a small slit in the fold for a neck opening, and slip the coat over the head of the body. Glue the coat in place, stuffing a few pieces of straw at the hands and feet. Add felt buttons.
3. Cut a felt hat and a round piece of felt for the head. Glue in place. Add a few pieces of straw, and draw on a face with a marker.
(poster board, black beans, kidney beans, pumpkin seeds, dried green peas, broom straw, yarn)
1. Draw and cut out a cat shape from black poster board. Glue black beans on it for the body.
2. Add pumpkin seeds and dried green peas for eyes. Use a pumpkin seed for a nose and two kidney beans for the mouth. Cut small pieces of broom straw for whiskers.
3. After all the seeds and beans have dried, glue the cat on a large piece of orange poster board. Add a yarn hanger to the back.
(corrugated cardboard, paper, paper towel tubes, facial tissue)
1. To make the base, cut out a piece of corrugated cardboard. Trace around the shape on a piece of black paper and cut it out. Glue the paper on top of the cardboard.
2. For each body, cut a paper towel tube in a different length. Glue or tape white paper around each tube.
3. For each head, roll facial tissue into a small ball. Place two facial tissues over the ball as smoothly as possible, and tape together at the bottom of the ball.
4. Glue the heads to the bodies. Add black paper eyes and mouths.
(cardboard, yellow and black felt, dried grass, sequin, safety pin)
1. Cut out two 2 1/2-inch circles, one from lightweight cardboard and one from black felt. Glue them together.
2. Cut a slightly smaller circle from yellow felt and glue it to the center of the black circle.
3. From black felt, draw and cut out a witch that will fit on the yellow felt circle.
4. Use pieces of dried grass to make a broom and glue it to the yellow circle. Glue the witch on top of the broom.
5. Add a sequin eye. Glue a small safety pin to the back.
(white poster board, clear self-adhesive paper)
1. Cut a large rectangle from a piece of white poster board. With markers, draw a Halloween scene.
2. Have an adult help you cover your scene with clear self-adhesive paper. Fold the extra paper to the back of the board or trim at the edges.
3. Reuse your place mat by cleaning it with a damp cloth.
(paper, permanent marker, pennies, drinking straw)
1. Draw and cut out a ghost shape from paper. Draw eyes and a mouth. Outline the edges of the ghost with a permanent marker. Punch a hole in the mouth of the ghost.
2. Glue a penny under each "hand."
3. Put the straw through the ghost's mouth, letting the body of the ghost rest on the rim of the glass.
(white poster board, black yarn, construction paper)
1. Fold a 6-by-8-inch piece of white poster board in half to make a card. With the fold at the top, find the center of the front of the card. Draw a circle, 1 1/2 inches in diameter, and cut it out.
2. With the card still folded, draw around the circle, making an outline on the inside of the card.
3. Open the card. Spread glue in the circle, and cover it with yarn by going around in a spiral until the circle is covered. This is the spider's body.
4. Add eight legs to the body using pieces of yarn. Add a paper head and eyes. Write "HAPPY HALLOWEEN." Close the card, and all you will see is the spider's body.
(small gourd, construction paper, yarn, pompon)
1. Wash and dry a small gourd. Cut and glue on pieces of construction paper to create a face on the lower half.
2. Spread a line of glue around the gourd above the face. Cut small pieces of black yarn. Press the yarn into the glue to create hair.
3. Glue a black pompon at the tip of the gourd. Add a loop of yarn for a hanger.
(round cardboard food container with plastic lid, aluminum foil, construction paper, small aluminum pie tin, brass fastener, chenille stick)
1. Remove the plastic lid from a round cardboard food container. Cover the container with aluminum foil. Decorate it with pieces of construction paper.
2. Using a brass fastener, attach the center of a small aluminum pie tin to the center of the plastic lid.
3. To make a flower, cut circles of different-colored paper. Hold them together and punch two holes in the center, like a button. Thread a chenille stick through the holes, and twist in the back to make a stem.
4. Punch two holes in the side of the aluminum pie tin, and fasten the stem of the flower.
5. Fill the cardboard container with candy. Put some candy in the aluminum pie tin, and place the lid on top of the container.
(10-inch heavy paper plate, poster paint, yarn)
1. Cut from the edge to the center of a 10-inch heavy paper plate. Pull one cut edge over the other to form a cone-shaped hat. Staple in place.
2. Paint Halloween decorations on the hat and let dry.
3. Cut twenty to thirty short pieces of yarn. Tie together in the center. Glue to the top of the hat for a pompon.
4. Punch one hole on opposite sides of the base of the hat, and attach a piece of yarn for a tie.
(7-inch paper plates, construction paper, frame from an old pair of plastic eyeglasses)
1. Glue and tape two 7-inch paper plates together, side by side. Cut large eyes and eyelids from construction paper, and glue them in place.
2. Hold the paper-plate eyes up to your face and have an adult help mark a place for your eyes. Remove from your face. Cut or punch eyeholes on the marks.
3. Tape a frame from an old pair of plastic eyeglasses to the back of the big eyes so they will be easy to wear.
(black poster board, black elastic, heavy black thread)
1. Fold a large piece of black poster board in half.
2. With the board folded, draw and cut out half a bat shape.
3. Staple the end of a piece of black elastic, like the kind used on masks, to each wing. Tie a piece of heavy black thread to the middle of the elastic.
4. Bounce the bat to make it "fly."
(large heavy paper plate, three small paper plates, papier-mache, poster paint, elastic)
1. Use the outside bottom of a large heavy paper plate for the face of the mouse. To make ears, staple two small paper plates, right-side up, to the large plate.
2. To make the nose, cut a small section from a small paper plate, as shown. Bend it to form the point of a nose, and tape it in place on the face. Cover the nose, ears, and face with papier-mache and let dry.
3. Decorate with poster paint, adding features, and let dry. Cut out eyeholes. Staple a piece of elastic to opposite sides of the mask to fit around your head.
(cardboard candy box, papier-mache, poster paint, elastic)
1. Use the outside of a cardboard candy box with a lid to create the witch. Cut and tape together, as shown.
2. Cover the box and lid with papier-mache. To make the nose, cover a wad of paper with papier-mache. Add strips of papier-mache to create eyebrows and a mouth. Fold a strip of papier-mache for cheeks.
3. Paint the features with poster paint and let dry. Cut out eyeholes. Staple a piece of elastic to opposite sides of the mask to fit around your head.
(large heavy paper plate, lightweight cardboard, small heavy paper bowl, papier-mache, poster paint, elastic)
1. To make the snout of the bear, turn over a small heavy paper bowl, and place on top of the outside bottom of a large heavy paper plate. Tape it on the plate. Cut small ears from pieces of lightweight cardboard, and staple them to the plate.
2. Cover with papier-mache, adding rolled pieces of papier-mache to form the eyebrows. Let dry.
3. Paint and let dry. Add features with poster paint. Let dry. Cut out eyeholes. Staple a piece of elastic to opposite sides of the mask to fit around your head.
(construction paper)
1. Cut a long stem from green construction paper.
2. Cut small orange pumpkins, and glue them on the stem.
3. On a pumpkin, write the name of a book you have read during the Halloween season. Add a book title to each pumpkin after you have read other books.
Enjoy planting time using garden tools with hand-wrapped seed-packet handles.
what you'll need
Empty seed packets
Pinking shears
Garden tool
Thick white crafts glue; paintbrush
Scraps of 1-inch-wide grosgrain ribbon; pencil
Scissors
Scraps of narrow ribbon or rickrack
1 Cut out the front of seed packets using pinking shears. Arrange on tool handle as desired, allowing 1 inch at the top and bottom for ribbon. Glue in place using water-thinned crafts glue. Let dry.
2 Apply two coats of thinned glue over seed packets, allowing to dry between coats.
3 Trace around end of tool handle on 1-inch-wide grosgrain ribbon. Cut out circle. Glue to end of handle using crafts glue. Glue short lengths of ribbon at the top and bottom of the handle. Let dry.
4 Glue short lengths of narrow ribbon or rickrack over the
grosgrain ribbon. Let dry. 5 Coat the entire handle with thinned glue. Let dry.
(construction paper)
1. Cut a piece of black construction paper about 5 inches by 8 inches. Measure 2 inches down on the long side and draw a line across the paper.
2. In the center above the 2-inch line, draw the head of a cat. Cut along the line and the outline of the cat. Roll the paper cat into a tube and tape the edges together.
3. Cut and glue on eyes, a nose, a mouth, and whiskers. Cut claws and two paws from paper and tape them to the bottom of the paper tube.
4. For the tail, glue the ends of two long, narrow strips of paper together at a right angle, as shown. Then fold one strip across the other alternately, as shown by the arrows.
Continue until almost at the end, then cut tiny strips for fringe. Glue the other end to the cat.
ooard egg carton, dried beans, poster paint, paper, elastic, button)
1. For the body, cut two egg cups from a cardboard egg carton. Glue the two cups together with a few dried beans inside.
2. Paint the body with poster paint and let dry. Add eyes, a
b, a mouth, and hair from pieces of paper.
3. Glue a long piece of elastic to the top. Thread the other end through the holes of a button and tie a knot. Slip the button between your fingers and make the critter jump.
(plastic food container, tree branch, clay, small stones, paper, hemlock pinecones, plastic food wrap)
1. Place a fallen tree branch into a plastic food container filled with small stones and clay. Decorate the outside with paper.
2. To make owls, decorate the hemlock pinecones with paper eyes and beaks.
3. Glue the owls to the fallen tree branch. To help hold them in place, wrap a small piece of plastic food wrap around them. Remove the wrap when almost dry.
Be a winner all year long with canning jars trimmed with artificial fruits and vegetables.
what you'll need
Artificial fruits or vegetables
Additional canning jar lid
Thick white crafts glue
Jar filled with canned fruit or vegetables
1 Glue artificial fruits or vegetables to the top of an extra canning jar lid and allow the glue to dry.
2 Glue the topper to the lid of your canned produce, gluing to the rim of the lid. Remove the topper before opening
the jar.
With just a few supplies and a coupie of quick steps, you can create tiny candlehoiders for each of your picnic guests.
what you'll need
Glass salt and pepper shakers
Colored sand
Glass adhesive
Small candles
1 Fill the salt and pepper shakers with colored sand.
2 To stack shakers, adhere together using glass adhesive. Let the adhesive dry.
3 Place a candle in the top of each holder.
(cotton balls, facial tissue, rubber band, metal bandage box, paper)
1. To make the ghost, center two or three cotton balls in two facial tissues. Place a small rubber band around the bottom of the tissue ball to form the ghost's neck. Draw a face with a marker.
2. Place the ghost's body into a metal bandage box. Tape the back of the ghost's head to the inside lid of the box. Close the lid gently, tucking the head into the box.
3. Decorate the outside of the metal bandage box with paper to give the ghost a home. Pull open the lid and the ghost will pop up.
(cardboard egg carton, construction paper, yarn)
1. For the witch's head, cut four adjoining sections from a cardboard egg carton.
2. Using the inside of the carton as the face, glue on eyes, a mouth, and a wart. Add a black construction-paper hat to the back of the cardboard egg carton.
3. Glue long pieces of black yarn over the top of the witch's head, letting it hang down around her face.
4. Add a yarn hanger to the back of the witch.
(brown paper bag, cotton balls, ribbon)
1. Find a brown paper bag that will fit on your head.
2. Cut the bag in the shape of a wig, as shown. Cut out a ponytail from the leftover paper, and glue it to the back of the wig.
3. Spread some glue over a section of the wig, and press cotton balls into it until the wig and ponytail are covered.
4. Tie a piece of ribbon around the ponytail and make a bow.
Show your love of country with these recycled-license-plate
what you'll need
Sandpaper
Old license plate
Soft cloth; newspapers; white spray primer
Acrylic paints in navy, red, and white; paintbrush
Star stencil
Matte clear acrylic sealer
Drill and bit; 20-gauge wire; wire cutters
24-inch-long piece of 3/e-inch dowel; pencil
1 Lightly sand front of license plate. Wipe clean with soft cloth.
2 In a well-ventilated work area, cover work surface with newspapers. Spray the plate with white primer. Let dry.
3 Paint various flag patterns as shown, below. Use star stencil to paint stars. Let dry.
4 Spray the plate with acrylic sealer.
5 Drill holes in the plate and dowel. Wire the plate to the dowel, leaving long ends. Curl the wire ends by wrapping several times around a pencil.
Biend paint with your fingertips and press onto a clock frame to make a school of delightful fish.
what you'll need
Disposable plate
Acrylic paints in desired colors
Clock with frame
Fine paintbrush
1 Place small amounts of paint on a disposable plate. To make fish bodies, dip fingers and thumb into paints, blending colors if desired. Press fingers and thumb onto surface of clock frame as shown in the photo, opposite. Continue making fingerprints on the clock frame until approximately two-thirds of the frame is covered. Let the paint dry.
2 Paint details on the fish, such as fins, eyes, and smiles, using desired colors of paint and a fine paintbrush. Let the paint dry.
(wide plastic ribbon holder, felt, yarn, sequins, heavy black thread on a spool)
1. Glue a piece of white felt around a wide plastic ribbon holder.
2. Cut the body of a spider from felt. Glue on yarn legs. Add sequins for eyes. Glue the spider on the white felt.
3. Tape the end of heavy black thread to the inside of the holder. Holding the spool of thread in your hand, wrap thread around the inside and outside of the holder to look like a spider's web. Cut the thread and tape the end.
(black construction paper, white crayon, white plastic bread wrapper)
1. Fold a piece of black construction paper into quarters to make a card.
2. Use white crayon to draw the outline of a ghost on the front of the card. Open the card and cut the ghost outline out of the card.
3. Tape a piece of white plastic cut from a bread wrapper behind the cutout ghost so that when the card is refolded the white plastic shows through the front of the card. Cut black paper dot eyes and a mouth and glue to the ghost.
4. On the front of the card, use white crayon to write "Boo!" On the inside of the card, write a message and your name.
(one medium and one small brown paper bag, newspaper, straw hat, construction paper)
1. For the body, use a medium-size brown paper bag. For the arms, roll a few sheets of newspaper into a tube. Poke a hole in each side of the bag near the top, and push the arms through. Stuff the body with crumpled newspaper, fold the opening closed, and staple it shut.
2. For the head, use a small paper bag stuffed with newspaper. Twist and tape the bag shut. Make a small hole in the body and insert the twisted end of the head into the hole. Use tape to hold it in place.
3. Roll a few sheets of newspaper into two small tubes for the legs. Poke two holes in the bottom of the body and insert the legs. Add tape to hold them in place.
4. Glue on cut paper for features and patches. Cut and glue paper hay for the feet, hands, neck, and head. Add an old straw hat.
Turn any meal into a celebration by presenting summer's best in bowls wrapped in bright papers.
what you'll need
Newspapers; wood bowl (available in thrift shops)
White spray primer
Acrylic paint in desired color
Paintbrush
Papers in several colors
Scissors; paper punch
Decoupage medium, such as Mod Podge
Glass or plastic liner, optional
1 In a well-ventilated work area, cover work surface with newspapers. Spray bowl with primer. Let dry. Paint the bowl the desired color. Let dry.
2 Cut paper strips and squares. Punch circles with a paper punch. Paint decoupage medium onto the bowl and arrange the paper shapes on the bowl. Paint two more coats of decoupage medium over the bowl. Let it dry.
3 Place a glass or plastic liner in the bowl if using it for food.
Unexpected materiais enhance an unassuming bottle, transforming it into a kitchen treasure.
what you'll need
Plastic net bag (from grocery store produce)
Bottle with cork
Glue gun and low-melt glue
Artificial fruit
12 inches of metallic gold cord
1 Slip the plastic net bag over the bottle. Use low-melt glue and a glue gun to glue the net to the bottom of the bottle. Let the glue dry. Tie the netting around the neck of the bottle.
2 Wrap and bend a stem of fruit and leaves around the neck of the bottle. Tie gold cord around the neck. Knot cord ends.
(brown paper bag, flashlight)
1. Place a brown paper bag on a table, with the open end at the bottom.
2. Draw and cut out a pumpkin face on the bag.
3. At night, place the bag over a small flashlight. See the pumpkin glow in the dark!
(pencil, rubber eraser cap, permanent marker, construction paper)
1. Place a rubber eraser cap on the top of a pencil. With scissors, cut out a small notch at the top of the eraser to form two pointed ears.
2. Color the eraser black with a permanent marker.
3. Cut out bat wings from construction paper. Glue the wings to the back of the eraser and let dry. Cut out small paper eyes, and glue them to the bat.
Use your imagination to create a stepping-stone for your backyard oasis.
what you'll need
Plastic tub for mixing
Trowel
Cement mix
10-inch-diameter disposable round plastic planter tray
One 25/8-inch square green tile
4 tiny terra-cotta flowerpots
4 iridescent purple marbles
Fourteen 1%-inch square red tiles
Large spoon
Brown sand
1 In the plastic tub, mix the cement with the trowel using small amounts of cement mix and water. It should be the consistency of a pourable dough, thin enough to pour slowly without running from the container. Mix a little more than what you think you need.
2 Pour the cement into the planter tray, filling it to the top. Shake the tray from side to side and tap firmly to settle the cement. Smooth the surface with the trowel.
3 Place items in cement in desired arrangement. Tap the items with the back of a spoon until they are firmly in place and settled to the desired depth. For container items, such as the tiny terra-cotta pots, spoon cement into the hollowed portion to stabilize the piece.
4 Pour sand on top of wet cement, covering the entire stone.
5 Leave stone stationary for 24 hours. Let it dry. Pour off the excess sand and wash off any remaining cement from embedded items, wiping with dry cloth. Gently turn stone over to remove it from the tray.
Hit the toolbox, not your jewelry box, the next time you need to jazz up an outfit with some dangling chains.
what you'll need
20-inch-long board; 2 nails; ruler; hammer 15-foot-long piece of bathtub chain; scissors Wire cutters; masking tape; fishing line 2 silver cap beads; 2 silver flat beads; 2 silver round beads; 24 inches of narrow black cord Thick white crafts glue; 2 small silver beads
1 On the board, pound two nails 18 inches apart. Cut length of chain into two equal pieces. Tape the end of one piece to the end of the board near one nail. Wind chain around nails to create loops. Tape the end of the chain to the board. Repeat for second piece of chain.
3 Tie an 18-inch piece of fishing line around loops of chain at each nail. Make a double knot. Remove tape and slip loops off nails, allowing ends to dangle. Thread a cap bead onto fishing line at each end of necklace and double-knot the fishing line.
4 Thread a flat bead and then a round bead onto the fishing line. Slip both ends of the fishing line back through the round bead only, leaving two loops of fishing line at the top of the bead. Repeat for the other necklace end.
5 Cut black cord in half; knot one end of each cord. Slip knotted end through the fishing line loop. Pull loose ends of fishing line to close loop around knotted cord. Thread line through flat bead; tie line into a double knot under the flat bead. Apply glue to knot; cut off excess line. Repeat for other end.
6 Add small silver bead to end of each cord; knot. Gather four loose strands of chain; tie together in an overhand knot centered in the other chain loops.
(frozen-juice pull-top lid, felt, safety pin)
1. Place a frozen-juice pull-top lid on a piece of felt, and trace around it with a pencil. Do this again and cut out the two circles.
2. Glue one felt circle to each side of the lid.
3. Cut out a mouth, a nose, eyes, and a stem from pieces of felt, and glue them in place.
4. On the other side, glue or tape a safety pin.
(plastic food container, yarn, cardboard egg carton, poster paint, construction paper)
1. For the top section, cut a ring from a plastic food container. Punch four evenly spaced holes near the top of the ring. Insert a piece of yarn through each hole, tying a knot at the end. Gather the four pieces at the top, and tie them together into one knot.
2. Cut out five egg-carton sections and make them into the shapes of cats' heads, as shown. Paint them black. Add whiskers and eyes with paper and glue. Poke a hole in the top of each cat's head.
3. On the bottom of the ring, punch five evenly spaced holes. Thread a piece of yarn through each cat's head and through a hole in the ring. Tie a knot at each end.
4. Glue a piece of black paper to cover the back of each head. Add paper ears.
(cream containers, construction paper, tree branch, plastic food container, modeling clay, fabric, yarn, string)
1. For each goblin, glue together two small cream containers. Cut features from paper to decorate each goblin.
2. Stick a fallen tree branch into a plastic food container filled with modeling clay. Cut a circle of fabric. Wrap it around the container and tie it together with yarn.
3. Glue a piece of string to the top of each goblin, and tie the goblins to the branches.
Accented with trims from the hardware store, this fashionable purse is made from the leg of an old pair of jeans.
what you'll need
Old jeans; scissors; ruler; sewing machine; thread
Approximately 32—3/16-inch washers
Jewelry glue; pliers
2 feet of twisted nickel chain; carpet thread; needle
Two 3/4 inch-diameter circular closures, such as Velcro
1 Cut 91/2 inches off the end of one jean leg. If the hem is frayed, cut it off and turn the edge over to the front, turning under the raw edge. Stitch.
2 Turn the jean leg wrong side out. Line up the outside and inside seams so they run down the center.
3 titch across the bottom cut edge using a l/t-inch seam. Clip the corners and turn right side out. ' Glue washers in offset rows on the front of the purse.
4 Open the last links on each end of the chain and slip a washer on each link. Pinch the link closed. Hand-stitch washers to the top corners of the purse with carpet thread.
5 Glue closures to the inside edges of the purse.
Accompany a gift from the kitchen with a pretty cut-paper tag.
what you'll need
Heavyweight paper or tagboard; ruler
Straight or decorative-edge scissors
Brush pen in desired color
Metallic gold permanent marking pen
1-1/2 x 2-3/4inch white adhesive label
1/8inch paper punch
12 inches of metallic gold elastic cord
1 Cut the heavyweight paper into a 31/2x1 V2-inch strip using straight or decorative-edge scissors. If desired, cut off the comers of the paper strip.
2 Color the paper strip using a brush pen. Carefully outline the edges of the paper strip using a gold marking pen. Outline the adhesive label with gold marking pen. Center the label on the cut strip of paper and press into place.
3 Punch a small hole in each end of the tag. Cut a 12-inch length of cord. Thread the cord through the holes; tie around jar.
(construction paper)
1. Fold a piece of dark blue construction paper in half for the card. On the outside write this message: "Dear _____
On Halloween will you help me haunt a house? Look inside."
2. On black construction paper, draw a house that will fit inside the card. Add windows and a door with a marker or a crayon. Cut out the house.
3. From white paper, cut out a ghost shape longer than the height of the house. On the bottom of the ghost print "PUSH UP."
4. Inside the card, put the house in place with the ghost behind it. Put glue on the back of the house but only at the sides. Be sure the ghost moves freely.
5. Pull the ghost down so that it is invisible until your friend follows the instruction "PUSH UP."
(small cardboard gift box, construction paper, poster board)
1. Cover the lid of a small cardboard gift box with construction paper. Tape the ends inside the lid.
2. Cut the face of a witch from white paper, and glue it to the top of the lid. Draw on facial features with a marker.
3. Cut a poster board hat, and glue it to the witch. Fill the box with treats for a friend.
(bathroom tissue tube, poster paint, construction paper)
1. Draw two V shapes, one at each end of a bathroom tissue tube, and cut them out. Glue the V shapes to each side of the tube for ears.
2. Paint the tube and let dry. Cut out eyes and a beak from paper and glue in place.
3. Place a rolled napkin inside the tube and stand the owl up.
Edge a candle with metallic gold stars and chain to shimmer in the light of the flame.
what you'll need
Tape measure; red 3-wick candle
7 metallic gold upholstery tacks
18 inches of jewelry chain
7 metallic gold star charms
1 Measure the circumference of the candle and divide the measurement by 7. Use a tack to make a tiny guide hole for each star at intervals determined in Step 1, approximately % inch from candle top.
3 Push a tack through the end link of the chain and then through a charm loop. Press the tack into one of the guide holes in the candle. Continue tacking the charms and chain in place, allowing the chain to create scallops between the tacks.
Show your American pride by making and displaying this grand plate.
what you'll need
Glass plate; newspapers
Krylon Looking Glass mirror spray paint and clear-coat sealer,
such as Metalcast (available at car supply stores) Tube-style fabric paint; scissors Adhesive-back paper Crafts knife
Transparent spray paints, such as Dupli-Color, in red and blue Felt; pen; thick white crafts glue
1 Wash and dry the plate. On newspaper in a well-ventilated work area, spray the back of the plate with three to four light coats of mirror spray paint, letting dry between coats. Spray sealer over the painted area. Let dry.
2 Write lettering on the front of the plate with tube-style fabric paint. Let dry.
3 Cut star and lines from adhesive-back paper. Place on plate front below lettering as shown in photo, above.
4 Spray the front side of the plate with red from one edge, bleeding off into the center. Spray blue beginning at opposite side, bleeding into center, overlapping slightly onto red. Let dry.
5 Carefully remove star and adhesive-back paper and peel away lettering.
6 Trace around plate bottom on felt and trim slightly smaller than drawn line. Cut out the felt. Glue felt to the back of plate.
(permanent markers, watercolor or tempera paint, tongue depressors, felt, lightweight cardboard)
1. Paint a face on a tongue depressor with permanent marker, watercolor, or tempera paint. Features can be added with pieces of felt.
2. Glue a lightweight piece of cardboard in the shape of a ring to the back of each tongue depressor. When dry, place the puppets on your fingers.
(heavy cardboard, poster paint)
1. From heavy cardboard, cut out the body, front legs, back legs, and head. Make slits in these four parts, as shown.
2. Slide the legs and head into the body slits to be sure that the parts fit properly. Take apart.
3. Paint the parts with poster paint, adding features. Let dry, then put the parts back together.
(small white paper bags, construction paper)
1. Decorate one side of a small white paper bag with cutout pieces of construction paper. Glue them in place.
2. Make Halloween cats, witches, goblins, or other creatures. Let your imagination loose.
3. Place treats inside each bag for your friends.
(construction paper)
1. Cut out three identical paper pumpkin shapes with straight bottoms.
2. Fold each pumpkin in half and then open up. Draw a different face on each paper pumpkin, using the fold as a guide to center the face.
3. Add glue to one half of the back of two pumpkins, and glue these together. Then glue the third pumpkin to the remaining back sections.
Stack sanded wood stars to make rustic votive candleholders that are full of spirit.
what you'll need
Tracing paper; pencil
Star-shape cookie cutters in two sizes, optional
Scissors
Various thicknesses of wood
Scroll saw or jigsaw
Drill and 11/2-inch bit
Acrylic paints in blue, red, and yellow
Paintbrush
Sandpaper
Wood glue
Tea light candle
1 On tracing paper, draw star patterns or trace around cookie cutters; cut out. For a set of three candleholders, trace around each pattern three times on wood. Cut out pieces using a scroll saw or jigsaw.
2 Carefully drill holes 1A inch deep in the centers of the smaller stars. Paint the stars the desired color. Let dry. Sand off the paint around the edges.
3 Glue the smaller star onto the larger star. Let dry. Place a tea light in the hole.
Note: Never leave burning candles unattended.
Embedded gems, and swirls solder, paperweights sparkie with the red, white, and blue.
what you'll need
Star-shape cookie cutter; waxed paper Permanent marking pen; scissors Disposable bowl; plaster of Paris; plastic knife Lead-free solder in silver, red, blue, and clear;
wire cutters; gems; eyelets; beads Thick white crafts glue; paintbrush Glitter in silver, red, or blue
1 Trace around the cookie cutter on waxed paper with marking pen. Cut out the shape V2 inch beyond marking.
2 Press the waxed paper shape into the cookie cutter, letting it fold up the sides.
3 In a disposable bowl mix plaster of Paris according to the manufacturer's directions. Carefully pour the plaster into the lined cookie cutter, filling it three-quarters full. Smooth off with a plastic knife.
4 To make a solder coil, cut a short piece and form it into a coil. Place a bend approximately Va inch from one end. Press this end into the plaster.
5 Press the remaining embellishments into the wet plaster where desired. Let the plaster dry.
6 Remove the star shape from the cookie cutter. Remove the waxed paper. Paint a coat of glue on the edges of the star shape. Sprinkle the wet glue with glitter. Let dry.
(white paper, yarn, black crayon)
1. Cut two identical ghost shapes, larger than your hand, from white paper.
2. Hold one ghost on top of the other. With a paper punch, punch holes around the sides and tops.
3. Cut a long piece of yarn. Lace the front and back together by going in and out of the holes. Tie a knot in the ends of the yarn.
4. Draw a ghost face with black crayon. Place your hand in the puppet, and say "Boo!"
(four black chenille sticks, one large four-hole button, construction paper)
1. Cut four black chenille sticks about 6 inches in length.
2. Push a chenille stick through each hole of a large four-hole button. Bend and shape the sticks to look like legs.
3. To make the spider's head and body section, cut a piece of black construction paper. Glue it to the top of the button. Add paper eyes.
(shoe box and lid, poster paint, large thread spool, white paper, three Ping-Pong balls)
1. Remove the lid from an empty shoe box. Paint the inside of the lid with black poster paint and let dry. Paint three Ping-Pong balls black and let dry.
2. Draw a ghost shape on a piece of white paper to fit the inside of the lid. Cut out the ghost and glue it inside
-id.
3. To make the eyes and mouth, place a large thread spool on the face and trace around the spool. Cut out along the outline. Turn the shoe box upside down, and hold the lid against the bottom. Trace around the holes for the eyes and mouth, then cut along the outlines.
4. Glue the lid to the bottom of the box, matching the holes. Cut out sections of the sides of the shoe box to make legs.
5. Drop the three balls onto the lid. Hold the box in your hands, and roll the balls around until you have filled the holes.
Rejuvenate an old bucket by wrapping it in the colors of the American flag.
what you'll need
Metal pail with handle
Hot-glue gun and glue sticks
4 yards of Winch-diameter red, white, and blue striped rope
Scissors
1 Wash and dry the pail.
2 Starting at the bottom of the pail, hot-glue the end of the rope to
the pail. Working with small sections at a time, tightly wrap the
rope around the pail and glue it in place. When you reach the
top of the pail, wrap the handle with rope.
3 Continue gluing the rope down the side of the pail. Cut off the
excess rope. If desired, glue rope down on the opposite side of
the pail. Secure the ends with glue if needed.