Question:

craft idea

CORN COLLAGE

Items needed:

Yellow and green construction paper
Glue
Un-popped popcorn

Cut a "corn cob" and "husks" out of paper. Glue the "husks" around the "cob". Spread the glue on the "cob" and cover it with un-popped popcorn

AUTUMN LIGHTS

Have your child select an oatmeal box lid and cut two sheets of wax paper (each the same size) to fit around the outside of the lid. The lid is the bottom of the lantern, the wax paper will form the cylindrical sides. Arrange pressed leaves on one sheet of wax paper. Cover the leaves with the second piece of wax paper and, using a warm (not hot) iron, press the wax paper, melting the wax and ironing the leaves between the sheets of paper.

Glue a one-inch strip of fall colored construction paper along the top of the wax paper to reinforce the top so that a handle can be added. Glue the bottom edge of the wax paper to the outside of the box lid. Do this by running a bead of glue all along the outside of the box lid. Then roll the lid along the bottom edge of the wax paper, forming the cylinder as you roll.

You may add a finishing strip of construction paper along this bottom edge. Put several dabs of glue along the overlapping edges of the wax paper sides to close the cylinder. Attach a 1/2-inch-wide, 12- to 15-inch-long handle using paper fasteners. Place a loop of masking tape in the bottom of the lantern and add a votive candle or tea light. (If a candle is used, the lantern must be supervised at all times. Using only outdoors might be the safest idea.)

APPLE PEOPLE

Peel and core a good-sized apple. With a knife, carve some of the apple away, to suggest two eyes, a nose and a mouth. Place the apple in a bowl filled with salted water or lemon juice for about half an hour. Dry the apple gently, and spear it from below with a pencil. Place the pencil in a long-necked bottle. Let the apple dry there for three or four weeks. As it dries, it will shrink and take on the look of a weathered face. Paint some simple clothes on the bottle, or glue some scraps of cloth onto the bottle to look like garments.

COLLAGE ART MADE EASY

When you think collage you think glue, right? Think again. Here's a new twist on an old favorite. Start with a square of contact paper (mac-tac). Supply your toddler with plenty of colorful, interesting items to put on their "page". A lot of the fun will be in the process of putting their items (ie: pictures from magazines, fabric squares and cotton balls) on to the sticky surface and pulling them off again. Voila. No mess and a lot of fun !

PAPER BOWL LADY BUGS

Paper bowls
Red tissue paper
Glue
Black construction paper
Pipe cleaners
Paint brushes
Give the children some tissue paper and have them rip it into small pieces. Mix glue with a little water to thin it out and pour into a small container. Give each child some glue and a paintbrush. Let them glue the tissue paper all over the back of the paper bowls. Cut some black circles out of the construction paper and let them glue those on to. Poke two holes in the bowl on one edge of the top and have the children stick one end of the pipe cleaner in each hole from the inside of the bowl and then pull them through so they look like antenna. We finished up by drawing a face on with markers.

MEAT TRAY STENCILS

An adult or older child can cut tray pieces out for stencils.

MEAT TRAY "RUBBER" STAMPS

Rubber stamps can be expensive, but you can make your own out of Styrofoam meat trays. Clean the tray, cut out the shape, and glue it to an empty film canister, cork, or the end of a large eraser. Press into an inked stamp pad and you're ready to stamp.

BUNNY BASKET

BUNNY BASKET
2 Lt. Pop Bottle
Felt
Wiggle Eyes
Glue
Pom-pom or cotton ball
1. Take a clear 2 lt. pop bottle take off the bottom support if there is one.
2. Cut the bottle in half so you remove the opening. Next cut down on the bottle till there is about 3-4" left which will be the body.
3. Move left or right about 4-5" and cut down the same distance. Remove this section that is loose.
4. Go to the opposite side and diagonally cut two pointed ears (don't cut them off). Cut out pink felt and glue on to the plastic ears.
5. Glue on eyes (wiggle or paper), pink triangle felt nose (or paper) with little strips of white paper to resemble whiskers.
6. Don't forget the cotton ball or white pompom for the tail!
Fill with Easter grass.

CROCODILE CLIPS

Need:
Spring-Action Clothes Pin
Green Marker
Black Marker
Small Wiggle Eyes
Glue
1. Color entire clothes pin with green marker.
2. Glue an eye on each side of the pin behind the large circular opening.
3. Using the black marker make 2 dots at the end of the clothes pin for nostrils.
Backyard carnivals are the perfect way to spend a summer day, so let the games begin. Children create their own memories and nurture their creative spirits.

TISSUE APPLES

• Round Balloons
• Vaseline
• Red Tissue Paper
• Diluted Glue (or liquid starch)
  Inflate balloons to the size of an apple. Cut red tissue paper into strips (about 1" by 4"). Cover the balloon with a light coat of Vaseline. Dip strips of tissue paper into diluted glue but, don't let them soak. Stick them on balloons. These take about 24 hours to dry. When they are dry, you can pop the balloon with a pin and remove the balloon

COFFEE CAN BANK

Turn a coffee can with a plastic lid into a bank by decorating the can and making a slot in the lid for coins.

LEAF COLLAGE

Recycle those leaves of autumn by bringing them in to decorate the house with preserved leaves that extend the life of their colorful images.

Start by collecting the most beautiful leaves you can find. Next, flatten the leaves by placing them between sections of newspaper and then stacking heavy books on top. Wait overnight. Lay out a sheet of clear contact paper with the sticky side up. Arrange the leaves in a pattern on the center of this sheet. Cover with a second sheet of clear contact paper, sticky side down, sealing the leaves inside. Press close to the edges of the leaves with your fingertips. Finally, cut the plastic into a geometric shape, such as a big circle or octagon. Punch a hole in the top of the plastic with a hole punch and add a ribbon loop to hang up your collage. This pressed-leaf art is especially pretty hung in a window where light can shine through the colored leaves.

Make a leaf tree by creating smaller collages to use as ornaments that can be hung at windows throughout the house or placed on a dead tree branch brought into the house and secured in a can or terra-cotta pot.

TIN CAN LUMINARIES

One lb. coffee cans
Black spray paint
Black marker
Hammer and large nail
Sand and candles
Fill the can with water and place in the freezer until frozen solid, using a black marker, draw the outline of the shape you want to punch out of the can.
Begin punching holes all around the outline of the design. It does not take a lot of strength to punch these holes and the ice serves to keep the can from denting inwards as you punch. Try to keep the holes evenly spaced.
If the ice starts to melt too much while you are working, put the can back into the freezer until it is frozen again.
After all your holes are punched, empty the ice and water and let the can dry out.
Spray the outside of the can with black spray paint. You can place the can in a cardboard box to do this. That will eliminate much of the fly away paint.
When the paint is dry put about 1 inch of sand in the bottom of the can and place a candle inside the sand.
Never leave the candles burning unattended.