DIY Paper Pinwheel

After much searching on Pinterest and attempting many different methods, I found a great post about making paper pinwheels.  These will make great decorations and are simple enough for teens and older kids to make in a program.  I've already shown my finished to a couple of teens today and they are excited to decorate the Teen Lounge with paper pinwheels!

Here's what you will need:

• Paper (any kind will work.  I used colored copier paper because that is what I had on hand)
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Glue stick
• Paper clips

To make the large pinwheel I used three pieces of 81/2"x11" paper.  Take a piece of paper and fold it accordion style along the short end, like the picture below, until it's completely folded,.  Do this to all three pieces.

Once your pieces of paper are folded, fold each one in half and glue the middle pieces together.  I secured mine with paper clips while the glue dried.

Now that you have three fan-like pieces, glue them together side by side, to create a circle. Secure with pins.  This is your first pinwheel!

While that pinwheel is drying, cut three 4" squares out of different colored paper.  Fold and glue these together like the first pinwheel.

Glue the small pinwheel to the large pinwheel.

Now, you can have some fun with what you put on the middle.  I decided to go the easy route with this one and printed out some free tags from Chic Tags.  Add some ribbon to the back to hang from the ceiling or a wall and you're done.

Enjoy!

Paper Mache Pumpkin

I bought small, brown paper mache pumpkins for kids to color with markers and add glitter to for an evetn I did at the library.  I have some leftover pumpkins and have been dreaming up all the fun things I can do with them.  I decided to continue on with the paper mache route and use orange and yellow tissue paper.  

What you need:

• Orange and yellow tissue paper (or any colors you'd like)
• Mod Podge
• Small paint brush
• Paper mache pumpkin

Cut your tissue paper into one inch strips and then cut the strips into one inch squares.  I did not measure, just a rough guess.  The pieces do not need to be perfect..

Using the small paintbrush add a thin layer of Mod Podge to the pumpkin.  Place a piece of tissue paper on the Mod Podged area and use the paint brush to smooth the paper down.  I started at the top and worked around in a circle until the entire pumpkin was cover.  Once you are satisfied with your pumpkin, give it a nice top coat of Mod Podge to seal everything down.  I used a matte finish on my pumpkin so it's not too shiny.

I'm toying with the idea of adding some chunky glitter to this pumpkin.  Sometimes glitter just adds a nice touch, and by sometimes, I mean all the time!

Enjoy!!

Tissue Paper Owl

I got this idea from my favorite blog A Beautiful Mess.  I decided to simplify it a bit and use as a library craft.  After scrounging around in my craft supplies I came up with the following items to make this cute little owl.

• Styrofoam ball
• Tissue paper
• Scrap of felt
• Large wiggly eyes
• Pipe cleaners
• Scissors
• Glue stick

I cut my tissue paper into 3 inch strips and folded them in half.  I then cut the raw edges with scissors to make a fringe about 1 inch about apart.  Do not cut all the way through.  

Using the glue stick I went around the Styrofoam ball and wrapped the fringe in layers .  For the top, I used smaller pieces of fringe and layered them in a tight circle.  

The feet are made out of  pipe cleaners cut in half .

Cut a small triangle out of brown felt and stick some wiggly eyes on the front of the owl.  Stand back and admire your slightly ruffled, slightly circular owl.

Enjoy!

Felt Bat and Poem

I've seen several posts about bat rhymes which inspired me to make my own.  I had a hard time trying to find a good bat picture to use as a stencil so I made my own.  A picture of the stencil is below.  Feel free to copy and print it out if you'd like. 

I made 5 bats and gave them wiggly eyes.

I decided to use this Bat poem found here.

Bat pattern:  

Enjoy!

Apple & Worm Magnet

Perfect Fall craft!

Here's a simple, yet cute Fall craft to do with preschool aged kids.  Here in Hilton, NY we have an annual Apple Fest at the beginning of October.  It's a kind of a big deal.  I like to do apple stories right around that time because the kids are all geared up for the Apple Fest.  

Here's what you need:

• Apple cut outs
• Red and white card stock 
• Small worms (I used a clip art worm)
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• Glue
• Pencil
• Crayons
• Magnets

To prep this craft you will need to carefully draw a bite mark out of the side of the red apple.  Cut that out and use your now bitten apple as a stencil for the rest of the apples.  That way your bite will be in the same spot and line up with the white apple when all is said and done.  To make the bite mark on the white apple, use the red cut apple and slide it to the left a little bit so you are cutting a little less out of the white apple.  Line up your apples and make sure it looks alright with the white peeking out a bit.  Go to town stenciling and cutting the rest of the apples. 

Punch a hole in the red apples near the center.  

Cut out small worms that can slide easily into the hole.

Now your project is ready for the kids.

I let the kids color their apples.  Some will color just the stem and leaf, others will make beautiful rainbow colored apples!

Once the kids are done coloring, use a glue stick and dab just a little bit of glue on the back side of the red apple near the hole.  Have the kids slip their worm into the apple and press the worm against the back.

Next, glue the white apple behind the red apple, be sure to try and line up your apples as best as you can.  Add a small magnet strip to the back and your done.

Enjoy!

3-D Christmas Tree

I was cleaning out some things in my storage room and came across this craft I did a few years ago.  It's definitely one I want to revisit this year.  There's a bit of prep work involved, but it makes an adorable decoration.  

What you need:

• Foam tree cutouts, I used my Die Cut machine and cut my own.
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun & glue
• old CDs
• Sequins
• Small holiday decorations
• School glue
• Glitter or fake snow

To make the tree take two tree cutouts and using scissors cut half way through the middle of the tree from top to bottom.  On the other tree cut half way through the middle from bottom toward the top.  Fit the two pieces together by placing them snug into the slots you just cut.  

Using your hot glue gun attach the tree to the middle of the CD with the shiny side of the CD facing up.  Once the tree is dried and standing straight up, glue on the other decorations.  I used a small present and a tiny candy cane.  Now it's ready for the kids!

Have the kids use school glue to add sequins for ornaments.  Once the sequins are on, have the kids spread glue all over the CD and put the white glitter or fake snow on top of the CD.

Enjoy!

3-D Turkey Cube

Still working on changing up my fall crafts. This 3-D turkey is what I came up with.  I made a 3-D cube out of a cereal box.  Just Google search "3-D cube template"  and you will have many choices and sizes to choose from.  

What you will need:

• Thin cardboard or an empty cereal box
• Cube template
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Exacto knife
• Colored paper
• Foam (for feet or you can use paper for that too)
• Fake leaves (or paper ones)
• Googly eyes
• Craft glue

How to make this cute little turkey:

Print out a cube template and cut it out.  Trace it onto a piece of cereal box or thin cardboard. Cut out the cardboard cube.  Using the exacto knife, score the edges that will be fold by lightly pressing the knife along those lines.  Be sure not to cut all the way through.  Fold all the edges that need to be folded and with some patience, glue the box together.  Pick out about 5 leaves to use as tail feather.  Layer and glue them together.  Glue your stack of leaves to the back of the cube. NOTE: I used a hot glue gun with my leaves because I didn't have good craft glue handy at the time and regular school glue wasn't cutting it. While your leaves are drying to the box, cut out a beak and gobbler from paper and feet from a piece of foam.  Glue two googly eyes to the front of your cube along with the beak, gobbler, and feet.  Let everything dry for a few minutes and you're done!  Look how cute this square turkey is.  :-)

For the library kids I will have fun fall scrapbook paper to cover the cubes with and crayons to give each turkey a little more personality.

Enjoy!