Craft Ideas

Make a Tissue Flower and Vase

Put a bright flower on the breakfast table. Or give it as a special present. Here is how to make it: You will need: five sheets of tissue paper of different colours: pipe cleaners: coffee can, quart milk carton, or large plastic bottle: newspapers. Tools: pencil; scissors: yardstick. Optional materials you could use are gift-wrapping paper or crepe paper: white glue: enamel paint: thinner: paint brush.

Choose five sheets of tissue paper in the colours you want to use for the petals of your flower. Stack the five sheets on top of each other. Measure and draw a square 15 inches by 15 inches on the top sheet. Cut out all five squares at the same time.

Pick up the top square only. Fold it three times. Starting about halfway up on each side, round off the top with your scissors.

Open up the tissue paper. Than hang it over a yardstick, with the rounded edges pointing down.  Push the tissue together on the yardstick, gathering the part that’s pushed together.

Take hold of the gathered part and wind a pipe cleaner around it to hold it together.

Do the same with the four other pieces of tissue. When all are finished, twist the five pipe cleaners stems together and wrap another pipe cleaner around them all.

To make a vase for your flower, first cover your work space with newspapers. Then cover a coffee can or milk carton with gift-wrapping paper or crepe paper. (If you use a milk carton, cut the top off first).

You can also use a large plastic bottle-an empty bleach bottle or distilled-water bottle for a vase. Remove the label and, if you wish, paint the bottle with enamel paint.

How to make your Very Own Space Rocket

THE MOON? MARS? Pick your space target. To get your rocket ready for the launch pad and countdown you will need Materials: newspapers to cover work space: round oatmeal or cornmeal box; masking tape; light weight cardboard: white glue: salt box: (for a super rocket two boxes): three empty spools: paint. Tools needed: pencil: ruler; scissors: compass or other circle maker: paintbrush.

Tape the cover onto an oatmeal or cornmeal box. Cut four fins from cardboard. Each fin should be a triangle 4 inches at the bottom and the same height as the oatmeal or cornmeal box.

Glue and tape the fins to the box. On a piece of cardboard, draw a half circle with a 7-inch radius. Cut out the half circle and roll it onto a cone.

Adjust the bottom of the cone until it just fits the top of a salt box. The tape the con’s seam and tape the cone to the box.

Cut four cone fins from cardboard. The fins should be the same height as the side of the cone (or, for a super rocket, the same height as the salt box) and 3 inches wide at the bottom.

Glue and tape the fins to the cone. For a super rocket, attach the fins to the salt box instead. Then glue this salt box on top of a second salt box.

Now glue the salt box (or boxes) to the oatmeal box, being careful to line up the top fins with the bottom fins.

Glue three spools to the bottom of the oatmeal box. These are your rocket’s engines.
When the glue is dry paint your rocket. Mars has never looked better!

Silly Pet Spiders

• Paper nut cups or egg cartons cut into cups
• Pencil
• Eight 3 inch pieces of pipe cleaners or twist ties

Directions:

Decorate cup to make it look like a spider face. 

Tip:  Try using crayons or markers, adhesive stickers, glue on cereal, raisins, and/or nuts.  Hats can be made with cotton balls, marshmallows or string. 

Using a pencil tip to poke 8 holes around the bottom of the cup. 

To make the spiders legs, insert pipe cleaners or twist ties into holes.

Spider Web:

Directions:

Squeeze a glob of white glue onto waxed paper. 

Dip 9 inch piece of twine into glue, removing excess glue with fingers. 

Lay one end in center of another piece of waxed paper. 

Working outward from center, lay down the twine. 

Add more pieces of twine to increase the size. 

Lay longer pieces of twine dipped in glue (12 inches) across the top of the web. 

Let dry at least 4 hours. 

Carefully peel off the waxed paper. 

Vegetable Printing

Directons:

Cut various fruit and vegetables in half, allowing to dry on paper towels for at least an hour (also depends on the fruit/vegetable). 

Cover work table with old newspaper. 

Brush paint along the cut edge of fruit or vegetable. 

Print design on water color paper. 

Cover with clear adhesive backed vinyl for a placement. 

Print on 100% cotton fabric and heat set by ironing face down on paper towels. 

Sandwich the cotton fabric sit batting and a backing to make a pot holder. 

Stitch around design, stitching through all three layers. 

Make pictures, landscapes, designs, etc. 

Also makes wonderful presents if you frame them.