Craft Ideas

How to make Beads out of Paper

Each of these many colored beads will surprise you because each is different. String them together to make one-of-a-kind necklaces and bracelets. To fill your jewellery box or surprise someone: The materials you will need are: Typing paper: lightweight cardboard: transparent tape: strong thread: pictures from old magazines. Tools need: ruler: pencil: scissors: needle: and round toothpick.

Fold up 1 inch at the bottom of a sheet of typing paper. On the folded part, mark off ½ inch on the short edge and 5 ½ inches on the long edge. Draw a line joining the two marks.

Cut out along the pencil line. Unfold. This triangle will be the pattern for one set of beads. To make the pattern easier to use, tape it to a piece of lightweight cardboard and cut out the cardboard.

Now fold up 1 inch at the other end of the sheet of paper. On the folded part, mark off ¼ inch on the short edge and 7 ¼ inches on the long edge. Join the two marks, cut out along the line, and unfold. This triangle will be the pattern for a second set of beads. Tape it to a piece of cardboard and cut out.

For a necklace, put a length of thread around your neck and cut the thread off when it is as long as you want your necklace to be. Then thread it through a needle.

Pick some colourful pictures in an old magazine. Magazines with glossy paper are best. What the pictures show doesn’t matter.

Put one of your triangle patterns on a picture, draw around it, can cut the triangle out.

Lay a round toothpick on the back side of the picture triangle, across the wide end. Roll the triangle up around the tooth-pick. Roll straight so that the two sides taper evenly. This makes a bead.

Tape the loose end to keep the bead from unrolling. Remove the toothpick and run the needle through the hole to thread the bead.

Repeat, using the other triangle pattern, to make a differently shaped bead. Keep changing the triangle patterns until your necklace is completely threaded with beads. Then tie the ends together.

You can make differently shaped beads by changing the size of the triangle pattern Experiment until you find some new shapes you like.

You can make bracelets instead of necklaces by stringing the beads on shorter threads.

Make your own Maracas

Maracas are rattles used in playing Latin American Music. They make a swishy sound. The maracas player shakes a maraca with each hand to mark the rhythm of the music. The Indians of South America, the first people to use maracas, make theirs out of gourds. Here is how to make your own with easy day to day materials.

You will need: newspapers to over work space: two round balloons: white glue: 24 dried beans or small pebbles: two cardboard tubes: masking tape: paint: crepe paper: Tools: jar: ruler: scissors: measuring cup: foil pan: pin: paintbrush.

Blow up two balloons to the size of a grapefruit. Tie the end of each.
Place one of the balloons in the mouth of a jar. Then cut strips of newspaper about 6 inches long by ½ inch wide. (save time by cutting triple layers.)

In a foil pan, mix equal amounts of white glue and water about ½ cup of each. Dip the newspaper strips in this mixture and apply the wet strips to the balloon, criss crossing them. Use about five layers, to make the maraca strong. Make sure that no part of the balloon shows through except at the very bottom.

Do the same with the second balloon. Let both balloons dry over night.
Hold each balloon in turn by the tied end and burst it with a pin. When the balloon has gotten small enough, pull it out by the tied end.
Insert 12 beans or pebbles through the hole in each maraca and tape the hole closed.

To make handles, use a cardboard tube for each maraca. A tube from gift-wrapping paper is best, but you can use a paper towel tube instead.
Cut four parallel slits into the end of each tube, running lengthwise. Make each slit about 3 inches long. Circle the tubes with tape just below the slits to keep them from splitting farther.

Spread the slit pieces apart. Fit the maracas onto the slit pieces and tape the slit pieces firmly to the maracas.

Paint the maracas and let dry overnight.

To decorate the handles, cut two strips of crepe paper about 3 inches wide and 14 inches long. Cut 1 1/2 –inch slits all along the edge of each strip, about ¼ inch apart. This will make a fringe.

Glue the uncut edge of one strip to the handle of one of the maracas, starting just below the maraca. Wind and glue the strip around the handle toward the bottom end. Repeat with the other handle.

Cut out several crepe paper circles and glue them on the maracas.

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!

Invisible Ink

• 2 tbsp. cobalt chloride
• 2 tsp. white dextrin
• 3 1/2 tbsp. glycerine

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a small pan. 

Cook over low heat and stir constantly until well blended. 

Cool completely. 

Store in a clean air-tight jar. 

Ink is pale pink on colored paper. 

Expose to heat or light bulb and writing turns blue. 

Note:  Cobalt chloride and dextrin may be purchased from a chemical supply house and glycerine from a drug store. 

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.