CRAFT IDEAS

60 SECOND HATS
MATERIALS
• Large piece of paper such as gift wrap or newspaper.
• Masking Tape
• Ball or Bucket
INSTRUCTIONS
• Place paper centred over ball or upside-down bucket.
• Press paper with hands around bucket or top half of ball to shape.
• Hold in place while second person wraps large pieces of tape around to make hat band.
• Remove from ball or bucket.
• Decorate.
DANGLING BEAD PENCIL
Decorate a pencil using ribbon and beads. Make them in your favourite colours, your school colours, and many other designs!
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Pencil
Ribbon (about 1/8-inch wide)
Various Beads (pony beads work well)
Tacky Glue
INSTRUCTIONS:
• Carefully remove the eraser from the end of the pencil and set it aside.
• Cut a piece of ribbon about 8 inches long. String one bead onto the ribbon, hold both ends together and push the bead into the centre.
• String other beads as desired by pushing both ends of the ribbon through each hole and push the beads down to rest on the first one.
• Once you have the bead design you want, trim the ends of the ribbon so there is about 1 inch extra.
• Put a few drops of glue into the eraser hole on the end of the pencil.
• Lay the ends of the ribbon into the eraser hole and then gently work the eraser back into the hole, on top of the ribbon.
• Let dry.
BEADED CURTAIN
Materials Needed:
• Neon Straws
• Yarn
• Artificial Flowers (optional)
• Novelty beads
Instructions
• Cut the straws into 2" sections and thread them onto 5' lengths of yarn interspersing flowers at various intervals
• Place novelty beads at the ends and hang the strands from small hooks and the result is not only fabulous but much more durable!
BIRD BATH
Materials
• 16 inch or larger Terra Cotta Clay Pot
• 16 inch or larger Terra Cotta Clay Saucer
• Paint or Rub-ons
• Clear Acrylic Sealer Spray
Instructions
• Start out by wiping down your terra cotta pot and saucer with a damp cloth and let dry completely.
The decorating ideas are endless.
• You can find a neat stencil and paint it, or try sponge painting. For mine, I used simple rub-on decals available at pretty much any craft store.
• Decorate to your heart's content!
• The only real trick is to seal your bird bath well after you decorate it. I used several coats of clear acrylic sealer spray. Also, make sure you store your bird bath inside during cold weather months.
BLOOMING PENS
Materials
• Pen
• Silk or Plastic Flower with stem
• Wire Cutter
• Green Floral tape
Instructions
• Hold the flower next to the pen and clip the stem so it is about 1inch up from the tip of the pen
• The flower should sit on the end of the pen
• Remove leaves
• Hold the flower tightly and wrapt the entire length of the pen with floral tape
CANDY WREATH
Materials
• Wire coat hangers
• Wrapped candy
• Curling ribbon
• Wire cutters
• Scissors & pliers
• Duct tape if necessary
Instructions
• Straighten the hanger then cut it in half
• Bend one half into a circular shape twisting one end around the other to secure leaving about 3 inches of one free
• Bend that over to form a small circle or hook for hanging (use duct tape if necessary)
• Cut the curling ribbon into 8inch pieces
• Take one piece of candy and tie it to the centre of the ribbon then use the ribbon to tie the candy to the hanger
• Curl the ends of the ribbon
• Continue until wreath is full
FLAVOURED LIP GLOSS
Materials Needed:
• Powdered Cocoa Mix
• Petroleum Jelly
• Small Container
Instructions
• Put desired amount of petroleum jelly into a small glass bowl.
• Put it in a microwave for 30 seconds
• Take it out and stir.
• Continue doing this until the Vaseline is melted.
• Add the desired amount of cocoa powder (experiment!) and stir.
• Microwave for 30 more seconds and stir.
• Set it aside to cool.
• Once it is cool enough to handle, spoon it into a small container
• . Set it aside until the petroleum jelly gets firm, and then it is ready to use!
You can also use this recipe to make fruit lip gloss by using powdered juice mix instead of cocoa.
PLASTER OF PARIS MOULDING
Materials Needed:
• Plaster of Paris
• Plastic Candy Moulds
• Paint and/or Markers
• Jewellery Findings and/or Magnet strips (optional)
Instructions:
• Mix plaster of Paris according to directions; do not get it too thick since it dries quickly.
• Pour into candy mould.
• Let set and harden.
• When dry, remove from mould and allow to dry thoroughly.
• Clean excess plaster off edges.
• Use paint or permanent markers to decorate the item.
• If small enough, you can glue a magnet on the back and use as a fridge magnet
PLASTIC BAG WREATH
Material needed
• 3 Boxes of Regular, Plastic Sandwich Baggies
• 1 Wire Hanger
• Ribbons, Ornaments Etc. to Decorate (optional)
Instructions
Use the cheapest plastic sandwich baggies you can find.
• The bags with the 'ziplock' top do not work.
• Also, a white wire hanger works best, but and wire hanger will do.
• Start out by forming your wire hanger into the shape of a circle, leaving the hook on the top for hanging.
• One by one, take each baggie and tie it around the hanger in a normal knot.
• You do not need to make a double knot because one will work.
• Fill the hanger completely so the baggies are tied tightly together.
• Once your wire hanger is completely filled with the plastic baggies, it should look like a snowy, white wreath.
• You can embellish the wreath using small ornaments, ribbons etc.
• You can hang your beautiful wreath outside or inside. Not only will this wreath last for a long time, it will be waterproof!
SAND CANDLE HOLDER
Materials Needed:
• Jars
• Sand
• Food Colouring
• Ribbon
• Glue
Instructions:
• Place the sand in a glass or metal bowl and use the food colouring to tint it the desired colour (you can also use rice).
• Fill the jar about two thirds full with the coloured sand or rice.
• (It is easier to store these candle holders if you save the jar lids!)
• Glue and/or tie a ribbon around the top of the jar.
• Push a candle into the middle of the jar, pushing it into the sand.
SOAP
Materials:
• Mild Bar of Soap (I prefer Ivory)
• Warm water
• Cookie cutters
• Instructions:
Grate 1 cup of soap off the bar.
• Pour it in medium sized mixing bowl
• Start with 1/2 cut of warm water.
• Pour into the grated soap and knead to mix.
• Add more warm water, a little at a time, and continue to knead until all soap mixes in and it is the consistency of thick dough.
• If you want to make coloured bars of soap, mix food colouring in with the water.
• Once your water and soap is well blended, press mixture into cookies cutters.
• Set the cookie cutter on its side so the soap dries on both sides, or flip it often.
• Put in a dry place to dry for about 24 hours.
• Gently pop your soap out of the cookie cutter.
More: Instead of using cookie cutters, you can make miniature bars of home-made soap by pressing your mixtures into ice cube trays. You can also roll them into balls.
For a simple gift, tie a ribbon around the home-made bars of soap, or fill a small gift basket!
RING HOLDER
Materials Needed:
• Heavy Cardboard
• Paint or Markers
• Glue
• Tape
• Piece of Fabric
• Rice, Dried Beans, or Sand
• Ribbon
Instructions
• Trace your hand and part of your forearm (about 2-3 inches) on a piece of thick (corrugated) cardboard.
• Cut out the hand shape you just traced.
• You may need to use a utility knife with an adult's help!
• Use this cut-out to trace another hand shape, and cut it out also.
• Glue the 2 hand shapes together so they are facing the same direction.
• This double thickness will help make your jewellery and ring holder sturdier.
• Using the paint, decorate your hand shape. Use your imagination...
• You can paint it to look like a real hand complete with coloured nails and rings, or you can make it colourful to match your room!
• Paint one side and let it dry completely, and then paint the other side.
• Cut an approximate 18 inch circle out of the fabric.
• Working along the edge of the fabric, use a pair of scissors and make very small slits about every inch.
• You want the slits big enough only to be able to thread your ribbon through.
• Weave the ribbon through the slits in the fabric, going down one hole and up another until you get back to where you started.
• Pull a little on both ends of the ribbon until your fabric looks like a bowl shape.
• Place 1 - 2 cups of rice, dried beans, or sand in the fabric bowl shape until it is almost full.
• Stick the wrist section of the cardboard hand into the rice, dried beans, or sand.
• Once you get the hand shape secure, pull on both ends of the ribbon again to finish gathering your material.
• You want the fabric with the ribbon woven through it to be snug against your hand shape.
• Tie the ribbon into a bow!
• To help make this jewellery holder more stable, run a bead of glue along the section where the cardboard and ribbon meet.
• Always pick your jewellery holder up by the fabric base, never by the cardboard hand!