Flower Bookmark

Flower Bookmark

Ages: Preschool and up

Parental supervision recommended to keep things clean.

Difficulty: *****

Time: 5 minutes

These bookmarks are so easy and fun to make, you can make one for everyone in the family! 

Materials Needed (located at your favorite craft store):

• Paint (various colors)
• Cardstock or construction paper
• Scissors

How-to Steps:

1. Cut your paper to the size bookmark you want.
2. Pour out a small amount of each paint color.
3. Dip fingertip into the paint and dab off extra paint.  Press finger onto the paper.  Use multiple prints to make the flower, stem and leaves.  Clean your finger after each paint color, unless you want to mix colors.
4. Write your name on the bookmark so everyone knows it belongs to you.  If it is a gift, put the other person’s name on it.

Handmade Lilies

Handmade Lilies

Ages: Appropriate for all ages. 

Parental supervision suggested for younger children (scissors involved).

Difficulty: * * * * *

Time: 10-20 minutes

These personalized flowers make good Mother’s Day presents.  You may already have many of the supplies at your house.  Surprise someone special with their own bouquet today!

Materials needed (located at your favorite craft store):

• White paper
• Green construction paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Clear tape
• Drinking straws
• Disposable cup
• Markers
• Stickers (optional)
• Small lump of modeling clay (or a few pebbles or marbles). 

How-to Steps:

1. Spread your fingers out and trace around your hand on white paper.  Repeat as many times as you desire.  Each hand will make one flower
2. Cut out the hands.
3. Wrap each hand around a drinking straw (with the wrist at the bottom and fingers sticking up).  Tape in place.
4. Using a pencil, gently curl each finger back, away from the straw.
5. Cut leaves from the green paper and tape to the straw.  (Lily leaves grow in pairs.)
6. Decorate a disposable cup with markers and/or stickers.  This will be your vase.
7. Place the clay (or pebbles or marbles) in the cup to keep it from falling over and then arrange your flowers.

Fun with Raised Salt Art

Fun with Raised Salt Art

Ages: 3 and up

Adult supervision may be needed depending on age of child

Difficulty  ****

Time:  20 minutes to create and a few hours to dry

Get crafty with raised salt painting. Use glue, watercolor paints and salt to create a one of a kind work of art.

Materials needed (located at your favorite craft store):

• Heavy paper, such as poster board, art paper or construction paper
• Paint brushes
• Small cups or bowls of water  to moisten paints and clean brushes
• Children’s watercolor paints
• Multipurpose glue, white or clear
• Table salt or kosher salt
• A tray or cookie sheet slightly larger than your paper, to catch the excess salt

 How-to steps:

1. Place your paper in the tray or cookie sheet.
2. Squeeze glue onto your paper in whatever pattern or design you like best.
3. Sprinkle a layer of salt on top of the wet  glue design. Gently shake extra salt into the tray. Salt can be discarded or used for another project. Return paper to the tray.
4. Use your paintbrush to dab your favorite paint colors onto the salt covered glue. The moist paint will then be soaked up by the salt and start to spread across your design. If it does not spread, try adding more water to your watercolor paint.
5. Allow to dry flat. 

Curtain of Clover

Curtain of Clover

Ages: 4 and up (adult help may be needed)

Difficulty: *****

Time: 30 minutes

Get ready for St. Patrick’s Day with a curtain of shamrocks and four leaf clovers.   Get creative and add glitter or use several shades of green paper.

Materials Needed:

• Green Construction Paper
• String
• Scissors
• Glue
• Tape
• Pencil

How-to Steps:

1. Fold your construction paper in half.  Draw half a heart on the folded edge.  *see example*  Cut out several hearts.  You will need 3 hearts for each shamrock and 4 hearts for each clover.  For stems, cut thin rectangles from the construction paper.
2. Tape or glue groups of 3 or 4 hearts together for each leaf.  Attach stems to the back.
3.  Cut lengths of string that will fit inside your window.  
4. Tape or glue your leaves to the string.
5. Attach each string to the top of your window.

Glitter Cards

Glitter Cards

Ages:  4 and up

Parental supervision recommended

Difficulty:  * * * * *

Time:  30-40 minutes

Want to make a special Valentine for someone special?  Below are a list of materials and directions on how to make one that sparkles.  You may need a parent or guardian to help cut paper and hearts.

Materials Needed (located at your favorite craft store):

• Construction paper
• Glue stick
• Glitter
• Patterns to cut out hearts
• Markers/Pens

How-to-Steps:

1. Cut construction paper to desired card size
2. Cut out hearts – different sizes
3. Glue hearts to cards
4. Cover front of hearts with glue
5. Sprinkle glitter over glue-covered hearts
6. Shake excessive glitter off
7. Write message inside cards

Valentine's Day Greeting

Valentine's Day Greeting

Ages: 2-6 yrs old     

Difficulty range: *****

Time: 5-10 minutes

Do you need an idea for a homemade Valentine?  Try making this heart-shaped greeting to brighten any day!

Materials needed (located at your favorite craft store):

• Red or white construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Red or white ribbon
• Red or black marker

Directions:

1. Fold construction paper in half
2. Draw half of a heart
3. Cut out heart
4. Unfold heart
5. Glue ribbon on outer edges of heart
6. Write in your Valentine greeting

Polar Bear Flower Pot

Flower Pot Polar Bear

Ages:  8 and up

Parental supervision recommended

Difficulty: *****

Time:  30-40 minutes

Making a miniature polar bear is a great winter evening activity.  Since the materials needed are fairly inexpensive, you can make a whole bunch of them!  You can label each with the name of a dinner guest and set them out for everyone to take home. 

Tips & Warnings: Parental supervision is required when using glue gun.  If you don’t have a glue gun you can use white craft glue, but you will have to allow additional time for glue to dry.

Materials needed (located at your favorite craft store):

• Ornament base ­ - 2 ½” clay pot
• Ornament face - 1 ½” clay pot
• Ornament hat – 1” clay pot
• White Acrylic Craft paint (2 oz bottles)
• Blue Acrylic Craft paint (2 oz. bottles)
• White felt (for ears)
• Paint brush
• Black sharpie marker
• Cotton balls (optional for snow on top of hat)
• Glue gun
• Scissors
• Water based polyurethane or acrylic craft sealant (optional)
• 8” fabric (or ribbon) for scarf (optional)

 How-to-Steps:

1. Paint 1” clay pot blue, let dry.
2. Paint 1 ½” and 2 ½ “clay pot white, let dry.  If preferred, leave the inside of pot unpainted.
3. Using glue gun, glue the bottom of the 1” pot to top of 1 ½”  pot, let dry.
4. Using glue gun, glue the bottom of the 1 ½” pot to the top of 2 ½” pot, let dry.
5. Glue ½ “ white felt circle on side of 1” hat pot for ears.
6. Glue small cotton ball to top of hat pot for snow.
7. Using black sharpie marker draw eyes, mouth and nose.
8. Cut ends of fabric and tie scarf around base of 1 ½” pot.