Silly Faced Container

Supplies:
· Empty Oatmeal Container
· Empty Egg Carton
· Empty Applesauce Container
· Paper (Scrap or Newspaper)
· Tissue Paper
· Google Eyes
· Beads and Wire (optional)
· Feathers, Jewels, Lids from Water Bottles, etc.
· Tape
· Glue
· Scissors
Directions:
1. Glue or Tape paper onto your empty oatmeal container. (or you could also paint the container)
2. Glue part of the egg carton onto the container for eyes. Then glue the google eyes on top of the egg carton.
3. Glue tissue paper onto the container for the hair.
4. Glue an applesauce container on top of the lid for a hat.
5. I strung beads on wire for the mouth. This is optional, use tissue paper or other recycling materials for the mouth.
6. Decorate with feathers, jewels, lids from water bottles, or anything else you can find.
7. Make them as silly as you can! Have fun!

Shaker

Supplies:
· Popsicle Stick
· 2-Applesauce or Fruit Single Serve Containers
· Glue (White Glue)
· Tissue Paper
· Dried Beans, Peas or Noodles
· Jewels or Other Items to Decorate the Shaker
· Tape
· Small Nail and Hammer (Adult Use Only)
· Small Paint Brush
· Aluminum Foil or Wax Paper
· Knife (Adult Use Only)
Directions:
1. With your hammer and nail, make a small hole in the bottom center of one of the fruit/applesauce containers. You can now slide your knife in the bottom of the container to make a slit for the popsicle stick. (Adults only!)
2. Insert the popsicle stick one inch and tape around the stick inside the container. (This will prevent the dried beans, peas or noodles from falling out.)
3. Put 1/8 cup dried bean, peas or noodles in one applesauce/fruit container.
4. Glue the two applesauce/fruit containers together. (top to top) Let dry.
5. Lay the aluminum foil or wax paper on your working surface. Put some glue on a piece of aluminum foil or wax paper and with your paint brush paint the glue all over the outside of the containers.
6. Rip tissue paper into pieces and lay on the glue covered containers. Add more glue where needed.
7. When the containers are completely covered add another coat of glue.
8. Let dry.
9. Glue jewels or other items on your shaker to decorate.
10. After it is dry, have a great time shaking and dancing with your shaker!

Funny Fans

Supplies:
· Popsicle Stick
· Cereal or Granola Empty Box
· Glue (White Glue)
· Markers/Crayons
· Eyes/Yarn/Stickers/Noodles/Etc.
· Scissors
Directions:
1. Open and lay the cereal or granola box flat.
2. Draw a shape on the box. (My daughter drew a heart and a square.)
3. Cut out the shape.
4. Turn the shape over, so that you can see the printing of the box on the shape that you just cut out. Trace the shape on the inside of the box and cut out.
5. Decorate the cut out shapes with markers, crayons, eyes, yarn, and anything else that you can think of.
6. Put glue on the printed, undecorated, side of the box. Put the popsicle stick between the two shapes, making sure that it sticks half way out and glue together.
7. Let dry and you have a great looking fan for the hot weather.

One Eyed Monster

My 7 year old daughter and her friend came up with this quick craft.
Supplies
· Popsicles Sticks
· Scraps of Yarn and ribbon
· Markers
· Google Eyes
· Glue
· Pipe Cleaners
Directions
1. Glue your google eye on your popsicle stick.
2. Glue yarn for the hair.
3. Glue ribbons for the arms.
4. Decorate the popsicle sticks with markers.
5. Have fun decorating! Use the one eye monsters as puppets.

Travel Ideas

I am traveling with three children 1000 miles this week. So I thought travel ideas would be great to post for others who need to entertain children.
Here is a list of items:
1. Crayons and Scissors
2. Foil-They can create all sorts of things with the foil, plus you can reuse or recycle the foil.
3. Sewing Cut Outs-Use cereal boxes to cut out shape and use a paper hole punch to make holes around the shape. Sew with yarn or shoe strings.
4. Activity Books
5. Books
6. Wrap up everyday items they love. The kids have more fun unwrapping the presents, then playing with what is inside the package. Only unwrap one every hour, otherwise you will need a lot of presents. Of course I did reuse Christmas paper.
7. Felt Board and Felt-I covered a mounting board with felt. Have the kids cut out shapes. It will keep them busy for an hour hopefully. Then when they get home they can decorate the felt with fabric paint.
8. Car Bingo- I found a car bingo on line, which a printed on heavy stock paper and laminated. I brought window markers to use on the cards.
9. Playing Cards or Uno
10. Put everything in a back pack so they can carry their items and not you!
11. Many stores also offer magnetic car games to purchase.
12. If everything else fails, video games and movies.

Good luck traveling!

Wine Cork Keyring

Supplies:
· Wine Bottle Cork
· 2-Eye Hooks
· Buttons or Beads
· Stretchy Cord
· Ribbon for Decorating
· Key Ring

Directions:
1. Screw an eye hook in each end of the cork.
2. Put a key ring on one of the eye hooks.
3. Cut a 7” piece of stretchy cord. (I have used jewelry wire with older children. Crimping beads were used to keep the beads or buttons secure.)
4. Tie a knot on one end of the stretchy cord and start beading. Make sure to leave at least an inch of stretchy cord to tie around the eye hook.
5. Tie the beaded stretchy cord to the eye hook. Repeat as many times as you would like.
6. Tie a piece of ribbon around the eye hook for more decoration.
7. You did it! Great Job!
The beads and ribbon I used were from past craft projects that were broken. I saved the ribbon and beads and found great new projects for them. Reuse!!!

Caterpillar

Supplies:
· Wool Sweater
· 8” piece of yarn
· Embroidery Thread (black)
· Poly-Fil
· Thread to match the color of the wool sweater
· Yarn Needle
· Needle
· Scissors
· Tape Measure

Directions:
1. Felt the wool sweater by washing it in the washing machine. The agitation will felt the wool together. If you want the felting to be tighter, dry it in the dryer.
2. Cut out a piece of felted wool 3” x 8”.
3. Fold the 3” x 8” piece of wool in half so it measures 1 ½” x 8”. Make sure that the right side of the wool is facing inward. With your matching thread and needle, sew along the bottom edge of the wool in straight stitch.
4. Turn the wool right side out. Sew one end closed by straight stitching around the edges and pull tightly. Knot to secure the sewing.
5. Put about a golf ball size of poly-fil inside the tube of wool. Push it to the end with your scissors.
6. Knot the end of the matching thread and pull through the bottom of the caterpillar to secure. Then wrap the thread around the wool where the poly-fil ends. Secure with a knot and repeat five more times.
7. Finish off the end by straight stitching around the edges and pull tightly. Knot to secure the sewing. Push the edges of the wool inside the caterpillar.
8. Use the embroidery thread and needle to make two eyes with a French knot. (For older children I have used black beads for the eyes.)
9. Use the yarn needle and yarn to make the antennas. Pull the yarn through the top of the caterpillars’ head. Knot the yarn on the ends and where it meets the wool. (For older children I have used wire and beads for the antennas.
10. You are done! Have fun playing with your caterpillar.