CHRISTMAS TREE CRAFT

Christmas tree craft is an easy project to make for kids and lots of fun to decorate.  A great craft for groups as it can be simple for younger kids to decorate, and more complex for older kids. 

Kids can glue pom poms on their trees which is fun, easy and fairly neat. You can also cut circles out of glitter sticky back foam or purchase stickers such as circle shape price stickers or snowflakes. There are lots of different ways to decorate trees, you can glue on different fancy trims and ribbons, or make different size circles to fit over a tree formed out of pipe cleaners or trims, create stars, apply glitter, hand made paper ornaments, and of course paint which looks great but not always easy when working with a large group.  There are lots of possibilities and the only thing to keep in mind is the weight of the tree as it is not super strong.  See below for materials and tips.

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Blank trees, ready for kids (or adults of course) will look like these.  I used found twigs for tree trunks because I like the character of the twigs and the way they are all different but you can use dowels if you prefer.  Tree is basically a wooden base with 1/4" drilled hole, twig and 7" kraft paper cone painted with green acrylic paint.  Leaving the tree Kraft and not painting green also looks great, especially if decorating with white and gold.  This bunch of trees was for young kids so I choose to paint them green, for more kid appeal.

Materials ~

Scrap wood for base, appx 2" high, 3x3, 3x4, 4x4 etc...choose what you like.  

Hot Glue or strong glue

Twigs or dowels, appx 1/4" x about 8 to 10" long

Kraft paper cones, 7 " high or size you prefer.  You can make cones if you want to but I purchased these cones from Oriental Trading because they are so inexpensive.  They are actually Kraft Confetti Cones...handed out for weddings etc.   They are probably also sold at party supply stores.

They are not heavy but they are sturdy enough for this project.  You will also be reinforcing them a bit by stuffing with crumpled up news paper or paper towels.

A cardboard circle (appx 3" across) to fit inside of tree about an inch from the bottom edge to hold newspaper and stem in place.

Green acrylic paint, tacky glue, and little sticks for kids to apply glue.

Assortment of small size Pom Poms, and glitter Pipe Cleaners for tree top star. 

 

Cut your little wood blocks and drill hole.  

Stuff some newspaper in the tree forming a little hole or opening for the tree stem as you go.  Push twig or dowel in center of newspaper and work it in a bit making sure it is fairly far up in tree and as center as possible.  Put a little hot glue in here and there for extra hold.  Cut a cardboard circle to fit inside tree with a little hole in center for tree stem and push piece up snugly into tree to hold all in place.  Add a little glue around the edge of the circle.

Put a little glue in the wood base hole for the twig stem and hold it in place a bit to make sure it is secure.  You may have to trim your twig a bit to fit the hole.  Add a little extra glue around the twig.

Paint tree green and trim the tree top just a tiny bit to make sure the little star will fit.

To make stars, bend pipe cleaner as shown in the picture ~ 5 little points, and 2 ends, one a bit longer.  After making points, bring around to join ends, then twist the shorter end of the piece around the opposite end, leaving the longer end as it is.  It will look funny but work it a bit into a star shape with the long stem straightened out, in center of bottom 2 star points.  You will have to sort of push the bottom part of the star in at center, leaving long piece ready to stick in tree top.  Practice.

Put some tacky glue in little plates etc for gluing pom poms.  Have kids use tooth picks or any little sticks for applying glue to tree for each pom pom.  This is much easier for kids than glue bottles.  Stick star in tree top.

Remember, you can try lots of different ways of decorating trees, even paint which has lots of possibilities but easier to manage with older kids or just a small group.

 

ROCK SNOWMEN CRAFT

Rock Snowmen are so easy to make and kids love them.  Find or buy some smooth round or oval pebbles or rocks, any size you like.  Pick ones that have a bit of a flat top and bottom so you can glue them together.
After making good pairs, glue them together with a very strong glue.
When rocks are dry, paint them with a few coats of white Gesso or any white house paint or acrylic.  I like the way Gesso covers.
You can make some hats if you like and you can cut some fabric pieces for scarves and mittens if you like.  To keep it simple give kids markers for face, buttons, twig arms etc.  You can also use acrylic paints.

KIDS HOLIDAY WINDOW PAINTING ~ SNOWMEN

Painting on the windows is a fun and easy project for kids to do at holiday times.  Tempera paints work best (not the cheap brands and not the "washable" as they will not cover well enough).  Kids can help plan their design on paper first and depending on ages and abilities, an adult can help get things started.

We decided each girl (3 of them) would make the snowman she wanted to make.  One was a baseball player, one doing a cartwheel and one was holding a present.  I outlined the word "Joy" in red and then each girls painted in a different color.  

For the snowmen I provided some help outlining but the girls did the rest, and then they added snow.  Window looks great and the girls love seeing their work outside for all to enjoy.  Cleaning the windows later takes a little effort but that's what parents are for.

PAPER MACHE REINDEER

Paper Mache Reindeer are easy to make and fun for kids to paint.  To make reindeer you will need the following materials ~

2 different size cardboard tubes, one a bit smaller for head.  You can make reindeer any size you like. The tubes I used were 2 inch and 1 inch.

Glue Gun (you can use tacky or another strong glue but you will have to hold the head in place to let it dry a bit, glue gun works best here), masking tape, scissor, sharp knife, large needle or kitchen metal skewer (something to poke holes in reindeer with), white paint or Gesso, dowels or lollypop sticks for legs  (wood or cardboard), twigs for antlers, any size you like, fancy or simple.  Liquid starch for paper mache which can be found at most large markets or Smart and Final.

I like to use acrylic paints on paper mache but you can also use tempera or poster paints.  Tempera is a little too chalky looking so I prefer acrylics.  You can buy those little 2 ounce bottles at any craft store and they work great.  If you are working with kids, be sure to tell them it's okay to paint their reindeer any way they choose...even blue with stripes.

Mark and cut your body and head pieces.  I use a sharp knife for cutting most cardboard as it's easier than scissors but be careful.  For these reindeer, the body was cut 6 inches long and the head, 3.  Next you need to cut circles out of tag board or cardboard to fit and close the ends of your tube pieces.  Tape in place with masking tape.  Now you can cover both pieces with a layer of paper mache.  I prefer torn newspaper strips dipped in liquid starch but you can use a different method if you prefer, such as water and glue which drives me nuts.  After dry, paint white with Gesso.  You can use a white acrylic paint or even a white house paint but I like Gesso and if you do a lot of paper mache, you will see it covers the best.  

After Gesso is dry, with sharp knife, poke small holes where legs will go.  Better to make hole too small and force the leg in a bit, it will be more secure.  When all 4 dowels are in place you can add some hot glue or tacky glue around the area where legs are inserted, for extra security. 

Cut about a 1/2" slit in the head where you will be attaching it to the body about 1/2" from one end.  Open the cut up a bit with your knife so it will fit on to the body piece.  Put some hot glue around the cut and to the end so it will stick to the body.  Place the head on the body as shown in the photo and hold it in place a bit till dry. If you prefer, you can skip making the head at a bit of an angle and just glue it on straight to the body as shown in the very first picture.  It works and is a little easier.

To add antlers, poke 2 small holes in top of head about 1/2" apart.  A large needle will work but I like those little metal skewers used for closing your turkey. Be careful as this little guy is not that strong.  Work your twigs in and after adjusting them a bit, add some hot glue to make them secure, 

Ready for painting.  I prefer acrylics and if you want to you can add a clear gloss acrylic finish. If kids are painting be sure to encourage them to paint their deer any colors they choose and have fun.  You can add pom pom for nose, eyes, and glitter as well. 

PAPER MACHE BIRTHDAY CAKE STAND

Happy Birthday cake stand is for all of the special birthdays in our lives, even our own.  Once you create the stand it can be painted any color you like with any designs you like.  This stand has dots and swirls and stars.  The lettering is very simple and a good trick to use when painting letters is to go back over your letters, around the outside of each one, with little dots.  The dots hide crooked lines and make the letters look fancier and more finished.  I also like the folk art look of the dots.  You could also personalize cake plates, for each child in a family for example, or an extra special birthday.

To create your cake stand, just go to the How To instructions in this blog for the Pumpkin Pie Plate Stand.  This stand is basically the same except for 2 things, it does not have a top or cover and the rim on the cake plate base is down and is about 3 inches.  The rim on the pie stand is up and is about an inch with a scalloped edge.  All of the other instructions are the same except for the color and design choices you will make.  You will also use the same materials and paints.  If you want to you can also make your stand larger or smaller, and you can make the stand shorter or taller, depending on the cups and bowls you use.  Basic instructions are still the same.  Have fun!

THANKSGIVING TURKEY KIDS CRAFT

Pine Cone Turkeys are an easy fun holiday craft for kids of all ages, even little ones.  Once the walnut head has been glued to the pine cone along with the turkey face, kids can stick the feathers in the pine cone after dipping the ends in a little glue.  They can use any colors or amount they choose.   Older kids can glue the walnut head to the pine cone as well as the face pieces.  They can  use paint for the face features instead of plastic eyes and felt if they choose.  For little ones, the feather task provides plenty of fun.                                                                                                                                       You will need some nice plump pine cones, any amount or size you choose.  Ours are about 5 to 6 inches long.  If you don't have any pine cones available you can usually find some at a craft store or a nursery.  You will also need some whole walnuts, a glue gun or good strong glue, red and yellow felt, small size plastic eyes ( white felt will work as well), a selection of feathers, any colors you like (craft store or online).                                                                                                Glue walnut to the pine cone (as in picture), near the top end somewhere where it seems to fit nicely.  If it doesn't fit you can trim away a bit of the pine cone.  Glue the plastic eyes on the walnut turkey face, a beek and warbler cut from the red and yellow felt.  Now turkey is ready for kids to attach the feathers.  Put a little glue in a plate or cup and have kids dip the ends of the feathers in the glue and then stick into back part of pine cone.  Kids can add a lot of feathers or a few, lots of colors or a few, up to them.  As long as they are having fun, that's all that matters.  Kids will enjoy having their creation displayed on the Thanksgiving table...for years to come. 

 

    

Paper Mache Pumpkin Pie Plate

I love this pumpkin pie plate and use it for a decoration each Fall and then as an actual plate for pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving.  Paper Mache is not really all that strong but if you handle it with care, it is amazing how much you can do with it and how well it holds up.  I love the way it can look like ceramics but it's basically just cardboard and newspaper.  Paper Mache is a bit time consuming and it takes patience but the effort is worth it for a lasting treasured craft.  Not every project is "make it today, wear it tonight"!

I will go step by step for making the pie plate but I would like to offer a few tips in advance.  Tape your base together really well with masking tape to give it a strong start.  Tape will all be covered later with paper mache so it won't show anyway.  When making any cake plate, the bottom base is just different size plastic or paper bowls, cups, salsa cups, and lids taped together so try different arrangements and make it any way you like.  To make your stand taller, insert a piece of cardboard tube in between plates and bowls.

When it comes to doing the paper mach part, I always use liquid starch as it is easier and less sticky and messy than paste or glue, but it's up to you and you can find recipes online. If you buy liquid starch, most large markets carry it, Smart and Final for one.  I also like the finish you get from starch better as when it is dry, it just seems crisper.  Make your layers as smooth as you can and do just one layer at a time.  Often, one layer is enough but if doing 2 for extra smoothness or strength, do the second layer after first has dried.  Putting too many layers on at once can make your object lumpy, sloppy, or crooked.

When object is ready to dry, make sure you put it on wax paper so it will come off easily when dry.  If you are doing an object like a tray or flat piece, you will need to put some weights on the piece here and there to keep it nice and flat and stop it from curling up.  I use something like lemons or rocks as edges are rounded and they won't leave marks on your piece.  For 3D round pieces like a lid or a bowl, put the piece over a bowl that is a bit larger and it will stay perfectly round.  While all pieces are drying, which can take a day or 2, move the weights around a bit and move the pieces on bowls a bit so they won't get too stuck.  If your piece gets stuck on the bowl, slide a knife gently under the edge to loosen it.

 

I always use acrylic paints, and I always paint on a clear topcoat last to protect the piece and give it a nice shine. Acrylics cover well and you can always add colors on top of colors, even light on dark. For kid's projects or projects you might not be actually using, you can also use tempera or poster paints. I still prefer acrylics for all projects, kids too. This is a fun project for kids of all ages to paint after paper mache part is finished.  Older kids can do the paper mache part but for younger ones, the fun part is the painting.  Mix up some nice Fall colors and let kids paint as they like.  It will look great because the basic piece is great.  Can't miss.

  Mark and cut 2 cardboard circle for stand and cover, one piece for bottom stand 10" across and one piece for top lid, 9.5" across.   You can make these any size you want, for large pie plate or small, up to you.  This pie plate stand is for the average size pie which is about 9" so about 10" for base plate stand and 9.5" for top lid so it can fit easily.   For rim on top piece and scalloped edge on bottom piece, cut 2 strips of nice weight poster board about 30"long each.  For lid piece cut piece 3" wide and for bottom plate cut piece 1" wide.  To mark and cut scalloped edge on bottom piece, make marks every 2" inches and then draw arches for scallops, and cut.  Tape these pieces to the cardboard circles, overlapping ends.

 Make your base by putting together some plates and bowls and lids starting with a large piece first.  Tape pieces together and then tape to center underside of your plate bottom cardboard circle piece.

After all pieces are taped, it's time to add the newspaper strips dipped in starch.  Put some starch in a dish or pan, and dip and squeegee torn newspaper strips in starch and apply to pieces, smoothing out pieces as you go.  One coat at a time is best as piece will end up smoother and stronger.  Do one coat and let dry.  Put lid piece over a bowl (larger than lid) so it will dry perfectly round.  If you don't put this piece over a bowl, it will dry crooked.  Pieces will probably take a day of so to dry so move the lid a little now and then so it won't get too stuck.  Use a knife to loosen if it does get a little stuck.  For the bottom piece, turn it upside down (scalloped edge down) on a piece of wax paper so it will come off easily when dry.  Put a few lemons or pebbles around the piece or edges will curl up.  Move lemons around a bit now and then so they don;t leave marks and piece will be even.

There is a large bowl under the top piece even though you can't see it.  Just press your lid over the bowl and it will come out perfectly.  Don't press too hard, you will alter the edge or it will be hard to remove.

Make your little pumpkin top piece.  Wad up some newspaper to create a ball about 3" across or so, more or less a little.  Tape ball all around and then wrap a soft folded paper towel to the ball to make it a bit smoother and tape.

Smush in the top and bottom a bit like a pumpkin.  Make a hole in the top and insert a little piece of twig for stem.  Cover pumpkin in paper mache, keeping top and bottom on the flat side and with a knife push some lines or grooves around pumpkin.  Dry.

 Little pumpkin takes a little work and can be a bit tedious, be patient, keep it smooth with tiny paper strips layered carefully.  Push in top and bottom a bit as you go for that pumpkin look and so it will glue to top easily.                                                                                                                                                                                               .

When pumpkin and lid are dry, glue pumpkin to center of lid, flatten a bit if necessary, and paper mache pumpkin to lid.  Also add another layer to entire lid as well.  Back on the bowl to dry. 

When the bottom piece is dry, you will need to reinforce the bottom pedestal part of this piece to make it a bit stronger as at this point it is probably on the weak side.  Go over the pedestal and add a little extra to the weakest points or where plates and bowls are attached to each other.

When both pieces are dry, paint with a coat of Gesso which I prefer as it covers so well and makes pieces easy to paint.  You can also use a white house paint or other white acrylic paint.  When undercoat is dry you are ready to paint your pieces.  I use acrylic paints but you can also use tempera.  You can draw  designs on your pieces or just start painting.  Try painting different areas of colors and when dry,  add dots, lines, and patterns , and then add more details after those designs are dry.  If you want to paint Fall leaves around the side like our piece, make a leaf pattern, place where you like and trace.  You could paint leaves all over your pieces, or paint it orange and red with yellow gold polka dots.  Make it simple or be wild and free.  Just have fun.  When dry, paint a coat of any clear, gloss, top coat.  Put your pumpkin pie on it and enjoy your special Thanksgiving craft for years to come, or give it to someone you are thankful for.