CD CAMPFIRE

I found this gem over at http://crafts.kaboose.com/cd-campfire.html and it is a wonderful play accessory for Barbie or GI Joe!

Items used:

• CD
• Dark Brown felt
• Stones
• Sticks (3-4 inches long)
• White craft glue
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Small scraps of red and yellow tissue paper
• Toothpick
• Scissors
• Pen

Lay the CD on the piece of brown felt, draw around it and cut it out.

Use craft glue and smear it on the CD then glue the piece of felt on top of it.

Glue the stones around the edge of the CD on top of the felt (I started out using craft glue and switched to hot glue from a glue gun) Place sticks on in the center in sort of teepee style gluing them down with the hot glue gun as you go. Tear the tissue paper into 1-2 inch squares. Put the toothpick in the center of a piece of tissue paper and twist it around the toothpick. Dip the end in a bit of craft glue and insert it into the sticks and continue until the fire looks how you want it to.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY FAUX MINTS

I made these last year, but I am entering them into 2010 "Eat Your Own Words" challenge over at Savor The Thyme and tangled noodle .  They are faux thin mints made out of Ritz Crackers with "Happy Mother's Day" spelled out on them.

This is a version of the faux thin mints that I made previously - a how-to is posted at http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/faux_thin_mints)

After making the cracker/cookies I put them in the freezer for about 10 minutes, then wrote a separate letter on each cookie with white frosting then lined a 9x13 cake pan with green tissue paper and arranged the cracker/cookies inside and put back in the freezer until ready to serve.

As the cookies kind of look like scrapbooking letters, you could also use them to decorate a cake.

BUTTERFLY MOBILE

This project was for a Mother's Day gift for my son's step-Grandmother. It was originally intended that he do the project on his own, but it turned out to be more of a joint venture as it was tricker than I had estimated.

Nearly everything for this project was purchase from the Dollar Tree and spent $3, as I had scissors, thread and the ribbon on hand already.

The original project with a tutorial was found at

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/butterfly_mobile

Items used:

• Tissue paper (multi-colored)
• Wooden wreath (medium sized)
• Pipecleaners (multi-colored)
• Scissors
• Thread (could use fishing line also)
• 1/8th inch wide ribbon

The butterfly shapes are made by cutting approx. 9x6 inch pieces of tissue paper folded in half with as curve at the bottom and side (see below) but straight at the top. You then use 3 butterfly shapes for each butterfly. My son chose to use mostly one color for the top and bottom and a contrasting color in the center.

You then choose the color of pipecleaner you want to use with each butterfly.

To make the butterfly, center the pipecleaner then fold it over the lower edge, then scrunch the tissue paper to make the wings and then twist both sides of the pipecleaner together to make the butterfly.

Here is where it gets tricky; tie a piece of thread that is about 12-14 inches long through the pipecleaner at the bottom of the butterfly centering it then tie a knot. Then pull the threads up and tie a knot about an inch from the edge then tie a knot around the head of the butterfly, then trim the thread. It will look like this when you are done.

Cut 4 pieces of ribbon about 10-12 inches long, tie each piece to the corner of the wreath in a knot, then pull all four pieces of ribbon together and center them, then tie knot.

Cut varying lengths of thread, tie to the center of the thread on each butterfly, then tie the thread to the wreath. This is easier if you have one person hold up the wreath and the other one tie the threads. We did this with each of the butterflies except the center one, which we attached with a ribbon to the knot at the center of the ribbons.