LAST MINUTE NOISEMAKERS

Make a noisemaker for New Year's or Birthday party with stuff you likely already have on hand.

This was made 15 years ago by my then 3 year old son at Science Central, a local science museum on New Year's eve, but it can easily be made at home from youngsters on up with the following:

•  2 Plastic cups
• Clear Packing Tape
• Dried peas, bean, rice, aquarium gravel, leftover jingle bells or any other small object.
• Markers, stickers or anything else to embellish the cup.

1. Decorate the cup with marker or stickers keeping in mind one is going to be stacked upside down on the other one.
2. Fill the bottom inch or so of the bottom of the cup with the dried peas, bean, rice, aquarium gravel, leftover jingle bells or any other small objects.
3. Stack the other cup upside down on top of the bottom cup then secure at the center with packing tape.

Shake to make noise.

Hope that everyone has a happy and safe New Year!
Decorate

SNOWFLAKE PRESENT EMBELLISHMENT

A fun embellishment for a Christmas or winter birthday gift.

As I tried going "green" and not purchasing any new wrapping paper,  I used mailing envelopes and old magazines to wrap presents and to embellish some of them I cut out snowflakes and attached them to the "wrapped" presents and the names written in marker and attached to the present with tape or a glue stick.

Above is a white mailing envelope embellished with a tan mailing envelope with the bubble side out

This present was wrapped in a magazine page, as is the snowflake that turned out sort of a honeycomb/rib cage effect. 

You could use any snowflake design you would like, but sometimes it is more fun to fold up the paper, make cuts and see what you create. 


Happy crafting!

FOX MULDER SNOWFLAKE

I made this for a former co-worker that is a huge X-Files fan.

I know at first glance it looks more like a creature that you see on the X-Files, but it actually David Duchovny's (the actor that portrayed Fox Mulder) profile.

Items used:

• Template from http://www.hollywoodsnowflakes.com/pages/patterns/pattern_duchovny.htm
• Printer
• Scissors
• Glitter glue (optional)

Print off template and cut out square where indicated on the template and then fold template in half (where crease is in the photo).

 Fold paper in half and then on the diagonal (shaded area on template) on one side and do the same on the other side - it will look sort of like an accordion when you are done.

Fold up so you just see the printed template area on the top.

 

Cut out around the shaded area.  Decorate with glitter glue if desired.  I went around the edges and down the center to try to emphasize the profile.

Frog Snowflake

I realize Christmas is over but I am just now getting caught up on blogging and posting it might be useful or inspire someone else next Christmas.

My son's step-grandmother collects all things frog, so when I found the template at Secret Agent Jospehine he decided to make one for her.

It was super-simple and took about five minutes including coloring.

Items used:
-  Paper
-  Printer
-  Scissors
-  Markers (green & black)

For the template to print off, click here.

Fold paper into quarters and then so the frog side is on the fold then cut out around the frog.


My son then colored the frogs with a green marker, but you could use any color or leave plain.

The original project used googly eyes, but he decided to draw in they eyes because were sent this in the mail with a photo card.