The pavers might be hard to find this time of year, but you can use the same principle and use Styrofoam forms and use it as a window decoration instead.

Use your imagination…isn’t that why we craft?

Materials

* Keyhole-shaped paver (available at many home improvement stores) *
* Paintbrush
* White and black acrylic paint
* Orange modeling clay
* Superglue

* Fleece
* Pipe cleaner
* Two 1 1/2-inch pom-poms
* Rubber band
* Felt

Instructions

1.Rinse off the paver to remove any loose bits of dirt or cement. Paint it white and let it dry. If needed, apply a second coat and let it dry completely. (if using Syrofoam cover it with white felt or white cotton)

2.Lay the paver flat and paint on the eyes, mouth, and buttons. Let the face dry, then mold a clay nose and affix it with superglue (a parent’s job).

3.Cut a fleece scarf (ours measures 1 by 22 inches) and tie it in place. For the earmuffs, bend a 5-inch piece of pipe cleaner into an arc. Superglue the ends to either side of the head and the pom-poms over the ends (a parent’s job), then wrap the rubber band around the snowman?s head to hold the earmuffs in place until the glue dries.

4.To protect indoor floors, superglue a small piece of felt to the base of the snowman.

Merry Christmas!

This cute little guy was so easy to make, a child could do it. I am going to give you a link to a site that I use quite often for my ideas. Normally I would write down the instruction and then put them on here, but they have everything laid out so nice and simple. I figure it would be better just to send my readers there.

Santa Penguin

But be sure and come back for more ideas on holiday crafting right up until Santa time!

Happy Holidays

For those who are not regular readers, I am big on handmade gifts. Whether for the Christmas holidays or anytime of the year. Nothing says I care more, than something you made. So in keeping with that thought over the next several weeks I will try and post one craft a day leading up to December 25. Then I am taking a short holiday to get ready for Valentines Day.

So here is my first entry into the 21 days of crafting!

This pretty-as-a-package pincushion is the perfect gift for a crafty friend. Cover a foam square with fabric (wrap it like a gift) and secure along the edges with fabrics glue. Glue on beads and tie on a ribbon bow.

I also thought how great it would be to take this same concept and instead of a pincushion, pin candy or other special treats to the present. You could put it on a side table for when the grandchildren come over (just don’t put chocolate on there..what a mess that would be).

I will be the first to admit I get most of my ideas from online, magazines, Michaels or sometimes one of my friends has made something and I will “steal” the idea.

This pincushion is an ideal gift for the people in your life who love to sew. Teachers, Grandparents, friends, anyone! It is also a easy project for the kids to make themselves, providing there is parental supervision.

So enjoy and be sure and come back tomorrow and hopefully I will have another one set and ready to go for you.

Happy Holidays!

CRAFT MATERIALS:
Corrugated cardboard
Pencils or markers
Craft knife
Glue stick
Orange tissue paper
Painter’s or masking tape
Lamp

Time needed: Under 1 Hour
1. Measure the inside of an appropriate window and cut corrugated cardboard to fit tightly. Draw a face on the cardboard, then cut out the pieces with a craft knife (a parent’s job).

2. On the interior side of the cardboard, use a glue stick to cover the openings with orange tissue paper.

3. Set the cardboard in the window and use painter’s or masking tape to hold it in place. Place a lamp near the window to light your house-o’-lantern.

Decorating can’t be easier than this…so why not start thinking up ideas for the holidays, that the kids can do.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

You’ll Need:

* Sturdy paper plate
* Paint (Fall colors)
* Scissors
* Three toilet paper tubes
* Yellow tissue paper
* Glue
* A sponge
* Fall colored ribbon
* Pinecones
* Silk or real fall leaves
* Raffia

What to Do:

1. Cut the toilet paper tubes so that they are in three graduated sizes. Refer to the picture if you don’t know what I mean.

2. Sponge paint the toilet paper tubes and both sides of the paper plate. In order to sponge paint, just dip the sponge into the paint and tap it onto the surface you’re painting. In the example, I used orange, brown, and green paint and tapped the colors onto the tubes and the plate. Let the paint dry completely before you continue.

3. Gather the three painted toilet tubes together on a flat surface and glue them together to that they look like three pillar candles. Cut three large squares of yellow tissue paper. Push one square into each tube so that it sticks out of the top and mimicks a candle flame.

4. Tie a ribbon around all three of the “candles” and then glue them onto the center of the paper plate. Let dry.

5. Glue pieces of raffia and silk leaves around the “candles.” You can use as many or as few as you want to fill out the plate. Your last step is to glue on the pinecones.

That’s it.

NOTE: If you’re working with older kids, consider using hot glue to make this project go a little faster. Another alternative is to use glue dots… that’s what I used on this project.

You will need:
# Ink pad with nontoxic brown or bronze ink
# Plain notecards or card stock
# Craft glue
# Googly eyes
# Mini pom-poms, brown and red
# Brown marker

Use a thumb or fingertip to stamp 3 reindeer heads on each notecard. Glue on googly eyes and pom-pom noses (including a red one for Rudolph, of course). Finish by drawing antlers.

Courtesy of Family Fun.com

Use paint to make your piggy bank any color you desire!
Everything old is new again! Many of the crafts that were popular in the ’60s are enjoying a resurgence in popularity. The plastic bottle piggy bank is just such a timeless classic. Kids today will enjoy creating their own personalized piggy bank just as much as you once did!

Materials:                                                                       

one plastic bleach bottle
felt
four tapered fabric softener bottle caps
pipe cleaner
scissors
pencil

Steps:

1. Remove the handle and bottle neck from a half gallon bleach bottle by sawing across the bottle just below the upper end of the handle.
2. Using a knife, cut around the other end of the handle, leaving as small an opening as possible. Close the opening at the top of the bottle by inserting the bottle cap into the hole. Glue a felt flower cutout over the other opening.
3. Glue floppy felt ears in place. Glue on felt eyes and mouth. For the snout, glue a felt circle over the inverted bottle cap. Glue a narrow felt strip around the outside edge of the circle.
4. To make snug-fitting legs, glue a strip of felt around four identical 1-1/2″ to 2″ fabric softener bottle caps. Cut holes to accommodate legs in the bleach bottle. Insert the tapered ends of the felt-covered softener caps into the bleach bottle. Secure with glue.
5. To make a tail, curl a pipe cleaner around a pencil. Punch a hole in the bleach bottle to accommodate a tail. Insert the pipe cleaner coil and glue to secure.

Courtesy Carol Duvall Show