• Thursday, March 05th, 2009
Kids can have fun outdoors collecting leaves then take their creativity indoors with this pressed leaves place mat. This traditional fall craft includes elements of cut and paste as well as collage.
What you’ll need:
2 Sheets of clear Con-Tact paper, place mat size
Scissors
Leaves
Waxed paper
Large book, Dictionary, or Encyclopedia
How to make it:
Gather some fall leaves.
Place each of the leaves between two pieces of waxed paper.
Place the leaves inside a large book to flatten them.
After the leaves are flattened, take them out of the book and remove the waxed paper. This may take a day to about a week.
Peel the back off of one of the sheets of clear Con-Tact paper.
Place sticky side up on your work area.
Arrange your leaves on the Con-Tact paper in any way desired.
Peel the backing off of the other sheet of Con-Tact paper and carefully place on top of the leaves.
You can trim around the edges or use decorative scissors to give it a different look.
Tips:
If you have trouble trying to work two sheets of Con-Tact paper, then adhere the first sheet of Con-Tact paper to a piece of construction paper cut slightly smaller than the Con-Tact. Next place the leaves on the construction paper and cover with the second sheet of Con-Tact paper. Trim if necessary.
If there are no fallen leaves you can use cut outs from magizines, or old pictures!!! Make them your own. You can add twists to them by adding glitter, construction paper cut outs, grasses work well, feathers, its up to your imagination!!!
Once you have completed your place mats take a picture and post them to the web site for others to enjoy!!!
Thanks!!
• Sunday, March 01st, 2009
This is a unique and fun way for kids to create their own world under the sea. 
What you’ll need:
2 paper plates
Silver craft paint
8 pieces of ring shaped cereal
Fish-shaped crackers
Silk plant leaves
Sea shells
Sand
White craft glue
Blue cellophane
Wax paper
Scissors
How to make it:
Take both paper plates and set them on the table. One should be right side up and the other should be upside down.
On the plate that is right side up, draw your sea floor about 1/3 up the center of the plate.
Line the floor area with white glue, use an old paintbrush or your finger to spread the glue out evenly.
Cover the wet glue with sand and set aside to dry.
On the upside down plate, draw a circle where you will cut out your porthole in the center of the plate.
Glue ring shaped cereal pieces around the circle; these are the bolts on the porthole. Let dry.
Paint the cereal pieces and the paper plate from the outer edge to your penciled lines. Don’t worry about painting over the lines a little, as you will be cutting it out. Set aside to dry.
Take the paper plate with the sand on it and hold it over a sheet of wax paper. Turn the plate sideways and gently tap it to loosen any excess sand. The sand should end up on the wax paper and you can save that for another project.
Glue sea life onto the plate with the sand floor. Glue on shells, silk leaves, and fish shaped crackers. Let dry.
Take the silver painted plate and cut out the center circle to create your porthole window. Place it gently over the top of the other plate to see if you are happy with its size and viewing area. Increase size of the hole if you like.
Turn silver plate upside down.
Cut a piece of blue cellophane large enough to cover the hole on the plate and glue in place. Let dry.
Place porthole plate over the top of the sea life plate and glue together. Let dry.
You can add a hanger to the project if you like, simply glue some string or yarn between the two plates at the top during step 13.
With the craft I’ve had kids make space portholes, and other neat ideas, you dont have to make it just an aquarium view!!
Tips:
You can simplify the supplies in this project by using construction paper to make fish, plants and even shells.
Make your fish scene more cartoonish by adding wiggle eyes to the fish.
If you don’t have blue cellophane, use clear plastic wrap and paint the background of the seal life plate blue before adding sand and sea creatures.
Once the craft is complete take a picture and send it into the web site so everyone can see you new porthole!!
