Kid’s Craft: Cornucopia Paper Craft

If you were around for the Halloween Craft “Frankenstein Face Paper Sculpture,” then you are well aware that I am a fan of paper crafts. The Frankenstein Face was a very easy beginner paper craft; this one however, is a little more detailed.  This project is best suited for ages 7 and older.

Classified: Medium- only due to the length of time that it takes.

What you need:

• Construction Paper: 1 Large sheet brown- orange-yellow-green-purple-red
• White Glue
• Glue Sticks
• Tape
• Some sort of weight to weigh down the horn of the cornucopia.
• Twist tie
• Scissors
• Scrapbook Scissors (optional)

 What to do:
Steps for Cornucopia

1.      Bring together the opposite ends of large sheet of brown construction paper, (long way) roll.

2.      Glue edges and scrunch together end.

3.      Glue end- hold in place with twist tie.

4.      Allow to dry.

5.      Once dry, remove twist tie.

Steps for pumpkin, apple, gourds (or any other simple round fruit/vegetable):

1.      Cut paper into strips (4). In this case I will show the pumpkin. I cut the strips wavy to add texture.

2.      Using glue sticks, glue strips into shape of an asterisk.

3.     

4.      Bring opposite ends together and glue one on top of another.

5.     

6.      Allow to dry.

7.      Cut stem and leaves- glue together. Fold the stem at ¼ towards the bottom and glue to the top of the fruit/vegetable (apple shown).

8.     

Steps to create grapes:

1.      Using either purple or green paper, cut into small strips. Roll and glue with glue stick. Repeat.

2.     

3.      To create the grape paper sculpture, start by gluing the grape paper loops side by side- creating a cascading pattern that would resemble a bunch of grapes. (Basic grape "skeleton")

4.      Allow time to dry.

5.      Build on to the grape "skeleton" by using grape loops and white glue to form a bunch of grapes.

6.     

7.      Cut a stem out of brown paper. You can add leaves –or- roll a thin strip of green paper around a pencil to create a vine.

Steps for creating a pear, squash, eggplant, etc.

1.      Cut three strips of paper. In this case I did a yellow pear.

2.      Roll each strip, each progressively getting smaller than the next.

3.      Glue together, one on top of the other, making a “snowman.”

4.      Allow to dry.

5.      Cut and glue strips onto bottom of the “snowman” looking sculpture.

6.      Glue middle of strip onto the middle loop of the “snowman” like sculpture. I held it together with a piece of tape until it dried. Once dry, remove tape and follow to next step.

7.      Glue the remainder of the strips together on the top of the last of the "snowman" (smallest loop). Cut and add stem by creating a small fold and gluing it to the top of the pear, squash, eggplant, etc.

8.     Dry.

Steps for creating carrots or peas. I made a carrot.

1.      Cut 4-6 strips- each progressively getting smaller.

2.      Glue together; largest to the smallest.

3.      Cut leafs out and slightly fold and glue to the top of the carrot.

4.     

Steps for Cornucopia Assembly:

1.      You may want to cut some leaves out of paper to act as a “filler.”

2.      Glue weight into the horn of the cornucopia. I used an empty paint bottle and glued it to the bottom of the horn so it would not roll as I placed the fruits and vegetables into place.

3.      Assemble first, glue later. Arrange the fruit and vegetable inside your cornucopia to how you like. Once satisfied with your arrangement, glue together using white glue.

4.  Dry- as you see mine was in the process of drying while photographed! 

Link of the day: http://www.thekidzpage.com/learninggames/searchword/cornucopia-word-search-15x15.html Cornucopia Word Search for kids!

Kid’s Craft: Scarecrow Puppet

Fun for the fall- Print and color this scarecrow to create a puppet. I left the face blank. You can either chose to add a picture of your child to the scarecrow puppet, or you can discuss parts of the face and have them decorate their own. I included examples of both.

Here is a poem that I found to go along with the theme:

Sung to: "I'm a little teapot"

I'm a little scarecrow stuffed with hay.
Here I stand in a field all day.
When I see the crows,
I like to shout
"Hey! You crows, you better get out!"

Source: http://www.preschooleducation.com/sfall.shtml

Classified: Easy

Materials:

1.      Scarecrow Template

2.      White Glue

3.      Scissors

4.      crayons

5.      Raffia or Yellow Yarn (for straw)

6.      2 Popsicle sticks (large)
7.      Photo of child - or - buttons/wiggle eyes (eyes) yarn or pipe cleaner (smile) paper/felt cut into a triangle (nose)

Steps:

1.      Print out the Scarecrow Template.

4 year old

2.      Color in the scarecrow.

3.      Option 1: cut your child’s face from a photo and glue it where a face should be. Option 2: Use small black buttons for eyes, triangles for a nose and a pipe cleaner for a mouth. Option 3: Draw face onto scarecrow.

4.      Cut out the scarecrow. Depending on the age of the child, have them cut the scarecrow out him or her self using child scissors.

5.      Cut and glue raffia (yarn) to arms and feet of scarecrow.

6.      Making a T – paste together Popsicle sticks on back of scarecrow.

2 year old

Links of the day:

http://www.answers.com/topic/scarecrow- History of the scarecrow!

When Time-outs Don't Work, Try This!

When Time-outs don't work, it is time for you to find another effective discipline tool. I am a firm believer that you never stop learning- even if something is your “craft” or “specialty,” there is always room for improvement. (So strange coming from an educator- huh?) Throughout my short 4.5 years of being a parent, I have enrolled in various parenting classes and read numerous books. I took these classes and read these books so I could, for lack of a better term, “enhance” my parenting skills. Every class I took emphasized on one aspect of discipline- Time Outs. Yes, the BIG T.O. of discipline. The instructors of these parenting classes and books give you the guidelines, the do’s and the don’ts, but never really covered the will not’s or the “doesn’t affect my child” aspect!

I found time-outs to be more effective with my first born, although I have to say he never really learned anything from them. I found it to be more of a break from the situation (and for me) than an actual learning experience. Now, I am not saying that time-outs NEVER work- they do, I feel it is more how your individual child handles them. Time-outs influenced him more if he were to sit out from a group activity than if he were to just do something in the private of our own home where he would scream “No I don’t want to” for the entire duration on the time-out step. But, he did stay in one spot. I do have to say that I am very fortunate that neither one of my children will get up and leave from that spot once sent there! My humble apologies and empathy goes to you if you have a child that does refuse to sit ;-(

My daughter, now 2 years and a few months, thinks time-outs are funny. It is so frustrating when I put on my “Super Nanny” face, go through the time-out routine (say sternly, face to face why your child is going to sit in time-out) send her to the time-out step only to have her display a smirk that would make you cringe! Once in time-out she sings and talks to herself. So a time-out is more of a place where she can spend some “me” time and not reflect whatsoever on the issue at large. I (stupidly) still set the timer and ignore her tactics, but am convinced that it really just does not affect her and that she sometimes prefers to be there.

So, I called in the forces. I taught preschool and subbed in on enough Kindergarten classes to know that not everyone uses time-outs all the time. What I find to be more effective at home has all ready been used in many elementary and early education classes for years. The “Traffic Light” concept is a beautiful tool because it not only allows the child to physically see that they are having a “rough day,” you can also carry this system everywhere you go and use it in conjunction with a time out! I used checks, (See Example Here!) but you can use faces, x’s or whatever your heart desires. I found it more of a lesson if the child himself flips over the check to green- to yellow- then to red. I usually use green as a first warning and an age appropriate time-out. Yellow is a second warning, an age appropriate time-out and I take something away. Red is the BIGGIE- time-out, something is taken away and early to bed. This may be too harsh for you (or not enough) but believe me, once you find your groove; I find this to nip bad behavior in the bud pretty quickly.

Add stickers to the pocket to make in more personal.

As I said- I am not against time-outs, because they do work for some, if not most children. If you are all for time-outs, great- just make sure to pick a time-out spot that is not the child's bedroom, that is just out of reach to human civilization and is boring. I have a set of steps that I use off of my kitchen; so my children can hear everything, see a little and participate none. However, if you have a little darling like mine, or are over using time-outs, you need a different system or you are just wasting both of your times. I provided you with a free template- but hey- get creative with your “Traffic Light” chart. Just make sure you make it so that it is portable and laminate it so it doesn’t fail due to wear and tear. Teachers purchase pockets from teaching stores, but it is just as easy and less expensive to make one yourself. This tool became so effective in my household that all I had to say is “you want a (insert color here) check?” and the behavior stopped on a dime!

This is how it looks like at the start of the day!

For more on behavior modification see: http://www.classifiedmom.com/p/resources.html

Kid’s Craft: Warhol Portraits

Andy Warhol is a contemporary “Pop” artist mostly known for his Campbell Soup Cans and depictions of Marilyn Monroe. In this lesson you will be taking your child’s photograph and, using watercolors, painting it with complementary colors. Good way to introduce primary and secondary colors as well. Fun lesson to do with children for moms, preschool and art teachers!

Remember, for younger children it’s the process not the product that counts! Please note: Knowledge of computer and digital camera required.

Classified: Easy

Materials:

1.      Computer

2.      Printer

3.      Digital image of child or photograph and scanner.

4.      Printer paper or card stock- white.

5.      Printing software. In this case I just used Windows Print Pictures Wizard.

6.      Water color paints

7.      Black fine tip marker

8.      Paper cutter, glue stick and black construction paper (optional)

Steps:

1.      Using printing software, print a black and white copy of your child’s portrait. Set it to wallet size (9).  You may have to bump up the “copies of each picture” to nine, so the entire page is filled with the portrait. If you did not take the photo in black and white- no fret! Simply go to your printer’s settings and adjust the print job to black and white! Print.

2.      For younger kids talk about primary colors (2-6); for older children talk about secondary colors (5-7); for the advanced (children 8 and up; including mamas) talk about complementary colors.

3.      Paint in each portrait accordingly using water colors.

4.      When completely dry- either you (mom/teacher) trace face with black marker (optional). Older kids can do this by themselves.

5.      Optional: Cut out each portrait and glue it to black construction paper to create a border.

6.      For the much older crowd (middle school-high school): get more advanced by teaching them how to use the digital camera, print 8X10’s and have them get more involved. Example, see Warhol’s http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?object_id=79809 Have them paint each portrait differently in detail.

Anthony age 4

Links of the day:

http://www.webexhibits.org/colorart/marilyns.html- Warhol’s’ Marilyn Monroe artwork.

Notes: Primary Colors- Red, Yellow and Blue (or magenta, yellow and cyan)

Secondary colors: Green, Purple and Orange.

Complimentary colors: Orange & Blue, Red & Green, Purple & Yellow

Leaky Baby- drool and diaper proof sleeping!

OK, so if you are like me you value sleep. I have never been a great sleeper and appreciate anytime I can rest my eyes. However, when you're a Classifier, sleep may come few and far between.

My first born was an awesome sleeper. He'd take two 2-hour naps a day and slept 10 hours at night. I still praise him to this day for his efforts.

My second born never slept. She seriously didn't nap until 9 months of age. I confronted my Ped many of times to confirm that I was not crazy. She also did not sleep at night. The most I got out of her was maybe 2 hours at a time. Then she was up- not to eat like most babies- but to party. Oh -the midnight hours is when my little girl loved to play and giggle. Finaly, after one night of sobbing tears due to lack of sleep (I am a big baby when tired and always cry for no reason when exhausted) I came to the conclusion to let her cry it out. I HATED IT- EVERY MOMENT OF IT- but it worked. After the third night I never heard from her again- well, unless she was ill.

My third baby wants to sleep. He really does. If you go back a few posts I talked about how he always would wet himself at night (http://www.classifiedmom.com/2010/10/baby-night-diapers.html). Well, after much research this is what we do: Just before I head off to sleep, I wake him up and I put on an over night diaper one size larger, diaper liners and a pair of plastic diaper pants. Leak #1 taken care of.

Now, for leak #2 (yes, he leaks in other places- seriously!) his mouth. My darling little baby boy is teething and drools about three cups per hour. Exciting for him, not so much for me! For about 2 weeks now, my husband and I could not figure out why he wakes up every night with a puddle under his face. Duh- the mattress has a built-in plastic protection cover on it and the drool just sits on top (at least it is doing it's job!) Gotta give hubby credit here as he did the research this time. The trick is, if you have a mattress like ours, place a towel under the bed sheet to soak up the baby drool. Please make sure to tuck both in securely! SO basically it is a drool sponge.

Needless to say, for the first time in over a year I enjoyed a FULL night sleep. Most importantly, I learned how to prevent  a leaky baby from, well, leaking. If you come across this blog posting, and you think (giggle) to yourself "I have been having the same issues" just remember- that when your day of a full night of sleep comes, your body will go into shock and not know how to react. I only say this because I am still very tired?!?

Link of the day: http://www.thenewparentsguide.com/baby-teething.htm

Kid’s Craft: Halloween Bat Cupcakes

So I am typically not a baker. I LOVE to cook, but baking is not my thing. My chitlins kept insisting that we make “bat cupcakes.” So I gave in…………………………………

Classified: Medium (Just due to the fact that it takes some time)

Materials:

1.      Whatever cupcake mix you chose. Hey if you’re a baker- go nuts and make it from scratch!

2.      Baking material: bowls, cup cake pan and whatever you need to make your cup cakes.

3.      Chocolate frosting!

4.      M&M’s, Reese’s  Pieces or some small chocolate candy that can be used as eyes

5.      Black decorating sparkles I used Wilton’s Black Cake Sparkles 

6.      Black decorating gel

7.      Chocolate melts

8.      Bowl to melt chocolate melts in microwave

9.      Wax paper

10.  Bat Template

11.  Tape

12.  Scissors

13.  Plastic bag or frosting piping bag

14.  Cookie Sheet- to make chocolate bats.

Steps

1.      Make cupcakes according to directions and allow time to cool. Pretty simple huh?

2.      Print out Bat Template. I printed 2 sheets.

3.      Tape Bat Template sheets to cookie sheet.

4.      Tear off a piece of wax paper long enough to fit your cookie sheet and tape over the bat template.

5.      Parents: Melt chocolate melts in the microwave. Please Note: Melts do not appeared “melted” until they are stirred. It should not take any longer than two minutes depending on how your microwave works. IT WILL BE HOT! PLEASE BE CAREFUL! A hurt mommy is a sad mommy!

6.      Stir chocolate melts and pour into piping bag or plastic storage bag. *** Note: If using a plastic storage bag, cut a very small corner out of the bag.*** TIP: If chocolate begins to harden in the bag, place under warm water until melted (again).

7.      Trace the templates with the chocolate, quickly placing the eyes the candy eyes before each bat dries.

8.      Repeat until all are traced. Once complete place in fridge to cool.

9.      Frost cupcakes with chocolate frosting.

10.  Sprinkle with black decorating sparkles to make the bat appear “furry.”

11.  Take chocolate bat molds out of fridge and careful remove from the wax paper. Place the bats onto the cupcake.

12.  Draw details onto bat; eyeballs, nose, inside ears and outlines on bat wings with decorating gel.

13.  Watch out- they’re yummy.

Links of the day:

Wanna see a mama who can really bake? Check out: http://lnowak.blogspot.com/

Ode to the MIA Sock

By: Yours Truly

So, I count my feet,

One and two.

All is present,

Including my shoes.

Everything is fine.

I go about my day.

Nothing to worry about-

Until I heard my socks say……………………

Sock number one

Spoke to sock number two-

“Want to escape to Tibet?
Or Timbuktu?”

“We can race against time;

Learn how to fly?

We can swim in the oceans-

Wait! Why do you cry?”

Sock number two

Holds back his tears and whispers to one

“I’m scared to leave my friend,

Although it sounds like fun!”

“I have too much to offer,

I have too much to lose.

But, you can go on your way

If you ever so chose.”

Later that day,

When the spin cycle began

Sock number one

Executed his plan.

Was he snatched by a troll?

Did he escape through the drain?

Was there a sock fairy involved?

It’s driving me insane!

How did it happen?

Nobody knows!

Only thing now

Is I have really cold toes.

So, I count my feet

One and two-

Only one sock accounted for…………

Now where are my shoes?

Sadly enough, back in the day I used to write poetry all the time and have been published on a few occasions. I now only write when I am inspired, Apparently, today was the day!

Link of the day: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/

http://www.poetry.com/- Free poetry contests- perhaps I should submit this one? Tee Hee!

Kids Craft: Paper Mache Thanksgiving Turkey

Kids Craft: Paper Mache Thanksgiving Turkey

I did this with my kids last year when they were 3 and 18 months. Yes, I obviously helped my little girl a lot- she did enjoy painting the body of the turkey ;-)

Classified: Medium

Materials:

1.      Paper Mache Recipe (see below)

2.      Balloon

3.      *News paper or news print (I prefer)

4.      Brown Acrylic Paint

5.      Paint Brushes or Sponge Brush

6.      Turkey Template

7.      Pencil

8.      Scissors

9.      Red, Orange, Yellow and/or Brown Construction Paper

10.  Google Eyes- optional

11.  Black marker

12.  Sewing Pins

13.  Bowl

14.  Cardboard Box (cereal, tissue, any kind of recycled box)

15.  White Glue and glue stick.

Paper Mache Recipe:

·         1 part flour to one part water. For a stronger mold add some white glue.

Steps (Paper Mache body)

1.      Blow up a balloon about 10” in diameter.

2.      Mix Paper Mache mix into a bowl.

3.      Tear strips of newspaper/news print

4.      Dip strips into paper Mache mix, and apply to balloon. *NOTE: strips of paper should be damped not soaked.

5.      Do at least three layers.

6.      May take 24 or more hours to dry.

7.      Cut out a 3” diameter hole in the narrow part of the balloon. This is to provide a base.

8.      Paint brown.

Steps for Turkey head:

1.      Print out template. I cut down a brown piece of construction paper to 8.5x11” and printed it directly on there. You can just print it out on a piece of computer paper and use as a stencil.

2.      Cut the head of the turkey head out (brown construction paper) and glue it to a piece of scrap cardboard. Cut the cardboard out around turkey head. This is to make the head and neck sturdier.

3.      Trace and cut beak (orange) and wattle (red). Glue wattle first then bend the beak at the dotted line. Glue the flap over the top of the wattle so the beak appears 3D.

4.      Glue google eyes.

5.      Write “NAME’s Thankful For” on turkey’s neck.

6.      Allow time to dry.

Steps for feathers:

1.      Cut out 5 or more feathers (I used orange and brown)

2.      Write on each feather what you are thankful for.

3.      Fan out the feathers and glue the ends together; then adhere the sides together with a glue stick.

Steps to assemble turkey:

1.      Once all pieces are dry, glue the back of the turkey neck and hold it up to the flat side of the paper Mache body. Under the wattle, insert a sewing pin to hold in place until dry (adult only!)

2.      Glue the wing spread and adhere to paper Mache body opposite from the turkey head. Insert a sewing pin into feather span to hold tail into place until dry (adult only).

3.      Perfect for a gift!

My 3 year old and 18 month old creations

Link of the day:

http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/turkey.htm - fun facts about turkeys!