GIANT Snowflakes! - Christmas Break Project #4 -

 Grab your supplies for GIANT Snowflakes!

6 pieces of printer paper cut into a square (8 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches)
Scissors
Scotch tape
Stapler
   
My middle son made these at school last year and I have been wanting to make a bunch ever since!

Begin by folding your paper in half, corner to corner, to form a triangle.

Cut 3 slits to the center on each side, being careful not to cut all the way through.
 

Unfold your paper.

Begin by rolling the center diamond, corner to corner, and taping.

Flip the paper over and roll the next diamond corners toward each other and tape. You can see here are the corners rolled into each other.

Repeat with all the strips, flipping the paper over each time until you have taped all the strips to form a "petal" like this:

 Repeat 5 times with remaining paper.


Take 3 of the "petals" and place the free ends together and staple. Repeat with remaining 3 "petals".  Now you have 2 halves which you will staple together in the center:

Now, staple each petal to the next one at the taped corners to join all of them as one and help the snowflake retain it's shape without flopping apart.

Ta Da!  A GIANT Snowflake!

Join me tomorrow for Fizzy Fun! (Gather baking soda, food coloring, vinegar, and an eye dropper so you are ready!)

Snow Faces! -Christmas Break Project #3-

We did this project at the beach last summer, but it would work just as well on a sunny day in the snow!

Let's Make Snow Faces!

Gather up lots of little tidbits you can use for facial features, such as...

rocks
twigs
pinecones
acorns
buttons
candy
yarn
leaves

Place them in the snow to make a face.

Lean  over so your shadow covers the face in the snow.

Snap a picture!

Come back Monday to learn how to make GIANT SNOWFLAKES! (Gather up some computer paper, scotch tape, scissors, and a stapler to be ready!)

Block Print T-Shirts - Christmas Break Project #2-

This is a project we worked on this summer that would be perfect for a long winter day during break.

Block Print T-Shirts

Supplies:

Permanent ink
Ink roller
Foam meat trays
Old t-shirt
Newspapers, pens, scissors...
 
We started by drawing a design on paper.  When we had it just right, we placed the paper over the foam meat tray and traced over the lines.

You will get an indentation in the Styrofoam that you can see when you remove the paper.

Draw over the indentation with a pen or dull pencil to deepen the lines.( Remember, everything you draw into your design will come out backwards on the shirt!)

 Now, load the ink onto the roller by rolling the roller back and forth until completely coated.

Roll the ink onto your foam stamp until evenly covered but not too goopy.

Place folded up newspapers inside the shirt to protect the back and place stamp onto the shirt.  Press!  Rub!  Pound!  Make sure the stamp has full contact with the shirt.

 Peel off the stamp and let dry completely then press with a hot iron for 2 minutes to set.

Come back tomorrow to learn how to make Snow Faces using your own shadow!  (Gather up rocks, twigs, leaves, yarn, buttons, and a camera to be ready!)

3D Handprints - Christmas Break Project #1 -

So, the kiddos are off for the holidays and if you are like me, you are scrambling to come up with stuff to keep them busy for 9 days.   Wait...9 days?!?

Today, I have a simple, yet time consuming project that yields a cool optical illusion.

Begin by tracing your hand on a piece of white paper lightly with a pencil...

Begin at one side of the paper and draw a lines of different colors.  When you get to the edge of the finger,  make the line curve up a bit the width of the finger, then back down and straight across to the other side of the paper.

Repeat a bajillion times, changing colors in a random order.

Remember making these in grade school art class?  The hand appears to lift right off the paper! Frrreeeeekyyyy!

Now, go enjoy a cup of coffee while the kids are occupied.

Come back tomorrow for block print t-shirts (gather up a Styrofoam meat tray, fabric ink, an old t-shirt and an ink roller to be prepared).