For this craft you’ll need to peruse the scrapbook paper aisle at your local craft store for a sheet or two of wood grain paper.  You can easily find them online too.

Supplies you’ll need:

• Wood grain scrapbook paper
• Cereal box
• Glue stick
• Scissors
• Craft knife
• 1/8” hole punch
• String

Steps:

1. Open up your cereal box and cut out one of the larger panels out.  Cut two identical sizes of scrapbook paper and glue one on each side of the cardboard panel.  Be sure to cover the entire paper with glue.  Allow to dry. 
2. Draw pieces for the ears, body, and legs.  Then cut them out.  Punch a hole for its tail.
3. Use this photo as a guide to see where to make the connection cuts for the body parts. When you make the cuts, be sure to make them as thick as the cardboard.  If you make them too wide, the legs fall off during playtime.
4. Finally, tie a piece of string through the hole for your elephant’s tail.

Whip these out the next time your little ones get antsy at the grocery store or when you’re dining out.  They’ll have fun putting them together as well.  Enjoy!

Simple to make and the kiddos will want to help as well.

The recipe did call for liquid glucose and I replaced it with light corn syrup.  The paints seemed to work out just fine.  If you do plan to make your own paint, just remember it takes about a day or two to dry out before you’re able to paint with it.

Of course, you could easily use store bought watercolors and still get these cool results.  Let’s begin!

1)  Salt creates an interesting crystallizing effect to watercolor paintings.  Sprinkle a few grains of salt onto the paint while wet.   Then when thoroughly dry, gently brush the salt off.  (Make sure your hand is dry.)

2)  Plastic wrap can create a variety of results.  While your paint is still wet, lay on a piece of plastic wrap.  Stretch the ends outwards but still allow to wrinkle to get a long streaky effect.  Or to get a more crumply texture, pinch the wrap in various spots of your painting.  Allow to dry completely with the plastic wrap on.  Peel off and paint or draw in your final details. 

3)  Create resistance by using oil pastels.  Draw a pattern or picture with pastels.  Then paint over.  You’ll see the paint will absorb only on the paper not drawn on.  Pretty cool, huh?

What are some methods you use to spice up your watercolor paintings? We’d love to hear about them!

Happy painting!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Baby food jars
• Tissue paper, at least 2 colors
• Glue or decoupage glue (Example)
• Foam brush
• Scissors
• Glitter
• Flameless tea lights, one for each jar, (Example)

Steps:

1. First, cover your work area with newspaper and keep a moist towel nearby. If you don’t have decoupage glue, just mix equal parts water and glue in a jar (other than the ones for this project).
2. Tear tissue paper into small pieces and set aside.  Cut, with scissors, a contrasting color of tissue paper into hearts or letters.
3. First decorate the lower half of the jars by applying some decoupage to the outside of the jar then place a piece of torn tissue paper on top. Use the tip of your brush to smooth out bubbles as best as you can.  Allow to dry. 
4. Decorate the rest of the jar in the same fashion.  Don’t forget to add those shapes and letters last.
5. Once your jar is completely decorated, add a thin coat of decoupage and sprinkle on some glitter. Tip: Hold your jar low with one hand and slowly sprinkle from up high with your other hand.  This will allow the glitter to spread out rather than fall in big clumps.  Set aside to dry.
6. Place a tea light in each jar.  Wrap the jars up or maybe just tie a pretty ribbon around them.

Mother’s Day falls on the 13^th of this month.  We’re sure she’ll appreciate this gift you’ve made and don’t forget to give her a great big hug too!

Happy Mother’s Day from the gang at Pi’ikea Street!

Supplies you’ll need:

• Cereal box
• Tracing paper
• Double-sided tape
• Craft knife
• Scissors
• Black card stock
• Thread
• Tape
• Hole punch
• Deco tape (optional)
• Desk lamp or flashlight

Steps:

1. To prepare the cereal box, look for the glue flap which holds it together.  Then carefully tear apart and flatten the box.  On the larger sides, cut a rectangle about a ½” smaller than the size of your tracing paper.  And on the middle narrow portion, cut a 1/8” strip out about a quarter inch from one of the folds.  Your final piece should look like this 
2. Next, tape a piece of tracing paper (or any thin white paper you have) onto the panel closest to the 1/8” gap.  From card stock, cut out silhouettes of things you’d like as background for your scene.  Tape it to the tracing paper. 
3. Use glue or tape to put the box back together.  And if you have any, use deco tape to make the box look less like a cereal box.  Set aside.
4. Now cut out a few silhouettes of monkeys from black card stock.  If you have trouble doing this, print out some silhouettes you find online.  Just be sure to color both sides black with a marker.
5. Cut pieces of cardboard, enough for each monkey, about ¾” x 1 ½” and punch a hole in the middle.  Then tape thread to the monkey and feed the other end into the hole of the cardboard.  Wrap excess thread around and secure to the cardboard with tape. 
6. Now we’re ready to start the show.  Feed monkeys through the 1/8” gap at the top of your theater.  And shine a desk lamp or flashlight behind the theater.  Be sure a grown up is supervising if you do use a desk lamp. They can get pretty hot.

Use the cardboard tabs to manipulate your characters.  Your kids will love making the shadows swing and jump.  Maybe they’ll put on a cute show for your entertainment.

Have fun!

Here’s how:

1. Download the teacup template. (See link below) And print on card stock.
2. Fold along dotted line and cut out the template.  Make sure to leave the folded portion intact.
3. Now  you should have 2 teacups joined together.  Cut the tabs off of one teacup. Fold the other teacup’s tabs in.  Glue tabs onto the other half.  Allow to dry.
4. Decorate and maybe even add a little string and piece of paper to make it look like you’re steeping some yummy tea.  Don’t forget to let your teachers know how TEArriffic they are!  You can fill the pouch with anything small like a teabag or gift card.

Download Teacher Appreciation Pouch

We’ve also rounded up some other great Teacher Appreciation gifts from the web.  Here they are:

• Marshmallow Pop Teacher Gift
• DIY Colored Pencil Vase
• Teacher Award Ribbon Card
• Krispy Apple Treats
• Thanks for Bee-lieving In Me Gift Bag

There you have it! You’ve got enough gifts here to make and give to your teacher everyday of the week.  Let’s make sure we let our teachers know how important they are.  They surely deserve it!

Supplies you’ll need:

• Cardboard
• Sturdy card stock (I reused the backing of a sketch pad)
• Paints, markers, or crayons
• Tape
• Double sided tape
•  Scissors
• Craft knife

Steps:

1. Cut cardboard into two 8 ½” x 11” rectangles and three 3/8” x 8 ½” strips.  With 1 of the 3/8” strips, cut four 1” long pieces and discard the remaining strip.  Cut a piece of card stock (thickest you can find) into an 8 3/8” x 10 rectangle.  Then cut the card stock according to the dimensions below.  
2. On one of the larger cardboards, draw your egg and nest.  This will be the front panel.  Also, draw your baby dinosaur on the card stock.  You can use paints or whatever your kids are most comfortable drawing with.  If you do use paints, be sure to allow it to dry before proceeding.
3. Cut your back panel in half widthwise.  Then with your front panel, use a craft knife and begin to cut in half widthwise.  Once you reach the egg, make zigzag cuts until you reach the end of the egg.  Finish with a straight cut to the end of the panel.  
4. To assemble, first lay the back panel down.  Using double-sided tape, stick on one 3/8” x 8 ½” cardboard strip along the top and bottom edge (boxed in yellow in picture below).  And stick on a 1” cardboard strip at each corner near the middle cut (boxed in orange).  Use regular tape to secure these pieces down. 
5.  Now lay your card stock on top of your back piece, picture side up.  Place double sided tape as indicated by the red lines in the picture below.  
6. Finally, carefully place on the top and bottom front panels with egg picture side up.  Firmly press down on the taped spots.  You can add more tape to seal the edges but may need to run the craft knife down the openings on the side so the inner card stock can move freely.  Your hatching dinosaur is now complete.    

Isn’t it cute?  It’s time to think of a name.

Have fun!