wee little shamrock men

 

 Claire and I had such fun making our Valentine's Day craft that I wanted to make one for St. Patrick's Day that used similar materials. We made a few different varieties this year- so you can make which ever one you have the materials for.

 What you need to make these: (this is a list for the supplies to make all of them)
toilet paper rolls
construction paper & foam (we used two different colours of green)
white computer paper

markers/crayons (not pictured)
googly eyes (older kids could draw on the eyes)
decorative tape or strips of coloured paper (could use leftover wrapping paper)
scissors
paint & paint brush
glue
paper trimmer
shamrock template (I used this one)

                          1                                                        2                                                       3

For shamrock #1
1. cover the toilet paper roll with white paper
2. decorate with green masking tape (you can buy green electrical tape at the dollar store)
3. using green foam (or construction paper) cut out a shamrock
4. glue eyes onto the shamrock
5. tape the shamrock onto the toilet paper roll
6. cut a strip on construction paper and fold it like an accordion, glue it to the side of the roll

For shamrock #2
1. have child paint a piece of white paper & let dry
2. cover the roll with piece of painted paper
3. using green foam (or construction paper) cut out a shamrock
4. glue eyes onto the shamrock
5. tape the shamrock onto the toilet paper roll
6. cut a strip on construction paper and fold it like an accordion, glue it to the side of the roll

For shamrock #3
1.have child draw & colour on green construction paper
2. using green foam (or construction paper) cut out a shamrock
3. glue eyes onto the shamrock
4. tape the shamrock onto the toilet paper roll
5. cut a strip on construction paper and fold it like an accordion, glue it to the side of the roll

If you're using construction paper to cut out the hearts, you will need a stick to help support the shamrock. The googly eyes will weigh it down.  No big deal, just tape a stick to the back of the shamrock, and add a piece of tape on the inside of the toilet paper roll too.

Have you made these with your kids to celebrate & decorate for St. Patrick's Day? Leave me a note in the comments, I'd love to see them.



Linking up with So You Think You're Crafty & Skip to my Lou & Molly Moo & Tatertots and Jello & What Allie's Making Now & Somewhat Simple & ABC and 123 Learning & Today's Creative Blog & Making the World Cuter & The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

snow castle flags

We have had SO much snow lately that I've been trying to think of things that Claire and I can do outside. When I went to Dollarama the other day they were starting to put all of their summer toys out (a tad early if you ask me!) All summer long Claire loved playing in her sandbox building sand castles, so I picked up a couple of new sand castle buckets so that we could make some snow castles. Of course, a snow castle wouldn't be complete without some flags on top of the castles.

 They were so easy to make too. I had everything that I needed to make them already at home.

masking tape (electrical tape comes in lots of colours of you don't have coloured masking tape)
lollipop sticks
scissors

Just wrap the tape around the stick and then cut a dart out of the tape.

 Then, head outside and build a little snow city. We'll probably have to start all over tomorrow, since we're supposed to get another 15 cm of snow tomorrow!

 Linking up with Tatertots and Jello &  Somewhat Simple & Today's Creative Blog & The Trendy Treehouse & ABC and 123 Learning

oh happy tape

When I first saw happy tape, I knew that I needed it. I didn't have any particular project in mind, but I knew that the possibilities were endless. I'm what some people might call a stationary collector. I love to shop and buy stationary things, but never what to use up what I buy. I have embarrassingly large quantities of post it notes, post it flags, note pads and pens. So it really came as no surprise when I had my happy tape for more than a year before I first used it. There were so many things that I wanted to use it for, but I didn't want to waste it. Then I was upstairs in my daughter's room and I thought that there must be a way that I could brighten up her room a little bit more. So I broke up my happy tape and went to work on her closet door. I just love how it turned out. Now I want to order more colours so that I can do the closet in my son's room too!

Update: The tape has been on Claire's closet for over two years now, and still look great.

Linking up with: Skip to my Lou