Quick and easy sparkle garland kids craft

Christmas is sure sneaking up on everyone this year.  It seems like it was just Halloween and now there are days, no hours before the guy in the red suit shows up.  The kids are getting impatient and you have to wrap some presents.  Take a deep breath.  Sit back and enjoy some family craft time with the kiddos.  These little garlands are great for the tree on anywhere you want a little extra sparkle.

So just sit down.  The wrapping can wait and make some family memories for years to come.

Want more easy free kid’s craft tutorials?  Check out All free kids crafts

Supplies:

• Sparkle chenille stems in any color.  I used white and silver
• Scissors

Instructions:

1.     For a garland that will wrap around a 6 ft. tree you will needs several packages of 12” sparkle chenille stems.  There are usually 15 stems in a package.

2.     Cut each stem in half so you will have six-inch stems.  Form the first stem into a ring and twist the ends together to secure.

3.     Insert the second stem through the first one and close like you did before.  Continue adding rings until you have reached the length of garland you prefer.

Patriotic paper napkin butterfly

You can make a whole flock (Is that the right term or should it be swarm?) of patriotic paper napkin butterflies for your Memorial Day and July 4^th celebrations.  They are so easy and quick to make and is a super kid’s craft!  I display them on a little tree I have in my foyer that I decorate for each and every season. Use as a pin by adding a pin, barrette by attaching the jewelry findings.  Tie one to a hairband.  Attach them to bamboo barbeque skewers and stick in a flowerpot. Or you simply set them around as table scatter. The applications for these butterflies are endless.

Supplies:

·      Patriotic paper napkins

·      Small rubber bands

·      Scissors

·      Glue gun and glue sticks

·      Red bump chenille stems

·      Red sparkle chenille stems

·      Ruler

·      Pencil

·      Various findings, pin backs, barrettes, hairbands, bamboo barbeque skewers (Optional)

Directions:

1.     Open the paper napkin and cut to separate the four squares.  If your napkin is print on one side, stack two squares print right side out and do the same to the other two.  Stack them all together.  (See photo)

2.     Accordion fold the stacks all the way across.  Secure in the center with a small rubber band. 

3.     Working on one side pull the paper layers out to separate and fluff. You can make the two print sides meet, puffing out slightly.  There will be two wings made from four pieces of the napkin.  Repeat this on the other side.

4.     Cut a 5-inch piece of red sparkle chenille stem.  Bend in half and use a pencil to curl the ends.  It resembles a V-shape.

5.     Cut a bump from the bump chenille stem and glue the V-shape (Antenna) to the bump. (Body)

6.     Attach the body/antenna to the center of the butterfly wings with a bit of glue.

7.     For a pin glue a pin back onto the back.  For a plant poke glue a barbeque skewer on the back.  For a hairband tie to the top of the hairband with some string or wire.  For a barrette attach a alligator clip or French barrette to the back.

Breast Cancer awareness wreath pin

October is Breast Cancer awareness month.  Show your support with this easy to make wreath awareness pin.  You can make this pin in minutes for hardly any money and it's easy enough for kids with a  little help with the glue gun!  This is a great group project too!

You will need:

Chenille stems dark pink, light pink

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Pin back

Needle nosed pliers are helpful but optional

Scissors

1.     Cut three dark pink chenille stems to 7 inches.  Form into a ring and twist together.  Use the needle nosed pliers to squeeze it together tightly. 

2.     Attach a dark pink 12-inch chenille stem to the ring and weave in and out all around. Repeat with a second dark pink stem.

3.     Attach a light pink chenille stem to the ring and weave around in between the dark pink ones all around.  Repeat with another light pink stem, making sure you weave it in between the dark stems.  Adjust the shape of the wreath ring if necessary.

4.     Cut a four-inch piece of a dark pink chenille stem and twist together into an awareness looped ring. (See photo)

5.     Use the hot glue gun to attach the awareness loop to the front of the wreath and a pin back to the back.

Halloween sparkle spider tutorial

Dress up your Halloween table with a sparkle spider.  He will guard your goodies in style! Quick and easy sequined spider is a fun project to do while watching TV.  This is a great group project too!

You will need:

2 ½” Styrofoam balls, each ball makes two spiders

Serrated steak knife

½” sequin pins

Gold and silver sequins

Two large red sequins

Tacky craft glue (other glues may dissolve the foam)

Chenille stems, in white/black striped and sparkle white

Black felt

Scissors

White colored pencil

Ruler

1.     Cut the Styrofoam ball in half using the serrated knife.  Rub the two cut sides together to smooth out.

2.     Place the cut circle on a piece of black felt and trace around with a white colored pencil.  Cut out.  Cut four 4-inch pieces of chenille stems from each color.  Add a dab of glue on the ends of the cut stems. Insert into the bottom sides of the Styrofoam ball half alternating each color.

3.     Add a generous amount of glue on the bottom of the ball half and attach the black felt.  Trim any excess if necessary.

4.     Begin adding the sequins.  Add some tacky glue to each area as you work smoothing with your finger. Insert the sequin pin through the hole in the sequin and push into the Styrofoam.  Continue until you have covered almost the entire piece.  Add two larger red sequins on the lower front for the eyes.  (See photo)

5.     Bend the chenille stems to form the legs and display your spider on your holiday tables.