St. Patrick's Day free coloring page

Today Make it easy Crafts and Bowdabra blog are offering a St. Patrick’s Day free printable coloring page.  In this crazy world stress is a part of life.  Lately many adults are using coloring to alleviate their stress.  This St. Patrick’s Day coloring page is great for this use and kids and adults alike will love to color.  Be creative and use the many green shades of the emerald isle when you color!  Hope you enjoy this free printable St. Patrick’s Day coloring page and come back often for more coloring fun and free printable.

Simply click on the link and download the image to print on your home printer.

St Patrick's Day coloring page

Happy St. Patrick's day!  

Recycled advertising magnet shamrock

I have amassed a large quantity of advertising magnets.  Pizza places, credit card companies and various others constantly send out little sheet magnets with their names and numbers.  Seriously how many magnets to a local pizza joint do you need on your fridge?  So I figured if they are going to keep sending them I am going to put them to a more “seasonal use.”  This is a great kids craft!

You will need:

A shamrock sticker or clip art printed off the computer

Black felt

Sheet advertising magnet (or if you don’t have any you can purchase sheet magnets at the craft store)

Tacky glue

Gold glitter dimensional fabric paint

Pen, scissors

1.     Spread some tacky glue on the back of the sticker.  This is to insure that it stays stuck.  Attach to the black felt.  If using clip-art, cut out and spread some glue onto the back.  Attach to the piece of black felt.  Let dry.  

2.     Cut around the motif leaving a quarter inch of black felt showing.  Place the prepared shamrock on the advertising magnet and trace around with a pen.  Cut out the shamrock shaped magnet.  Spread some glue on the back of the felt shamrock and attach to the magnet. Let dry.  Trim up any overhanging edges.

3.     Draw a line with Gold dimensional fabric paint all around the shamrock shape.  It can be a thin line or a thick one as desired.  Make sure you test the fabric paint on scrap paper first so that it comes out in an even line.  Let dry.  Stop throwing those advertising magnets away and make as many shamrocks as you want and deck out your fridge for St. Patty’s Day.  While you are at it why not try some Easter designs as well?  You can't get any more thrifty since this project costs practically nothing!!!

St. Patrick's Day Green Hair bow tutorial

St Patrick's Day is March 17th and you can be wearing the green with this adorable St. Patrick's Day Green Hair Bow.  It's so easy using the Bowdabra bow maker and some scrap ribbon.  Head on over to Bowdabra blog for the full quick and easy tutorial!

St Patrick's Day Hair Bow Tutorial

Recycled K-Cup Leprechaun hat for St Patrick's Day

Since Christmas the top craft tutorial that everyone is asking me for is anything made with a recycled K-cup, and as always I aim to please. All it takes is an empty K-cup to make this cute little leprechaun hat to decorate your table or other small area.  They are easy enough to make a bunch and you can even use them as party favors filled with small candies.

You will need:

K-cup washed and filter removed

Green glitter

Shamrock foam sticker

Tacky glue

Small paintbrush

Heavy cardboard or mat board (I have scraps of mat board lying around and that is what I used)

Scrap of gold ribbon or cord

Compass with pencil

1.    Draw a circle 1 ½” circle with the compass on the cardboard and cut out.  

2.     Place the K-cup top side down and trace around in the center of the cut out circle.  Cut this circle out inside the line so it will be a bit smaller than the diameter of the K-cup.

3.     Place the ring around the cup and push down to the bottom edge to form a brim.

4.     Spread some tacky glue on the entire K-cup and cover with the green glitter.  Let dry.  Cover the brim with glue and sprinkle glitter on it as well.  Let dry.  Turn over and repeat the glue and glitter on the inside of the brim.  Let dry.

5.     Cut a 6-inch piece of gold cord or ribbon and glue around the hat. (see photo)

6.     When the ribbon has dried, attach a Shamrock foam sticker over the seam where the ribbon meets.  Glue a small jewel or miniature coin in the center of the shamrock.

While I am of Greek descent, I married an Irishman so my now name is Donnelly and you can't get more Irish than that.

Click here if you'd like to learn more about St. Patrick's Day  from the History channel.

Home made shamrock shrinky dink zipper pull from #6 plastic

Do you remember Shrinky Dinks?  They were all the rage when we were kids.  They actually still make them although they aren’t as popular as they once were.  Invented by two housewives in the 70’s Shrinky Dinks are plastic sheets that can be colored and when baking become 1/3 of their original size and very rigid which makes them perfect for buttons, charms and jewelry.  Did you know you could make your own Shrinky Dinks by using recycled plastic #6 containers?  Most plastic containers have a number on them and only #6 will work. Carry out containers and even egg cartons are sometimes marked # 6. The shamrock here uses a #6 egg carton.  Although there is writing on the carton it works very well to make a zipper pull.  If you find a clear #6 container you can substitute it for the egg carton.

Shamrock Shrinky Dink Pattern

Supplies:

# 6 egg carton

Shamrock pattern

Scissors

Permanent markers

Aluminum foil lined cookie sheet

Home oven

Metal spatula

Hole punch

Small ball key chain

Needle nosed pliers

Jump ring

Directions:

1.     Cut the flat sections off the egg carton.  Trace the pattern onto the egg carton piece and cut out.  Punch a hole in the top of the shamrock with a hole punch. (You must do this before you shrink it)

2.     Use a permanent green marker to color the shamrock.  The color will intensify when baked.

3.     Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place the cut out on the cookie sheet and insert into the oven.  It should shrink within two minutes. 

4.     Remove from the oven and press with the spatula to further flatten the piece.

Unbaked shamrock next to baked one

5.     Open up a jump ring with needle nosed pliers and insert into the hole.  Close the jump ring and add a ball key chain to use as a zipper pull, key chain, or backpack bling

Recycled drink top lucky shamrock magnet tutorial

Don't throw away that top from the iced tea container, make a recycled drink top lucky shamrock magnet instead and save the planet!  I always save throwaway objects.  And the drink tops that come on iced tea containers are great for crafting.  You can buy shamrock coins in gold or green at the craft store and it fits perfectly in the center.  This recycled magnet is a quick and easy craft that will brighten up your fridge for St. Patrick's Day or any day of the year.  

This makes a great group craft for Girl Scouts or church groups.  Make one or make a bunch, it's fun and easy.  

Supplies:

·      Drink lid from an Iced tea jug

·      Green or gold shamrock coins

·      Adhesive backed magnetic sheet

·      Scissors

·      Pen

·      Tacky glue, glue gun and glue sticks or E6000 glue whichever you prefer

·      Green string beads

Optional:  Tweezers

1.     Wash and dry your drink lid.  Place the drink lid on the adhesive back magnetic sheet and trace around with a pen.  Cut out, remove the paper backing and attach to top of the drink lid. (The top will be the back when it’s a magnet)

2.     Add some glue to the inside center of the drink lid and attach a shamrock coin.  

3.     Run a bead of glue around the inside rim of the lid and attach a piece of green string beads all around.  Use tweezers to get it straight if necessary. Let the glue dry. (See photo)

4.     Run a bead of glue around the outside edge of the lid and add a piece of green string beads all around.  Let the glue dry.