St. Patrick Day Ideas

Leprechaun Trap
MATERIALS:
Oatmeal Container
Felt, Construction Paper, or Craft Foam
Glue
Scissor
Straws
Clay or Play Doh
Gold Candy Coins
INSTRUCTIONS:
(1) Gather all of the materials that you need to make this Leprechaun Trap Craft Idea. You will need to find Oatmeal Container, Felt, Construction Paper, or Craft Foam, Glue, Scissor, Straws, Clay or Play Doh, and Gold Candy Coins.
(2) Take the oatmeal container cap and cut a rectangle hole into it.
(3) Now glue construction paper, felt, or craft foam all around the rectangular hole. But, don't cover the hole.
(4) Now cut out a rectangle just a tiny bit bigger than the hole. Don't glue it on. If the leprechaun steps on this hole, he will fall through.
(5) Now wrap felt, craft foam, or construction paper around the cylinder container.
(6) Now cut out a circle twice as big as the oatmeal container and glue it to the bottom of the container.
(7) Cut out a black band and a yellow square with a tiny square hole in the center and glue it to the bottom of the hat like the picture above.
(8) Now take the straws and glue them together to look like the ladder you see above.
(9) Place coins lightly on the trap door. Don't put too many or they will be too heavy and they will fall through the trap door.
(10) Make a rainbow out of clay or play doh and put it on top of the hat to attract the Leprechaun. I hope you catch that Leprechaun. Happy Saint Patty's Day!!


The WEE little Leprechaun
Materials
Toilet paper tube
Green craft foam
Acrylic paints: green, skin-tone, pink, and brown
Black permanent marker
Tacky glue
4 brown pipe cleaners
Decorative button
Instructions
For this crafty little decoration, first trace around the end of a toilet paper tube onto a piece of green craft foam.

(1)Draw a 2 1/2-inch circle around the first circle, then cut them both out to create a hat top and brim and set them aside.
(2)Next, using acrylic paints, paint the paper tube green. Add a skin-tone face and hands, plus rosy cheeks, as well as a band of brown paint around the back for hair.
(3)Once the paint has dried, use a permanent marker to draw on facial and clothing details, then use tacky glue to stick on 3 coiled brown pipe cleaners: 2 in the back for hair and 1 around the face for a beard. For feet, fold another pipe cleaner in half, then tightly coil and pinch the ends, as shown.
(4)Place the folded pipe cleaner inside the tube and glue the feet to the edge. Glue on the hat top and brim and a 5 1/2- by 1/2-inch strip of craft foam for arms.
(5)Finally, glue a decorative button to the hat brim.


Leprechaun House
Materials:
green craft foam
green glitter
shamrock stickers
imagination!
Instructions
(1) Think rainbows! Rainbow crafts are adorable for St. Patty's Day and are easy to make using any available craft supplies. Don't forget the pot of gold at the end! Colored sidewalk chalk on black construction paper is one way to create fun rainbows for St. Patrick's Day.
(2) Leprechaun hats are another easy St. Patrick's Day craft idea and can be assembled with green craft foam. You'll need three pieces for the bottom, sides, and top. Add a black buckle and green glitter details.
(3) Consider pre-assembled St. Patrick's Day craft kits. Companies like Oriental Trading are a great place to check for kits (like the Leprechaun Cottage, pictured) that are inexpensive and easy.
(4) Four-leaf clovers are another fun craft idea. Have kids go on a four-leaf clover hunt, also collecting some three-leaf clovers. Press the flowers for a few days until they are dry, and kids can make lucky shamrock pictures.

Valentine Craft

 

These are two little Valentine craft I did right before Valentines. I first made a valentine heart with an arrow through it and then painted it. I used my cricut and cut out the word Love and then placed it on the heart. Kind of cut I think. Next I did this fun love collage as a gift for my hubby. I had such fun making this project. It was so fun to find my old wedding pictures and then to write an article about our wedding morning in a personalized newspaper. I got this great idea from a blog called mod podge rocks. Happy Valentines!

More Valentine's crafts

Blast-off Rocket Candy Card

Materials
Scissors
Lightweight colored paper for the body and the flame (we used a 3 1/4-inch pink square for the body and a 3-inch orange square for the flame)
Double-stick tape
A roll of round candies (we used Life Savers candy)
A foil-wrapped Hershey's Kiss
Marker
Instructions
For the body, cut the paper to fit around the roll of candy, including a bit of overlap. Tape the paper to the roll.

Cut the tail flames and include a 1/4-inch tab, as shown below. Snip the tab in half along the solid line, fold the 2 flaps in opposite directions, and tape the flame to one end of the candy roll.

Tape a wrapped chocolate kiss to the other end.

Use a marker to write your message on the rocket or the flames.

Tips: Write the recipient's name on the flames shooting out the back.

Valentine's Mail Box


Materials Needed:
Empty laundry detergent box
White contact paper
Stencils
Valentine cut-outs
Velcro dots
Hot glue gun
Instructions:
Apply white contact paper onto the box. Add heart decorations by using hot glue. Use stencils if desired. Add velcro dot under the heart for box closure.

Valentine Tic Tac Toe

Supplies:
* poster board - white, red, or pink
* black marker
* red & pink felt, 3 squares each
* dry beans - any kind or size
* sewing machine or hot glue gun

Step 1:
Fold your poster board in half. Then cut a large heart out. Get it as big as you can. Then open it up and draw in your lines. You'll need two vertical and two horizontal lines. Use a pencil to make the lines first, then trace over it with a black marker. I used the extra piece of poster board left over to make nice straight lines.

Use heart paper or flat felt hearts, but bean bags are much more fun to play with.) You should be able to get 4 flat felt hearts out of each felt square.
Then place two together and sew or hot glue around, Hot Glued Hearts tutorial. I like to use a zig zag stitch when sewing, making it pretty or you could use pinking shears for a pretty edge as well. Make sure to leave at least an inch of space to fill in with the dry beans.

Now fill your bags about half way full with beans. You want to be able to close that small hole and sew or glue it together, and if there are too many beans, it will be hard to seal it shut.


Valentine Door Decoration

What you'll need:
1-2 pieces of red craft foam
1 piece of white craft foam
1 piece of pink craft foam
White ribbon
3 jingle bells
Hole punch
Glue
Heart Template
Letter Templates
Instructions:
Print out the template and cut out the pieces. Trace the heart shape onto red craft foam. You will need 4 red hearts. Trace the letters "L" and "V" onto white craft foam and the "O" and "E" onto pink craft foam. Cut out all of these pieces.
Glue one letter onto each heart.
Punch a hole in the top and bottom of each heart (in the center of the top of the heart and the center of the very bottom of the heart).
Cut small pieces of ribbon (3-4 inches) and use the ribbon to tie the bottom of one heart to the top of the next in order so you spell out the word "LOVE". At the top of the "L" heart use a longer piece of ribbon to use as a hanger. At the bottom of the "E" heart thread 3 jingle bells onto the ribbon and then tie it onto the heart.
Hang your craft on the door

Valentine Picture Frame Craft

I LOVE YOU TO PIECES!


What you'll need:

* Unfinished puzzle pieces (*Note: these can be found in most craft stores. They are originally intended to be turned into invitations and mailed out, so they are often with the card making or cardstock materials. If you can’t find them, you could use pieces from an old puzzle instead.)
* Red, white and pink craft paint
* Paint brush
* Tongue depressors
* Glue
* Black marker
* Photo

How to make your Picture Holder Craft
If using the unfinished puzzle, remove the center four pieces. Snap apart the remaining pieces. Paint the pieces red, pink or white.
While the pieces dry, assemble your tongue depressors into a frame shape as shown in the photos. Glue them together.
When the puzzle pieces are dry, assemble them back together (roughly) and glue them down to the tongue depressor frame as you go. This takes a good bit of glue.
When you get all the pieces assembled, use the marker and write “I Love You To Pieces” along the bottom of the frame.
Add in a photo of your child.

Valentine's fun Ideas

Take a little tuna fish can and cover it with spray paint and paper. Hot glue plastic pony beads all the way around the side and run a yarn through the beads and you have a little drum. Be sure to use a safety can opener so that there are no sharp edges and the top of the can works as a lid. I think it would be best to package the candy in little clear bags so the candy doesn’t take on any odd tastes from the can.

These fun whirly things or helicopters are great fun especially for boys. Use card stock to help keep it from being torn apart to quickly.

These suckers are fun and a yummy treat to give out to your little ones friends for Valentines!

I love these little alligators. You could make these and then fill them with treats! Add some googly eyes for some extra fun!

Valentine Mini-Cheese Cake

Mini Heart Chocolate Cheesecakes

You will need

Crust

½ Cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs

(1 pack of the 3 pack box yields 1 cup)

2 Tbs butter, melted

1 ½ Tbs sugar

1 pinch of salt

Filling

¾ Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

8 oz. Cream cheese (softened)

½ Cup sugar

2 eggs

½ Cup sour cream

½ tsp. Vanilla extract

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly spray pan, especially the sides. You probably could make these in a mini-muffin pan—-but this pan has removable heart disc bottoms that make it a breeze to remove the cheesecakes.

To make the crusts, combine cookie crumbs, butter, sugar and salt and mix until well blended. Divide the mixture between the hearts. Press evenly into the bottom of each well. It is about a tablespoon of mixture in each well. Bake crusts for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees.

Melt chocolate (I use the microwave). I process in my food processor or with a mixer the cream cheese and sugar until smooth—-stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the sour cream and vanilla and blend. Add the eggs one at a time blending after each egg. Add the melted chocolate and beat until completely blended—again stopping to scrape down the sides. Pour batter into the crusts. I fill completely to the top.

Bake until the filling is set, 18-20 minutes. I place a pan of water in the oven while baking. I allow the cheesecakes to set in the turned off oven with the door open a bit for about 30 minutes after baking is complete. I then allow them to cool on the counter for another 30 or so minutes. I think the slower cooling helps prevent cracks. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before unmolding. These freeze beautifully!

I decorate the tops with a little chocolate ganache. Heat 1/3 cup heavy cream (don’t substitute any thing less!), 1 T butter, and 1 T sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour boiling cream mixture over 3 ounces (about 1/4 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips. Allow to stand for 3-4 minutes. Stir until smooth. Pour onto tops of cheesecakes and smooth evenly.

Bunny Bean Bags

This adorable little bunny bean bags are used for a easy and fun toss game. Just use a bucket or bowl and then put a line on the floor. Then have the kidos attempt to toss the bunny's into the bucket.
Found this idea at www.onebraftyplace.com

Easy Christmas Gift Ideas

 

This is a fun idea where you take a Chinese take out box and fill it with fortune cookies. Then add chop sticks and fun ribbon or raffia as well as the saying," We are so fortunate to be your Friend" or some thing like that.

 

The second gift is a shaker full of sprinkles with the saying, "Sprinkles...because its easy to add a bit of magic"

 

The last one is a fun colored reusable shopping bag attached is the saying, "May the New Year bring you all the joy you can carry."

Burlap Heart Wreath

Supplies for 1 wreath
1 metal hanger

12" X width of burlap (my burlap was about 50" wide)

glue gun

a rotary cutter to make cutting the strips easier

dental floss

Instructions
Cut 3 - 4" X about 50" burlap strips. Sew these three pieces together, so you have one long strip. To gather the burlap, machine zig zag stitch over dental floss. I used red cinnamon flavored floss so it wouldn't show, even though it looks white in the picture. Pull the floss and gather the burlap.

Bend 1 wire hanger into a heart shape
Adjust gathers to fit around frame, cutting off any extra that isn't needed. Hot glue to wire frame. I used clear fishing line to hang, but a pretty white bow would be nice.

Christmas Blocks

 

These fun Christmas time blocks were made by my mother and given as gifts to different family members for Christmas. I just love the wonderful colors and the sweet sayings on them. The best part is little ones can't really hurt them which is a big plus when you have a toddler. It was easy to make and they made wonderful gifts.

Halloween

 

Our Elmo pumpkin was a really big hit. All the little ones loved it and we go so many comments on it from adult and teens too. It even won 1st prize at our ward pumpkin carving contest even though we didn't really carve it.

 

This cake I made without any of my tools. I made this cake while visiting family members, and it just happened to be my sister-in-laws birthday. So I made the cake for the party. Here birthday is close to Halloween and she would always go Trick-or-Treating for a birthday party activity. So I only thought it appropriate to do a Trick-or-Treat bag with candy falling our of it. Not bad for having to throw this together last minute and without any of my decorating tools!