December Crafts 2020

My life motto seems to be how can I make this harder? 😛 I found a really cute Christmas countdown that I modified, to make more complicated! I did not design the beard with the numbers but I did make templates to add some layers to the craft.

Mustache and Fur TrimDownload

Red HatDownload

BeardDownload

Copy the mustache and trim for the hat on to white paper and cut out. Copy the hat shape on to red paper and cut out. I used a circle punch for the nose and the pom pom for the hat. I colored Santa’s face with colored pencils. Glue all the parts to the paper with the numbered beard. Use whatever method you prefer to fill in circles as Christmas nears.

Another craft idea from Paper Magic Reny! Hot Chocolate Mugs!

I cut two wide strips of patterned paper and glued them together. I cut two narrow strips of patterned paper and glue them together. Fold the ends of the narrow strip like show to make a handle. Glue the wide strips into a tube shape and glue on handle. I used a circle punch for the eyes and nose. I free hand cut the mouth.

First Palette has many free templates that I have used for different crafts over the years.

Using the cone template we made Christmas Trees.

Print the template on patterned or plain paper. Cut out and glue along edge. Embellish as desired.

Using the birthday hat template we made a New Year’s Hat.

Print hate template on plain or patterned paper. Cut out and glue. Add embellishments as desired.

November 2020-Craft Roundup

I have started going rogue. I haven’t been crafting with any regard to themes. So here’s a collection of recent crafts!

Smug Seagull by Maddie Frost inspired me to make one of my over complicated crafts that lingered for weeks before finally being completed.

Copy the Seagull Body and Chips on to white paper and the Crab Body on red paper. I did not have a template for the Seagull or Crab’s legs. I have a small circle punch that I used for the eyes but googly eyes would also work well. The chips are a free image from Canva.

Seagull BodyDownload

Crab BodyDownload

ChipsDownload

I layered three pieces of paper for a beach/ocean look. The background is a full sheet of light blue paper, then I trimmed the darker blue and tan paper for the water/sand. I free hand cut a few clouds and used a scallop punch for the sun.

I think my turkey headband took on an owlish look. It’s probably the oversized eyes. I found a template online for feathers and copied them on to red, yellow and orange paper. I used circle punches for the eyes and cut orange triangles for the beak. Then glue the eyes, beak, and feathers to a strip of brown paper to make a headband.

We used the Bad Seed by Jory John as the featured book for our emerging readers books club aka Book Nuts. I was so pleased with this, I’m going to share it. 🙂

Sunflower BodyDownload

Copy the sunflower body on white paper, fold paper in half, and cut out. Before gluing both sides together, add yarn through the middle of the body for arms and legs. I used circle punches for the eyes. Using a black marker I drew a happy face on one side and an angry face on the other.

A Raccoon at the White House (Tails from History) by Rachel Dougherty was another Book Nuts selection.

Raccoon PartsDownload

FlagsDownload

Copy Raccoon parts on to gray paper and cut out parts. Cut a wide strip of gray paper and roll into a tube shape, glue closed. Glue the rest of the raccoon’s parts to tube. I free hand cut the white belly. Add googly eyes and flag (if desired).

Storytime Crafts–October 2020

October crafts were loosely based on Brazil and a jungle theme.

I am a big fan of @paper_magic_reny (you can follow her on Instagram for amazing craft ideas.) I saw a post of a sloth she made and I was thrilled when it tied in with our theme.

Paper_Magic_Reny has a photo tutorial on her Instagram. I won’t share the template that I designed. (Renata Kolibova also has a craft books available on Amazon.) I don’t know her but I really like her crafts!

Continuing with jungle animals, I found this cute monkey craft on Jeux et Compagnie. It’s a simple craft but in my imagined crafting session with the kids, I can picture them really enjoying it.

Krokotak.com is one of my other favorite paper craft resources. We made this adorable and simple frog from an idea on Krokotak.

Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard inspired an original craft!

Bird OutlineDownload

Bird ShoesDownload

I copied the bird outline on to blue paper and the shoes on to white paper. Fold the piece of paper with the bird outline in half and cut out. Use a hole punch to make two holes for the bird’s legs. I looped some black yarn through the holes and twisted the yarn.

The shoes are also two sided, you can cut the template into 3 columns, fold each column of shoes in half and cut out. Glue shoes around the yarn.

This hedgehog was too cute and it didn’t fit in with our monthly theme but it still made the cut. Hedgehugs: Autumn Hide and Squeak by Steve Wilson was the perfect book to tie in with this craft.

The templates for this craft can be found on I Heart Crafty Things. It was originally a Valentine’s Day craft but modified from a heart to pumpkin. If you scroll down, you’ll find the pumpkin templates.

Storytime–September 2020

Confession: I have not been doing a lot of original crafts. 2020 has been the year of continuously readjusting. Unfortunately my original crafts have suffered! But I will share the crafts from September’s Storytimes.

Our storytime theme for September was “These shoes were made for walking.”

First up, we practiced lacing. You can download a template from Repeat Crafter Me.

Next I actually used my own blog and modified a previous Pete the Cat craft by adding…SHOES.

Pete the Cat Tail and ArmsDownload

Pete the Cat BodyDownload

Pete the Cat HeadDownload

Pete the Cat eyesDownload

Pete the Cat noseDownload

I don’t have a template for the shoes.

Good Night Veggies by Diana Murray inspired my only new craft. I loved the earthworm that wears a shoe. My earthworm does not have a shoe, it would be better if it did!

CarrotsDownload

Carrot TopsDownload

RadishDownload

WormDownload

(I free handed the radish tops.)

I painted a paper plate and then punched holes around about 1/2 of it. I threaded brown yarn through the holes. I used a scallop paper punch for the sun. The earthworm would love to have a shoe…maybe next time. 🙂

To finish off the month we had a shoe matching game. I am not including a template for the game because I don’t have rights to all the images.

Storytime Crafts: August 2020

This was not my most original month but I will share the storytime crafts we distributed this month!

Heart Shaped Animals

There are endless possibilities using heart shapes to make different animals. This storytime craft included the hearts required to make a lion but numerous additional hearts to create other animals!

We made thaumatropes-a disc with a picture on each side, when spun quickly creates an optical illusion. The intended results would be flowers in a vase, Wolfie holding a carrot, and a fish in a bowl.

Wolfie usually looked like he was trying to catch a carrot being wildly thrown at him but the other two worked well.

I created templates using Canva.

fish-and-bowlDownload

wolfie-and-carrotDownload

flowers-and-vaseDownload

Except for Wolfie, I found a blog entry from Homebound but Hopeful that included a free download. We also added a larger circle paper punch to our collection. Using a punch or scissors, punch or cut out the pictures, place a skewer or dowel between the circles and glue together. Spin quickly between your hands for an optical illusion.

We wrapped up the month by supplying ABC flash card kits with crayons for the storytime craft to go. I found a free template online and printed it on cardstock.

Maybe September will find me more inspired and original. 🙂

Berryville Library Crafts: Frogs, Monsters, Toucans, and Snappsy (July 2020)

Full disclaimer, I was highly influenced by other crafts for the Frog craft and the Big Green Monster Craft. I think the toucan and Snappsy can be categorized as original-ish crafts.

Our Pre-K Storytime theme for the month of July was Fantastical Fun! The result: my crafts are all over the place!

A co-worker of mine told me about a craft that his daughter had completed and it sounded like a great idea for a storytime craft. I modified it but I did create some templates, which I think are worth sharing.

You will need party blowers, googly eyes, glue, and markers/crayons (optional).

Frog

Fly Target

Dragonfly Target

Mosquito Target

Blank Target

I used an X-acto knife to cut a small ‘x’ for the frog’s mouth, to make it easier to insert the party blower. I drew on the nostrils and glued on googly eyes.

I used images from Canva for my targets. (The images are rotated on the templates, just not my example!)

The party blower is the star of this craft!

 

 

There are plenty of craft ideas for the book: Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley.

I have a few templates for this craft. I used paper punches for the eyes (white, yellow, and black circles). I also added a jumbo craft stick. I free handed the hair by cutting wavy lines.

Monster Face

Monster Mouth

Monster Nose

Monster Ears

Monster Teeth (the lines are very light)

 

 

 

Warning: Do Not Open This Book by Adam Lehrhaupt inspired the toucan craft.

Toucan Body and Tail

Toucan Beaks

Toucan Wings

Toucan Belly

Toucan Feet

Toucan Eye (orange part)

I used a blue sticker and drew on the pupil with a black marker. I didn’t have dowel rods but I did have Wilton Candy Melts Treat Sticks! I glued the body to one side of the stick and the tail to the other side. I cut a length of yarn and tied it to two beads. Then I slipped the beads onto the ends of the stick. The toucan is a little top heavy but if you position the beads and the yarn strategically, it will balance!

Close-up back of Toucan

Close-up Toucan

Close-up of Bead

Snappys the Alligator (Did Not Ask To Be In This Book) by Julie Falatko is one of my favorite books! I couldn’t resist making a special Snappsy craft!

I have templates for most of this craft. I did freehand the teeth and the eyes. (I used the blank paper from Snappsy’s Head to make the strips for the headband.)

Snappsy Head

Snappsy Collar

Snappsy Tie

Snappys Speech Bubble

I punched holes in Snappsy’s collar and added string, so the tie can be worn.

That’s our Storytime crafts of July!

Berryville Library Crafts: The Little Red Hen and more

The month of June is coming to a close. I didn’t blog about all of our storytime crafts this month but I will share the pictures and a little bit about them.

We made a rocking unicorn. I found the idea for this craft from Toddler at Play.  I added too much yarn/hair on my unicorn, which made it a little heavy on one side. Then I had to rely on my crafting engineer skills to create a weight that would help balance it. It’s a simple craft but I managed to make it more complicated. 🙂

 

 

We also made our own coat of arms shield. Our library had shield shapes left over from a few summers ago and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity to use them. I used Canva to create mini shields that the kids could use to decorate their shields.

That catches us up to this weeks craft!

 

I loved the illustrations from the Little Golden Book version of the Little Read Hen.

Hen Body  print on brown paper

Hen Sweater and Hat print on yellow paper

Hen Shovel print on white paper

Hen Beak print on yellow paper

Hen Feet and wobbler print on orange paper

Background print on white paper

I used a very small paper punch for the eye and drew on the pupil. I also free handed the seed using tan paper.

 

Berryville Library Crafts: Dragon was terrible

Greetings Crafters! We are conducting summer reading pandemic style! We kicked off the month with a crown craft. Which required very little creativity on my part. I highly recommend www.firstpalette.com.  First Palette is an excellent source for free templates for almost any type of hat you can think of and it’s free! (I used First Palette for the crown craft.)

This week’s craft is based on Kelly Dipucchio’s book “Dragon was Terrible.” This is a such a fun book and I love to make crafts that resemble a book’s illustrations.

Copy the body and parts (arms/legs/tail) on to orange cardstock.

Dragon Body

Dragon Parts

Copy the wings and horns on to white cardstock.

Dragon Wings and Horns

Using Canva, I found some cute (free) images for the Dragon’s accessories.

Dragon Accessories

I designed background images (also free) using Canva.

Dragon Backgrounds

I cut out very small white rectangles for teeth and free handed the ovals for the eyes. I cut out black triangles for the spikes. I drew on nostrils and a mouth.

I realize that I forgot one key element on my dragon. Eyebrows! Remember to add eyebrows to complete the expression on your dragon’s face. 🙂

Berryville Library Crafts: Tuk Tuk

I feel like I need to explain this one. My idea was that you could extend your arms, while holding the Tuk Tuk, and it would appear that you were riding in it!

I don’t know if I missed the mark? But India really inspired some original crafts from me. (Plus I watched Extraction on Netflix, all things India!)

I copied the Tuk Tuk outline on different colors of cardstock. I copied the tires on black paper. I’m calling the other part, the grill. Which I also copied on different colors of paper.

Tuk Tuk Outline

Tuk Tuk Tires and Grill

I used a paper punch for the lights and flowers. Using markers, I drew on some designs.

I added jumbo craft sticks, for the photo booth–you’re riding in the Tuk Tuk effect!

This craft could be modified, it would make a cute VW bus craft, maybe a tractor? It has potential.

Berryville Library Crafts: Tigers

We continued our I Spy…India theme for storytime. I wanted to include a tiger and rain, so I designed this craft.

I have included templates for the tigers’ head, tail, body, belly, and the umbrella. I used circle paper punches for the tiger’s ears. I also free handed some cloud shapes.

Tiger Head

Tiger Body

Tiger Tails

Tiger Belly

Umbrella

Positioning the tail is key for it to appear that the tiger is holding the umbrella.

Each umbrella will require 2 circles. Cut the circles in half and then fold in half again. Glue each half circle together and then glue to page. This will create a 3-D style umbrella.

After gluing all the pieces onto the background piece of paper, using markers I added the umbrella handle and raindrops. I also drew on the the tiger’s ‘stripes’, nose, whiskers, and mouth. We used googly eyes but you could draw those on, if you like.