how to make furry cat ears

How to Make Furry Cat Ears.

Cat ears are cute accessories that can be easily made. You can wear them with a costume, or as a fun accessory with an outfit. All of the materials needed to make the cat ears can be found at most arts and crafts stores. To make furry cat ears, create the ear bases, put the ears together, and complete the cat ears with the help of an elastic band and hot glue.



Part 1 Creating the Cat Ear Base.

1. Draw the cat ears on paper. This will be the template for the wire. Basically, you just need to draw two wide triangles. You might like to try drawing a few different sizes to see which size looks best on your head. You can cut out the template, or leave the cat ears drawn on the paper. Keep this design as your template for the remaining steps.

Keep in mind that the template will be slightly smaller than the finished ears because of the fur. A template of about three inches is a good size to use.

It doesn’t matter what you use to draw the ears, but pencil is good to use if you will be redrawing the ears multiple times.

2. Create the cat ears with jewelry wire. Following the paper template, bend the wire into the shape of the cat ears. Jewelry wire should be fairly easy to bend, but you can use a pair of long nose pliers to help form the shape. Do this for both ears and you should end up with two triangle shaped ears.

If you don't have wire, you can use paperclips. Just straighten them out and use them as wire. Don't worry if they don't make a perfect triangle. It won't matter when you put them in the fur. Use glue to bind the sides until you put them in.

Use a jewelry wire that is thicker so that it won’t fall out of shape when fur is added to them. 16 or 18 gauge is a good choice because it is thick, but can be bent without too much effort by using pliers.

3. Cut out the fake fur. Following the paper templates again, cut out four triangle shapes in fur. You can use any type of fur that appeals to you, like black, leopard print, or lion-like fur. Fur can be purchased at an arts and crafts store. These should be about a half an inch larger than the template, though, as the fur needs to hold the wire triangles inside once stitched up.

Remember that you can always make it smaller if it's too big, but you can't make it bigger if it's too small.



Part 2 Putting Together the Ears.

1. Sew the fur together. Place two fur pieces together. The fur sides should be facing each other. Sew each side, but leave the bottom edge unsewn. That is the part you are going to insert the wire through to shape the ears. The finished product should be inside out. Repeat this step until you have two ears.

There should be very little seam allowance—only about an ¼ of a inch.

Use a color of thread that best matches the color of fur.

2. Flip the ears so that you can see the fur. The ears should be inside out with the fur parts facing each other once you have finished sewing. Now, turn the ears so that the fur is on the outside. The ear shape should be really obvious now. Inspect the ears to make sure that there aren’t any holes or mistakes.

Turn the ears inside out and sew up any holes that you find.

Use a pair of sewing scissors to cut the thread where any mistakes have been made. Remove the thread from that part and sew it back up with new thread.

3. Place the wire triangle pieces inside each ear. Insert the wire you shaped into triangles earlier into the furry ears. The wire should be able to fit snugly inside of the fur without too much or too little room. Adjust the wire if necessary.

4. Sew up the bottom of the ears. Once you have inserted the wires into the furry ears, sew up the bottom portion that is still open. There shouldn’t be any opening on the ears when you have finished sewing. It doesn't matter if this sewing line is messy, as nobody is going to see it.



Part 3 Completing the Furry Cat Ears.

1. Create the band for the ears. Measure the elastic band or ribbon around your head. The ribbon should cross over the top of your head rather than your forehead. You can find a band or ribbon at most arts and crafts stores. Sew or hot glue the ends together to form a circular headband that fits your head. If you’re using a ribbon, you can also choose to tie the ribbon in the back so that it is adjustable.

If sewing, include a seam allowance in your measurements before cutting the ribbon. Tie the ribbon when testing it on your head to see how much ribbon will be needed in total.

You can also choose to use a headband instead of an elastic band or ribbon.

2. Mark the placement for the ears. First, hold the band and ears together to see where the ears look most natural. Then, check in the mirror to see where the ears look best. Making marks on the headband while it is on your head, use a pen or marker to make marks where the ears will be covering.

It may be easier to have someone help you make the marks while the band is on your head.

3. Attach the ears to the headband. Use hot glue to attach the cat ears onto the headband in the positions that you marked. Use just enough so that the ears stay up, but don’t use so much that the glue gets on other places on the headband or ribbon. Allow at least ten minutes for the glue to dry.

Have someone help you with the hot glue if you aren’t comfortable with using it on your own.

4. Check the finished product. Once the glue has dried, try on the ears. The band should fit your head without sliding. The ears should be standing straight up. Make any adjustments as needed.



Question : What if I don't have any wire, or my parents won't let me use any?

 Answer : Depending on the size of your cat ears and the thickness of the fur, you might not even need any wire to make them stand up; the wire is there for support. If the ears still flop over after you have made them, try filling them with some cardboard or craft foam instead.

 Question : Is there any alternative to the fur if I don't have a lot of money and can't buy felt or fur and don't have a cat?

 Answer : If you own any old stuffed animals that you don't care for anymore, you can use the fluff from those.

 Question : Can I use white fur?

Answer : Absolutely.

Question : What do I do if I don't know how to sew?

Answer : You can always ask a friend or family member. If you're feeling ambitious, you can learn how to sew yourself.

Question : Can I use real cat hair?

 Answer : Yes, if you want, but it may be best to pick the cat's fur off of the cat brush, not the cat itself.

Question : How can I make fake fur?

 Answer : You can make the fur by tearing felt to make fluffy strips. Then, get the same color felt, and glue or sew the fluffy stripes onto it and then cut out the triangle shape for the ears.

Question : How can I make wolf ears the same way?

 Answer : Make the shape a bit taller and more pointy. Look at pictures of wolves for reference on how their ears are shaped and then just change the shape.

Question : Could I put pink felt in the center for the finished ear?

 Answer : Yes. Just sew or glue it on with a color similar to the color of the felt.

Question : Where can I get fake fur?

 Answer : A craft store or someplace that sells fabric. Or you could remove some from a stuffed animal.

Question : Can I make non-fluffy ears?

 Answer : Yes, but you may need to expand on your ideas, especially if you are looking to cosplay with them. You could use polymer clay.



Tips.

Fake or fun fur makes a mess when cut. Have something ready to sweep or vacuum it up.

Warnings.

Use care when handling hot glue, as it can easily burn.

Things You'll Need.

Paper for template.

Scissors.

Thin wire for the ears.

Fake fur (20 cm sq. or 7.9 inches.).

Elastic ribbon (5-6 cm or about 1 or 2 inches wide) Make sure you have enough to fit around your head and extra ribbon left for tying.

Hot glue.

Needle.

Thread.

Paper.

Marking tool.

Scissors.

Februari 12, 2020

how to make a paper bag turkey

How to Make a Paper Bag Turkey.

Looking for a fun way to celebrate this holiday season? Whether you’re crafting homemade decorations for Thanksgiving dinner or just want to get into the spirit of autumn, making a turkey from ordinary paper bags is a quick, simple and creative activity that is sure to please children and adults alike. This project only requires a few simple materials and will add a bit of thrifty Fall flair wherever it’s displayed.

Part 1 Making the Turkey.

1. Gather your materials. For this project, you’ll need only need a handful of basic items—3 brown paper bags (1 large paper grocery bag and 2 smaller standard paper bags), 1 sheet of white 8 ½” x 11” typing paper, a few sheets of newspaper, a pair of scissors and a hot glue gun or some craft glue. Any additional materials will be up to you, depending on how elaborate you want the presentation of your finished turkey to be.

Your turkey will be made of just three easy pieces: one big bag for the body, and the two smaller bags to serve as the “drumsticks.”

Making a paper bag turkey only takes a few minutes from start to finish, leaving you with plenty of time in your day to finish playing, decorating or tackling other crafting projects.

2. Form the body of the turkey. Take the large paper bag and fill it ¾ full with crumpled newspaper. This will help fill out the body, giving it a plump appearance and preventing it from collapsing once it's ready to be displayed. After the bag has been stuffed, fold the corners down diagonally and glue them in place. Tuck the folded tab down one more time and glue it to the underside of the turkey.

Shape the body of the turkey by hand until it’s smooth and round. Be sure to work out any square edges of creases from the original bag.

Be careful not to tear the bag while sealing or shaping it.

3. Shape the drumsticks. Grab the two smaller paper bags—you’ll be using these to craft the “drumsticks” of the turkey. Make one hand into a fist and stick it into each bag, molding the opening of the bag around your wrist. This will give the bag its recognizable drumstick shape. Remove your hand from the bag and fill the rounded end with newspaper. Twist the opening of each bag shut and secure it with a dab of glue.

Like the body of the turkey, the drumsticks will need to be filled in order to hold their shape.

4. Cut the booties for the drumsticks. Your drumsticks aren’t complete until they’re dressed with a pair of frilly white booties, like a traditional Thanksgiving turkey. Cut your sheet of typing paper in half lengthwise, then fold each piece in half, again lengthwise. Use your scissors to make a series of cuts in the open edge of the paper to create a neat fringe.

Try to make your cuts about ¼ inch apart.

Your cuts only need to be about half the width of the paper.

5. Put it all together. Wrap a paper bootie around the end of each drumstick and secure them with glue. Then, place the drumsticks on either side of the sealed end of the turkey and glue them down. That’s it! The result is a quirky, lifelike baked bird that you might just mistake for the real thing.

Attach the drumsticks to the tapered sides of the body where you folded down the edges of the big bag. This will give the turkey a more realistic look.

The different parts of the turkey will have a little weight to them once they’ve been filled. Use enough glue to make sure that everything holds.

Part 2 Finding Creative Ways to Present Your Turkey.

1. Put it on a platter. Arrange your paper bag turkey on a serving platter over a bed of parsley or tissue paper garnish. Surround the turkey with fallen leaves for a splash of vibrant color. With the right details, you’ll have a mouthwatering craft turkey worthy of a fantasy feast to show off to your friends and family.

If you don't have a real serving platter lying around, make your own out of cardboard, construction paper, and colored markers.

Make sure to let everyone, especially small children, know that your paper turkey is not for eating.

2. Add colorful designs. Before you fill the paper bags, decorate the outsides for a more artistic, funky finish. Use crayons, markers, washable paint, stickers or glitter and customize your turkey with polka dots, swirls or dazzling patterns using your favorite colors. Grab a friend, sibling, parent or child to decorate your turkey with, then compare and display them together when you’re done.

If you’re using paint or a felt-tip marker that might saturate the paper bags, allow them to dry before stuffing or shaping them.

When making paper turkeys with your kids or students, have them write down one thing they’re thankful for somewhere on the big bag.

3. Fill it with “stuffing.” For an unexpected tasty twist, ditch the newspaper and fill your turkey with popcorn, candy or other easy-to-eat finger foods instead. You can then have someone “carve” the turkey by cutting a flap in the top and have something to snack on until the main course is served. This imaginative serving style is sure to be a hit at holiday parties!

Popcorn makes a simple stuffing because it’s light and takes up a lot of space, but you could use just about any snack food, like chips, pretzels or chocolates, to fill your turkey.

Try filling the drumsticks separately with caramel corn to make “dark meat.”[6]

4. Put your paper bag turkey on display. In addition to being a fun and easy project to do with your friends or loved ones, your paper turkey will make a unique arrangement for the coffee table, arts and crafts desk or kitchen counter. It will look especially good surrounded by other festive Fall decorations. Best of all, you can store the playful papercraft away or simply make a new one the next time the holiday season rolls around.

A paper bag turkey will fit nicely with other homemade holiday decorations, such as hand turkey cutouts, popsicle stick snowflakes, and construction paper pumpkins.

Tips.

This will make a great activity for parents and teachers to do alongside their children or students.

If the paper bags you’re using have any logos, writings or markings on them, carefully turn them inside out before you begin crafting.

Line the inside of your turkey with wax or parchment paper to prevent splotchy grease stains if you plan on filling it with buttered popcorn.

Make sure you have enough of whatever food item you choose to fill the large bag.

Hot glue is preferable to other adhesives because it dries quickly and creates a strong, lasting hold.

Warnings.

Take caution when working with the hot glue and scissors. Kids should ask an adult for help with the cutting and gluing portions of the project.

Staples should be avoided, as there's no way to use them to secure the different parts of the turkey without mashing them.

Things You'll Need.

3 brown paper bags (1 large and 2 small).

1 sheet white typing paper.

A few sheets of crumpled newspaper.

Scissors.

Hot glue or craft glue.

Popcorn or other small snack foods (optional).

Various decorating supplies (optional).

Januari 27, 2020

how to make a polymer clay penguin

How to Make a Polymer Clay Penguin.

There's no denying that penguins are among the cutest critters to populate this planet. Unfortunately, having a real one might be out of the question for most people. Luckily, it is possible to make a miniature penguin out of polymer clay. You can even insert a small eyehook or eye pin to turn it into a charm so that you can take it wherever you go!

Method 1 Making a Basic Penguin.

1. Make the body of the penguin. Knead some black clay until it turns soft. Roll it into an oval, about twice the height of your thumbnail. Flatten one of the oval's pointy ends against your work surface until it can stand on its own.

2. Make the head of the penguin. Roll some black clay into a small ball, about the same size as your thumbnail, or half the height of the body.

3. Attach the head to the body. Gently press the head on top of the penguin's body. Don't worry if the head squishes a little. If you'd like, you can use a clay sculpting tool to smooth the seam between the head and the body.

4. Roll some white clay out into a thin sheet. Clean your hands first, then knead some white clay until it turns soft. Roll the clay into a thin sheet using an acrylic rolling pin or tube. You can find acrylic rolling pins in the polymer clay aisle of an arts and crafts store.

If you can't find any acrylic rolling pins, you can use a regular rolling pin, a fat marker, or any other smooth cylinder.

5. Cut an oval and a heart out of the white clay. The oval will make the belly and the heart will make the face. Both need to be a little smaller than the body and head respectively. You can use mini polymer clay cutters for this; they look like miniature cookie cutters. You can also cut the shapes freehand with a craft blade instead.

6. Stick the white shapes onto the body and head. Gently press the white heart onto the head, and the white oval onto the body. Make sure that the bottom of the heart and the top of the oval go into the crease between the head and body.

7. Roll some black clay into a thick sheet. Clean your hands again, and knead some more black clay until it turns soft. Roll the clay into a thick, black sheet. Plan on making it twice as thick as the white sheet. This will eventually make the wings.

8. Cut two wings out of the sheet. Start by cutting an oval out of the clay, a little bit shorter than the body. Cut the oval in half, lengthwise, so that you end up with two semi-ovals. You can use a craft blade to do this.

9. Add the wings onto the penguin's body. Gently press the wings down onto the body to either side of the white belly. The flat edges of the wings should be facing the white belly. The tips of the wings should be nestled into the crease between the head and the body.

Don't worry if the wings overlap the white belly a little.

Consider flipping the bottom of the wings outwards for a cute touch.

10. Make a beak. Clean your hands, and knead some orange clay. Roll the clay into a tiny teardrop or cone.

11. Attach the beak. Press the bottom of the teardrop/cone into the middle of the penguin's face.[4] Use a craft blade to cut the beak open after you attach it, if desired. This will give your penguin an open mouth instead of a closed one.

12. Make the feet. Roll a small ball out of orange clay. Cut the ball in half using a craft blade. Cut two notches into each dome to make the feet.

13. Attach the feet. Turn the penguin upside down. Pinch the back of both feet, then press them into the base of the body. Make sure that the front of the feet (the notched parts) stick out from under the body. Place the penguin right-side-up against the table, and adjust the feet, if needed.

14. Consider inserting an eyehook. If you wish to turn this penguin into a charm, press a jewelry eyehook through the top of the head and into the body. If the hook is very long, trim it down first using a pair of wire cutters.

15. Bake the penguin according to the manufacturer's baking times and temperatures. Turn on your oven, and let it reach the recommended temperature, usually between 215 to 325°F (102 to 163°C). Place the penguin on a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake it for the recommended time, typically 15 to 20 minutes.

Each company will be a little different, so you will need to read the label on the clay's wrapper.

If your penguin has a lot of fingerprints on it, gently brush it with a soft-bristled paintbrush before you bake it.

16. Allow the penguin to cool before adding the eyes. Use a black permanent marker to draw two dots on the penguin's face, right above the beak. Position them in the loops of the "heart". You can also use a thin brush and acrylic paint.

17. Glaze the penguin, if desired. If you wish to make the penguin shiny, get some glaze meant for polymer clay. Paint the penguin with the glaze, then let the glaze dry.[9] Refer to the label on the bottle, as each brand's drying times will vary.

Method 2 Making a Penguin Charm.

1. Shape the body. Knead some polymer clay until it softens, then roll it into an oval. Flatten the oval with a glass so that you get a disk shape. Cut off one of the pointy ends of the oval, so that the penguin can stand upright.

Penguins are typically black, but since you are making a cute penguin, you can make him or her any color you want! Pink, baby blue, or light purple would be especially cute!

2. Roll some white clay into a thin sheet. Clean your hands first to avoid transferring color, then knead some white clay until it softens. Roll it into a thin sheet using an acrylic rolling pin. You can find it in the polymer clay aisle of an arts and crafts store.

If you can't find an acrylic rolling pin, you can use another smooth cylinder, such as a fat marker or a rolling pin.

3. Cut an "m" shape out of the sheet. This will make the body and face of your penguin. It needs to be the width as body, but a little shorter. Use a craft blade to cut the shape out.

4. Press the white "m" onto body. Be sure to match up the base of the "m" with the base of the body. You will have a slight gap between the top of the "m" and the top of the body.

5. Make a beak. Clean your hands, then knead some orange clay until it turns soft. Press it into a thin disk, then cut a small triangle out of it using a craft blade.

6. Attach the beak. Press the triangle into the middle of the white part on the body. Make sure that the pointed tip of the triangle is pointing downward.

7. Add some eyes. Roll two small balls out of black clay. Press each ball onto the penguin to either side of the beak. They should just barely be touching the upper corners of the bead.

If you don't have any black clay, you can skip this step, and paint the eyes on instead after you are done baking.

8. Insert an eyehook into the top of the penguin. Measure the eyehook against the penguin first. If it is too long, trim it down with a pair of wire cutters. Push the eyehook down through the top of the penguin.

9. Bake the penguin. Preheat your oven to the temperature specified by the manufacturer, typically between 215 to 325°F (102 to 163°C). Place your penguin onto a foil-liked baking sheet. Bake the penguin for the time recommended by the manufacturer, typically 15 to 20 minutes.

Each brand of clay will have different baking times and temperatures. Read the label on the clay's wrapper carefully.

If the eyehook is still look, put a little superglue around the seam.

10. Paint some feet onto the penguin once it cools. After the penguin is done baking, take it out of the oven and let it cool. Use a thin paintbrush and some orange, acrylic paint to add two small v's at the bottom of the penguin. If you don't have any paint at home, you can use an orange permanent marker instead.

11. Glaze the penguin, if desired. Get some glaze meant for polymer clay. Thread some string through the eyehook and tie it into a loop. Dip the penguin into the glaze, then lift it out. Let the excess glaze drip off, then hang the penguin by the loop so that it can dry.

Place a sheet of scrap paper under the penguin as it is drying to catch any excess glaze.

Tips.

You can bake your penguin in a convection over, regular oven, or toaster oven.

Most polymer clays bake at 215 to 325°F (102 to 163°C).

If the clay becomes too soft and squishy, set it aside until it becomes firmer. You can also put it into the fridge for a few minutes instead.

Clean your hands with baby wipes between colors. This keeps your fingers from accidentally transferring color between the clay pieces.

Gently brush the clay with a soft-bristled paintbrush after you are done sculpting, but before baking. This will help remove fingerprints.

You can make your penguin any color your want. Consider switching out the black for light blue, pink, or light purple.

If the clay is too hard to work with, knead it between your hands for a few minutes first.

If the clay is still too hard, add some clay softener into it. It is usually sold alongside the rest of the polymer clay.

Avoid mixing different polymer clay brands, as they tend to require different baking temperatures.

Glaze the penguin when you are done. You can apply the glaze with a paintbrush, and let it dry. If you added an eyehook, use the pin to dip the penguin into the glaze.



Warnings.

Do not bake your penguin in the microwave.



Things You'll Need

Making a Basic Penguin.

Black polymer clay, White polymer clay, Orange polymer clay, Craft blade, Acrylic rolling pin, Oven.

Baking sheet, Aluminum foil, Black permanent marker or acrylic paint, Polymer clay glaze (optional), Eyehook or eye pin (optional, for charm).



Making a Penguin Charm.

Polymer clay, any color (for body), Black polymer clay, White polymer clay, Orange polymer clay, Craft blade, Acrylic rolling pin.

Oven, Baking sheet, Aluminum foil, Orange acrylic paint, Thin paintbrush, Polymer clay glaze (optional), Eyehook or eye pin (optional, for charm).

Januari 25, 2020

how to make a paper penguin

How to Make a Paper Penguin.

Whether as a crafts project for a small child or as an origami project for older people, there are plenty of ways to make a paper penguin that are fun for people of any age!

Steps.

1. Purchase origami paper. This method calls for just a single sheet of 6” x 6” origami paper. If you want a larger penguin, then you can easily go for 12” x 12” paper, but you'll have to multiply any directions containing measurements by two. If you want an even better looking penguin, buy paper that is white on one side and black on the other.

2. Fold diagonal creases along the middle. To start, you want to place the sheet of origami paper flat (with the white side facing up if you have paper with a black side as well). Then fold the paper in half diagonally so the bottom left corner is flush with the top right corner and make a crease. Unfold the paper and do the same with the opposite corners, and then unfold the page again.

When you unfold the sheet again, you will have creases forming a large X across the page.

3. Fold the lower left corner to the center. With the page flat again and the large creases making an X, you will then take the lower left corner of the paper and fold it so that the tip of the corner touches the center of the page. In other words, the corner edge will touch the center of the X made by the earlier creases.  Flatten the folded portion and make another crease, then open the sheet so it's flat again.

4. Fold the upper right corner to the crease you just made. You will now have the large X crease as well as a smaller diagonal crease in the lower left of the page. Take the top right corner of the page and fold it over so that it touches the lower left crease. Then open the page once more.

5. Turn the page over. For the next set of folds, you'll need to turn the page over. If you have two-colored paper, this means that the black side will now faces up. When you turn the paper over, orient it diagonally so that the current lower left corner now points up.

6. Fold the left corner to the right corner. With the paper in the new orientation, take the corner pointing left and fold the paper in half so that it's flush with the corner pointing right. There will already be a crease here from when you made this fold on the other side of the sheet, but you'll need to crease it in the opposite direction when you fold it over.

7. Fold the bottom corner over to the right. From the last step, the sheet will now look like a triangle with the side on the left forming a vertical line. Take the corner of the triangle that points down and fold it across at a 45° angle. Fold it so that the horizontal edge made at the top of the fold touches the lower crease already on this part of the page—not the middle crease but the one below it. Once you've made the crease from this fold, turn the flap back over so that you have the same triangle shape you started with.

8. Reverse-fold the corner along the crease you just made. A reverse fold is a bit more three-dimensional than the other folds you've made so far. In order to make the reverse fold, take the crease you just made and crease it in the opposite direction, but make the crease by folding and tucking the corner into the paper.

Januari 22, 2020

how to make a dog out of mardi gras beads

How to Make a Dog out of Mardi Gras Beads.

After a good celebration, you might find yourself with a whole bunch of leftover plastic bead necklaces. This simple craft is a cute and easy way to make use of these beads. They are made just like balloon animals, by twisting the necklace into the right shape.

Method 1 Bead dog.

1. Find the two beads melted together to form the join on the bead necklace. Give this a tug to break it. Then snip off the two "bad" beads with the melted sides.

2. Cut a string of beads twelve beads long and another two beads long. These pieces will form the body and the ears.

3. Twist four beads together behind the second bead on the long string. This will make a little square. One bead should be sticking up. This is the tail of the dog.

4. Do the same thing to the other side of the long piece except that after you twist the beads, 2 beads should be sticking out for the head. You should have one bead in between the the two sets of little squares.

5. Wrap the two beads behind the first bead on end with the two beads sticking out. This will make the ears and completes the dog.

6. Finished.

Method 2 Mardi Gras bead poodle.

1. Cut four segments from the plastic bead necklace. Cut one segment with 4 beads and three segments with 2 beads.

2. Lay out the 4-bead segment. Pick up one of the smaller segments.

3. At the space between the tip of the 4-bead segment and the second bead in that same segment, pull the small segment up so that the small segment crosses in between the beads on both segments.

4. Tighten the ears. Do this by twisting them around once.

5. Repeat with the other 2-bead segments. Except, this time, pull the small segments down instead of up, so that the ears stick up. The the legs point will also down, so the dog can stand.

6. Completed. This now makes a fine poodle.

Question : Method 2 looks too cartoonish, so I cannot see the character of the poodle. Please help.

Answer : Because of the size of the beads, the final project is the equivalent of a stick figure drawing in method 2. Method 1 is a basic "dog." To make a larger animal, it requires the beads to be supported by a wire frame to give it a realistic shape. Floral wire holds well for this purpose. Use a stick figure design with the wire, then wrap the beads around the wire. Since it is larger, try using the necklace as is for a double strand of beads.

Tips.

There are lots of things that you can do with these dogs such as adding then to a key ring, using in crafts, gluing onto hair accessories or giving them away as party treats.

Warnings.

All beads can be a choking hazard. Make sure to keep them away from small children and pets.

Things You'll Need.

A plastic Mardi Gras bead necklace

Scissors

Januari 17, 2020

how to make a paper penguin using an origami penguin

How to Make a Paper Penguin Using an Origami Penguin.

Whether as a crafts project for a small child or as an origami project for older people, there are plenty of ways to make a paper penguin that are fun for people of any age!

Steps.

1. Purchase origami paper. This method calls for just a single sheet of 6” x 6” origami paper. If you want a larger penguin, then you can easily go for 12” x 12” paper, but you'll have to multiply any directions containing measurements by two. If you want an even better looking penguin, buy paper that is white on one side and black on the other.

2. Fold diagonal creases along the middle. To start, you want to place the sheet of origami paper flat (with the white side facing up if you have paper with a black side as well). Then fold the paper in half diagonally so the bottom left corner is flush with the top right corner and make a crease. Unfold the paper and do the same with the opposite corners, and then unfold the page again.

When you unfold the sheet again, you will have creases forming a large X across the page.

3. Fold the lower left corner to the center. With the page flat again and the large creases making an X, you will then take the lower left corner of the paper and fold it so that the tip of the corner touches the center of the page. In other words, the corner edge will touch the center of the X made by the earlier creases. Flatten the folded portion and make another crease, then open the sheet so it's flat again.

4. Fold the upper right corner to the crease you just made. You will now have the large X crease as well as a smaller diagonal crease in the lower left of the page. Take the top right corner of the page and fold it over so that it touches the lower left crease. Then open the page once more.

5. Turn the page over. For the next set of folds, you'll need to turn the page over. If you have two-colored paper, this means that the black side will now faces up. When you turn the paper over, orient it diagonally so that the current lower left corner now points up.

6. Fold the left corner to the right corner. With the paper in the new orientation, take the corner pointing left and fold the paper in half so that it's flush with the corner pointing right. There will already be a crease here from when you made this fold on the other side of the sheet, but you'll need to crease it in the opposite direction when you fold it over.

7. Fold the bottom corner over to the right. From the last step, the sheet will now look like a triangle with the side on the left forming a vertical line. Take the corner of the triangle that points down and fold it across at a 45° angle. Fold it so that the horizontal edge made at the top of the fold touches the lower crease already on this part of the page—not the middle crease but the one below it. Once you've made the crease from this fold, turn the flap back over so that you have the same triangle shape you started with.

8. Reverse-fold the corner along the crease you just made. A reverse fold is a bit more three-dimensional than the other folds you've made so far. In order to make the reverse fold, take the crease you just made and crease it in the opposite direction, but make the crease by folding and tucking the corner into the paper.

9. Fold the top half over. With the reverse fold out of the way, you want to take the corner pointing right—just the top layer not both layers—and fold it back on itself. Fold it so that the flat side just above the corner lines up flush with the flat vertical line on the left side of the paper. Make a crease here, but do not unfold the flap. Leave it folded.

10. Turn the page over and make the same fold on the other side. You now want to turn the paper over completely and make the same fold you just made but from the other side. In other words, fold the other corner (the bottom layer from the previous step) over so that its upper edge is also flush with the same flat side of the page.

Especially if you're using a two-colored sheet of paper, this step will make more sense because the form of the penguin will start to become more apparent as the black side of the page will face outward on both sides. As the project continues to take shape, these will be the wings.

11. Turn the paper over again. To prepare for the next major fold, you will need to turn the whole paper over again. When you do, you want to orient the paper so that the really narrow point is pointing upward.

12. Fold the narrow point over to the left. With the paper oriented so that the long, narrow point face up, take that point and fold it over at a 45° angle so that the point now points to the left. You'll see how this fold starts to take shape as the penguin's beak. After making the crease in this fold, return the point to the upward position.

13. Reverse-fold along the crease you just made. This step requires you to make an outside reverse fold along the crease you made in the last step. An outside reverse fold is slightly different from the earlier reverse fold. To make the fold, unfold the paper along the black side slightly, and poke your finger from the white side at the fold you made in the last step. When the creases reverse direction, simply reform the fold so that the two black sides of the sheet are in contact again.

Once again, reverse folds can be a bit difficult to describe.

14. Fold the wing over. Though clearly visible now, the wings won't quite look perfect yet. Take the wing on the side facing up and fold it over so that the white side faces out. You'll fold it back so that the corner which was facing the bottom left now points to the right. Pull it back far enough so that it's just shy of where the little tail is at the bottom of the paper.[

15. Fold the wing back over on itself. Once you've made the crease from the previous step, fold the wing back over on itself so that the black side is once again facing up. Fold it so that the tip of the corner is just shy of touching the horizontal white edge at the bottom of the body.

16. Makes a rabbit's ear fold. To make the rabbit's ear fold, lift the portion of the wing you just folder and reverse the crease from the last step, but only at the bottom of the crease and only at the depth of roughly the tip of your finger. This will makes the bottom tip of the wing into a little flap though the flat edge will still be parallel to the rest of the wing.

17. Repeat steps 14-16 for the other wing. With one wing complete, you're ready to turn the page over and repeat the same steps to form the other wing. Simply use the same folds from steps 14-16 but on the other side.

18. Tuck in the points at the bottom. The bottom of the penguin will still have points sticking out in a slightly misshapen way. Fold each of these points toward the inside of the penguin to make a flat, horizontal bottom to the body. Once you tuck these flaps up, you have your penguin!

Desember 22, 2019

how to making a craft penguin for children

How to Making a Craft Penguin for Children.

Whether as a crafts project for a small child or as an origami project for older people, there are plenty of ways to make a paper penguin that are fun for people of any age!

Steps.

1. Get one white, one black, and one orange sheet of construction paper. Since origami can be a bit difficult (and not very exciting) for younger children, the good old method of cutting and gluing construction paper might be more up their alley. This method of making a paper penguin calls for one white, one black, and one orange sheet of construction paper.

2. Trace an oval shape onto the black construction paper. To form the body of the penguin, have the child draw an oblong oval on the black construction paper with either a white crayon or a piece of chalk so that they can see the outline. One fun and silly way to help the child make the shape is to have him or her place their shoe on the sheet and trace the outline of it.

3. Cut out the black oval. Using a pair of scissors (safety scissors for younger children), have the child cut out the black oval from the construction paper. When it comes to the eyes later, you can have the child either draw them on the white paper or cut pupils out of the black paper. For the latter, you can have the child cut those out now as well.

4. Trace a smaller oval onto the white construction paper. You can now have the child trace the white portion of the belly on the white construction paper. You can find something of the relative oblong shape to let the child trace it again or simply allow them to do it freehand.

5. Glue the belly to the rest of the body. Once the child is done tracing the white oval, allow them to cut the shape out of the construction paper. Then use a glue stick to glue the tummy portion to the rest of the body. Glue it closer to the bottom of the body portion than the middle since the head should be above it.

6. Cut a small triangle out of the orange construction paper. To make the beak for the penguin, have the child cut a small triangle out of the orange construction paper. The beak doesn't have to be an exact triangle, so you can have the child trace it first or simply cut one out.

For very small children, the size of the beak might be too difficult for them to cut out, so you may have to help with this step.

7. Glue the beak to the penguin's face. You have two different options to glue the beak to the penguin's face. You can either glue the triangle flat with one of the points facing downward, or you can actually make a little fold on one of the flat sides and glue it at the tab, which will make the beak stick out from the penguin's face.

8. Make the penguin's eyes. As mentioned earlier, you can have the child draw eyes on the white construction paper, cut them out and glue those to the penguin, or you can also have the child cut the whites of the eyes from the white construction paper, then use the black construction paper to cut out the pupils.

A third option if the child is too young to cut out such small circles is to have some googly eyes on hand from a craft store or the craft section of a big-box store. Young kids may have an easier time using a glue stick to attach google eyes instead.

9. Let the child customize it. This makes an easy basic shape for the penguin, and then the child can have fun customizing it. If the child cuts out two really flattened ovals from the black paper, he or she can glue them to the side of the body as wings. If the child wants to make feet for the penguin, you can have them trace a leaf or something else with the slight contours to give them the webbed shape.

Things You'll Need.

Scissors.

One white, one black, and one orange sheet of construction paper.

Glue stick.

Googly eyes.

Crayons.

Desember 22, 2019

how to make a paper bag turkey

How to Make a Paper Bag Turkey.

Looking for a fun way to celebrate this holiday season? Whether you’re crafting homemade decorations for Thanksgiving dinner or just want to get into the spirit of autumn, making a turkey from ordinary paper bags is a quick, simple and creative activity that is sure to please children and adults alike. This project only requires a few simple materials and will add a bit of thrifty Fall flair wherever it’s displayed.

Part 1 Making the Turkey.

1. Gather your materials. For this project, you’ll need only need a handful of basic items—3 brown paper bags (1 large paper grocery bag and 2 smaller standard paper bags), 1 sheet of white 8 ½” x 11” typing paper, a few sheets of newspaper, a pair of scissors and a hot glue gun or some craft glue. Any additional materials will be up to you, depending on how elaborate you want the presentation of your finished turkey to be.

Your turkey will be made of just three easy pieces: one big bag for the body, and the two smaller bags to serve as the “drumsticks.”

Making a paper bag turkey only takes a few minutes from start to finish, leaving you with plenty of time in your day to finish playing, decorating or tackling other crafting projects.

2. Form the body of the turkey. Take the large paper bag and fill it ¾ full with crumpled newspaper. This will help fill out the body, giving it a plump appearance and preventing it from collapsing once it's ready to be displayed. After the bag has been stuffed, fold the corners down diagonally and glue them in place. Tuck the folded tab down one more time and glue it to the underside of the turkey.

Shape the body of the turkey by hand until it’s smooth and round. Be sure to work out any square edges of creases from the original bag.

Be careful not to tear the bag while sealing or shaping it.

3. Shape the drumsticks. Grab the two smaller paper bags—you’ll be using these to craft the “drumsticks” of the turkey. Make one hand into a fist and stick it into each bag, molding the opening of the bag around your wrist. This will give the bag its recognizable drumstick shape. Remove your hand from the bag and fill the rounded end with newspaper. Twist the opening of each bag shut and secure it with a dab of glue.

Like the body of the turkey, the drumsticks will need to be filled in order to hold their shape.

4. Cut the booties for the drumsticks. Your drumsticks aren’t complete until they’re dressed with a pair of frilly white booties, like a traditional Thanksgiving turkey. Cut your sheet of typing paper in half lengthwise, then fold each piece in half, again lengthwise. Use your scissors to make a series of cuts in the open edge of the paper to create a neat fringe.

Try to make your cuts about ¼ inch apart.

Your cuts only need to be about half the width of the paper.

5. Put it all together. Wrap a paper bootie around the end of each drumstick and secure them with glue. Then, place the drumsticks on either side of the sealed end of the turkey and glue them down. That’s it! The result is a quirky, lifelike baked bird that you might just mistake for the real thing.

Attach the drumsticks to the tapered sides of the body where you folded down the edges of the big bag. This will give the turkey a more realistic look.

The different parts of the turkey will have a little weight to them once they’ve been filled. Use enough glue to make sure that everything holds.

Part 2 Finding Creative Ways to Present Your Turkey.

1. Put it on a platter. Arrange your paper bag turkey on a serving platter over a bed of parsley or tissue paper garnish. Surround the turkey with fallen leaves for a splash of vibrant color. With the right details, you’ll have a mouthwatering craft turkey worthy of a fantasy feast to show off to your friends and family.

If you don't have a real serving platter lying around, make your own out of cardboard, construction paper, and colored markers.

Make sure to let everyone, especially small children, know that your paper turkey is not for eating.

2. Add colorful designs. Before you fill the paper bags, decorate the outsides for a more artistic, funky finish. Use crayons, markers, washable paint, stickers or glitter and customize your turkey with polka dots, swirls or dazzling patterns using your favorite colors. Grab a friend, sibling, parent or child to decorate your turkey with, then compare and display them together when you’re done.

If you’re using paint or a felt-tip marker that might saturate the paper bags, allow them to dry before stuffing or shaping them.

When making paper turkeys with your kids or students, have them write down one thing they’re thankful for somewhere on the big bag.

3. Fill it with “stuffing.” For an unexpected tasty twist, ditch the newspaper and fill your turkey with popcorn, candy or other easy-to-eat finger foods instead. You can then have someone “carve” the turkey by cutting a flap in the top and have something to snack on until the main course is served. This imaginative serving style is sure to be a hit at holiday parties!

Popcorn makes a simple stuffing because it’s light and takes up a lot of space, but you could use just about any snack food, like chips, pretzels or chocolates, to fill your turkey.

Try filling the drumsticks separately with caramel corn to make “dark meat.”[6]

4. Put your paper bag turkey on display. In addition to being a fun and easy project to do with your friends or loved ones, your paper turkey will make a unique arrangement for the coffee table, arts and crafts desk or kitchen counter. It will look especially good surrounded by other festive Fall decorations. Best of all, you can store the playful papercraft away or simply make a new one the next time the holiday season rolls around.

A paper bag turkey will fit nicely with other homemade holiday decorations, such as hand turkey cutouts, popsicle stick snowflakes, and construction paper pumpkins.

Tips.

This will make a great activity for parents and teachers to do alongside their children or students.

If the paper bags you’re using have any logos, writings or markings on them, carefully turn them inside out before you begin crafting.

Line the inside of your turkey with wax or parchment paper to prevent splotchy grease stains if you plan on filling it with buttered popcorn.

Make sure you have enough of whatever food item you choose to fill the large bag.

Hot glue is preferable to other adhesives because it dries quickly and creates a strong, lasting hold.

Warnings.

Take caution when working with the hot glue and scissors. Kids should ask an adult for help with the cutting and gluing portions of the project.

Staples should be avoided, as there's no way to use them to secure the different parts of the turkey without mashing them.

Things You'll Need.

3 brown paper bags (1 large and 2 small), 1 sheet white typing paper, A few sheets of crumpled newspaper.

Scissors, Hot glue or craft glue, Popcorn or other small snack foods (optional), Various decorating supplies (optional).

Desember 14, 2019

how to make dog yarn

How to Make Dog Yarn.

Dog fur has been used to make a soft and warm yarn, or Chiengora, throughout history. Much like other yarns, the process for making dog fur yarn involves harvesting the fibers, washing the fur, and spinning it into the yarn. Dogs with long fur undercoats are the best candidates for making dog yarn, and many groomers will donate their extra fur to you if you don’t have a dog of your own!

Part 1 Collecting Dog Fur.

1. Brush your dog in the spring, when they’re getting rid of their winter coat. Dogs tend to shed more during the springtime, which makes this a great time for harvesting fur. Use a brush or mitt along the dog’s back, sides, and soft, fluffy areas, and avoid areas like the legs and head. Discard any coarse hairs that you can see in the brush, since you won’t be using them.

Breeds like Samoyed, Siberian Husky, Malamute, Golden Retriever, Newfoundland, Collie, and Sheepdog are great for making dog yarn because they have fluffy undercoats with long fur.

2. Pull the fur out of the brush and place it in a cloth bag. Once you’ve picked out the coarse hairs, use your hand to carefully tug the fur out of the brush and transfer it to a bag. Leave the bag open to allow air circulation, preventing mold and mildew.

If you don’t have a cotton bag, you can use a pillowcase or even a cardboard box for collecting the fur.

Avoid using a plastic bag for collecting the fur since plastic can trap air and allow mold growth.

Don’t overfill the bag or push the fur down into the bag. Packing the fur too tightly can cause mold and mildew to form.

3. Make sure you have at least 4 oz (113 g) of fur. To make any type of yarn, you need a substantial amount of fur. After each collection, use a kitchen scale to weigh all of your yarn to see how much you have. If the fur is thin or short, you might need up to 12 oz (339 g) of fur to get the yarn started.

Keep your bags of fur in a place where your dog can’t get into them, since some dogs like to play with their own fur!

4. Add other types of fibers and fur to make a blended yarn. If you want to make yarn with a variety of textures, you can incorporate wool from a llama or alpaca, or you can harvest fur from different types of dogs. If you don’t have enough fur, or your pet’s fur is shorter than 2 inches (5.1 cm) long, you can use these different fibers to make a stronger, longer strand of yarn.

If your dog doesn’t produce a lot of fur, contact a groomer to see if you can use the excess fur from those dogs, or offer to brush a family member’s dog or a friend’s dog to gather additional fur.

The wool and fur might be a slightly different texture, but that’s okay. As long as you aren’t using coarse hair, the fibers can be blended together through a process called carding.

Part 2 Washing the Fur.

1. Mix warm water and soap in a large bowl. Drip 2-3 drops of gentle dish soap or pet shampoo into a bowl and turn on the warm water. Swish the water around with your hand to make sure it’s an even temperature, and scoop out any bubbles that raise over the top of the bowl.

Too many bubbles can make the fur difficult to rinse, but you do need soap to make the fur clean.

2. Submerge the fur in the water for 10 minutes. Gather the fur and push it down into the water until all of the fibers are completely immersed. Press down on the fur, but don’t tug or pull at it, as this can break the fibers of the fur. Leave the fur in the water to soak out the dirt and debris.

Try to keep the water at around the same temperature to prevent the fur from becoming matted, which is also called “felting.”

3. Remove the fur from the water and refill the bowl with warm water. Use your hand to scoop all of the fur out of the bowl and then dump out the water. Make the new water about the same temperature as the previous water, and make sure there are little to no bubbles in the water.

If there are bubbles in the water, dump the water down the drain and refill the bowl to rinse it.

4. Place the fur in the water and push it down to remove excess soap. Transfer the fur back into the bowl and push it down to squeeze out the soap and any additional debris. If the fur is very soapy, you may need to give it an extra rinse with fresh, warm water.

Avoid pulling or wringing the fur in the water, as this can break the fibers and cause the fur to become matted as it dries.

5. Spread the fur out in the sun to dry for 1-2 hours. Lay down a towel or a mesh screen and position the fur on top of it. Try to spread the fur out as much as possible without breaking it up into small pieces. If there’s wind, place a mesh screen or towel on top of the fur to hold it in place.

If it’s cloudy or rainy outside, leave the fur inside to dry in a well-ventilated area. It may take up to 4 hours for the fur to dry inside.

Part 3 Spinning the Yarn.

1. Card the fur using the same process that you would for wool. Using a pair of hand-carders, place the clean and dry fur in sections on one of the carders. Then, roll and pull the empty carder over the one with the fur in a downward motion 2-3 times to elongate the fur. Continue until the fur is soft and evenly blended,

If you’re blending another type of fiber with the fur, such as alpaca and wool, you can add it in this step by placing it on top of the dog fur in the carder before you begin blending. This will combine the fibers into longer pieces and make them easier to spin.

2. Remove the fur from the carder and roll it into a roll egg. Use your hands or a removal tool to reach underneath the fur on the carder and lift it off of the wires. Once all of the fur is completely off, place the blended fur on a flat surface and use your hands to roll the fur in one direction, forming a kind of tube or cylinder out of the fur.

This incorporates the fibers in different directions, making it easier to form yarn, especially when you’re using blended fibers from different sources, like wool and dog fur or different types of dog fur.

3. Use a drop spindle to easily make a long strand of yarn. Hook the end of your carded and rolled fur onto the end of the spindle and hold the fur in one of your hands. Then, spin the bottom of the spindle and draw the fibers out of the rolled ball of fur. This will create a long strand of yarn from the fur.

If your fibers are very short and you didn’t blend them with another type of fiber, you may find that they aren’t strong enough to hold the spindle up. In this case, you should try hand-spinning the fur to make your yarn.

4. Hand-spin the fur if you don’t have a spindle. Hold the fur in one of your hands, and pinch one end into a point. Then, using the opposite hand, begin twisting and slowly drawing the fur out of your hand. Keep twisting it to make it tight and dense until you have a long strand of yarn.

This method produces shorter, more dense strands of yarn that are good for hats and other small items.

5. Make cozy crafts out of your new dog fur yarn. Try your hand at knitting and crocheting with your new yarn. Dog yarn is soft and warm, and it easily repels water, so try making a hat or scarf with the yarn. You can even make a pair of socks or gloves to keep yourself warm!

If you have a lot of yarn from the fur, you can make a sweater or a blanket.

6. Store the yarn in a dry, well-ventilated area. Even when the yarn is made, the dog fur might still be susceptible to mold and mildew if it gets wet. When you aren’t using the bundles of yarn, keep them somewhere dry with good air circulation. If you have to put the yarn in a bag to store it, use a bag made of a breathable fabric, like cotton.

Try to keep the yarn out of reach of pets, since they may still be able to smell some of their own scent on the fibers and might want to play with the bundles of yarn!

Tips.

Avoid using clippings or overcoat hairs, which can be scratchy and uncomfortable to wear.

Warnings.

Keep in mind that some people are allergic to dogs and shouldn’t wear items that have been made from dog fur, even if it has been washed.

Things You'll Need.

Brush or mitt, Dog fur, Cotton bag, pillowcase, or box, Large bowl, Dish soap, Water, Towel or mesh screen.

Hand carders, Wool or alpaca (optional, for added length/strength), Drop spindle (optional).

Desember 12, 2019

how to make felt animals

How to Make Felt Animals.

Arts and crafts are always a lot of fun, but have you ever tried making felt animals? It’s a challenge but also pretty rewarding. You can make large or small animals depending on how much time you’re willing to commit to the process. Felt animals are great for gifts or just to keep around the house. The best thing is, they’re pretty easy to make!

Method 1 Preparing to Build Your Felt Animal.

1. Buy some felt and stuffing. Obviously if you want to build a felt animal you’re going to need some felt. Poly-fill stuffing is most common, but you can also buy cotton or even bead if you would prefer to work with that material.Stuffing is important to give your animal some structure. You can buy both these materials at an arts and crafts store.

2. Download your pattern piece. There are many pattern pieces that you can find out on the Internet. Pattern pieces are traced onto the felt and then cut out so that you have all the component pieces of your felt animal.

You can also try creating your own pattern piece. If you want to make a simple animal like a snake your can use four very elongated football shaped pieces. Make sure all your football shaped pattern pieces are the same size. Measure the width of each piece at its midline to figure out how wide your snake is going to be. Take that number and multiply it by four to get the circumference of your snake. Use this information accordingly as you make the body. You'll want the length of the snake to be four times larger than the circumference of the snake. Make sure you have enough felt! That's the idea behind making pattern pieces. You can add eyes and a tongue with extra fabric.

Remember to leave 1/4 of an inch extra room in the pattern piece for sewing purposes.

3. Gather your scissors, stitching, and sewing supplies. If you don’t already have these supplies you can buy them at an arts and crafts store too. You can use a sewing machine if you have one available, but felt is easy to work with. You can just use a needle and thread.

Method 2 Assembling Your Felt Animal.

1. Cut out the pattern pieces from the felt. You’ll want to enlarge your pattern piece to the size you want your animal to be. Make sure that you allow for a 3-millimeter seam allowance. That means you need that much extra space for the animal to fit together once you stitch it.

For example, if you were sewing a mini dog together you would have eight pattern pieces in all. Two body pieces, two head pieces, one belly piece, one back piece, one crown piece, and one tail piece.

A snake would only have the long four football shaped pieces.

2. Start stitching the corresponding pieces together. For example, if you were making the mini dog you would start by sewing the body and head pieces together. In the pattern piece layout there will be letters that correspond with where each part connects. For this little dog, you’ll be sewing the two head pieces on top of the two body pieces.

3. Sew the two body pieces together. Now you’ll connect the two pieces. You won’t be sewing all the way around obviously. Only sew the top half of the body together as the letters indicate. For example, if you were making this little felt dog you would start to see the outline of your animal.

If you made your own pattern pieces for the snake you'll just want to connect each of them to form a cylinder.

4. Add your connecting and additional pieces. For example, if you were making the little felt dog you would need to add the crown piece to the top of his head. Once the body pieces are together you can start to figure out how to fill in the gaps. The little felt dog also requires a brown speckle on his back to fill in the hole on is back.

5. Connect your belly piece. The belly piece is generally one of the last pieces to add. Using the little dog as an example, you would turn the body pieces upside down and add the belly piece to the bottom around the edge.

6. Don’t forget to leave an opening. You absolutely need this opening so that you can stuff your animal. If you forget to leave the opening you’ll have to undo your stitching or start all the way from the beginning. The little dog example has a hole already built in for stuff, but you might need to leave your own hole.

Method 3 Finishing Up.

1. Turn your animal inside out. The little dog pattern piece leaves a hole in the stomach for you to turn your animal inside out, but you might need to leave your own hole if you are making a different felt animal.

2. Stuff your animal. Using the whole you left stuff your animal thoroughly with polyester fiberfill. Make sure the animal is well stuffed but not over stuffed. You want the animal to feel firm without looking like it is going to explode. Use your judgment.

3. Add your embroidery. You can add whatever pieces you want. The little dog calls for small beads for eyes and some black string for the mouth and nose. You can add designs all over the felt if you desire though.

The snake embroidery would consist of little sewing on black circles of fabric or string for eyes, and a little piece of red felt for the tongue. Draw a tongue that appeals to you. Most snakes have forked tongues.

4. Stitch up your final body pieces. This would be the time to add ears, tails, or whatever else your animal might have connected to their body. The little dog will have a tail stitched to the back of his body and two ears connected on top. Remember to turn your body pieces inside out after you sew them to hide the stitching.

Follow the letters on your design piece. If you aren’t sure what pieces are added where, look at which letters correspond to what pieces. For example if you are adding ears to the top of a dog there will be the same letter on the ears as on the top of the body piece. Anywhere with matching letters is supposed to be connected with stitching.

Desember 12, 2019

How to Make a Pom‐Pom Polar Bear

How to Make a Pom‐Pom Polar Bear.

This winter, you and your family can make an adorable family of polar bears with just a few pom-poms and some chenille stems. With a little glue and a pair of scissors, you can craft an adult pom-pom polar bear as well as a cute baby bear. You can also make a scarf wearing pom-pom polar bear to use as a decoration.

Method 1 Crafting an Adult Pom-Pom Polar Bear.

1. Make the four legs. Take two white chenille stems and cut them in half. Then coil each half-stem around a half-inch (1.25 cm) diameter marker. You will wrap the stem around the marker about five times to create an individual leg. Repeat this process with the remaining stem halves and then glue them onto a two-inch (5 cm) white pom-pom so that they resemble the four legs and body of a polar bear.

2. Put together the head. Cut a chenille stem in half and twist it around the back of a one-inch (2.5 cm) white pom-pom. Coil the ends of the stem towards the pom-pom to create the bear’s ears.

3. Glue the head to the body. Apply some glue to the back of the head where you attached the ears. This will give you plenty of space to make your bear’s face. Then attach it to the front side of the body.

4. Add the face and tail. Glue a half-inch (1.25 cm) sparkly white pom-pom to the front lower section of the bear’s head. Take a mini black pom-pom and glue it to the front end of the sparkly pom-pom to create a nose. Then glue two mini black pom-poms above the nose to create the bear’s eyes. Finally, attach a half-inch (1.25 cm) white pom-pom to the back of the bear’s body to create a tail.

Method 2 Making a Baby Pom-Pom Polar Bear.

1. Glue together the body. With your hot glue gun, attach a half-inch (1.25 cm) white pom-pom to the bottom side of a one-inch (2.5 cm) white pom-pom. Add three more half-inch pom-poms to the same side to create the baby bear’s legs. Once attached, the legs should support the larger pom-pom and hold it off the ground.

2. Attach the ears and head. With a pair of scissors, cut a three-inch (7.6 cm) piece of chenille stem. Bend the stem into a heart shape, with the ends curling in towards each other. Glue the heart-shaped stem between the front end of the body and a half-inch (1.25 cm) sparkly pom-pom to create the head.

3. Make the face and tail. Glue a mini black pom-pom to the lower front section of the head to make a nose. Attach two mini-black pom-poms slightly above the nose to create the eyes. Cut a half-inch (1.25 cm) piece of white chenille and glue it to the back of the body to serve as a tail.

Method 3 Building a Sitting Pom-Pom Polar Bear with a Scarf.

1. Make the body. Glue a one-inch (2.5 cm) pom-pom to the top of a two-inch (5 cm) pom-pom to create the head and body of your bear. Then take two mini white pom-poms and glue them to the top of the head to make the ears. Be sure to keep a little space between the ears.

You can find pom-poms, wiggly eyes and chenille stems at your local crafts store.

2. Attach the face. Glue a mini black pom-pom to the lower front of the bear’s head. Slightly above the nose, attach two small wiggly eyes. The eyes should be about halfway between the ears and the nose.

3. Add the limbs and a scarf. Glue four mini pom-poms to the front side of the bear’s body to make the legs. Attach a fifth mini pom-pom to the back for a tail. Make sure that the two bottom legs and the tail allow the bear to sit and keep it upright. Finally, wrap a three-inch (7.6 cm) piece of red or silver chenille stem around the bear’s neck to serve as a scarf.

When you attach the scarf, do not get it so snug around the bear’s neck that it pops the head off.

Things You’ll Need.

Assorted sizes of white, black, and sparkly white pom-poms, A half-inch (1.25 cm) diameter marker

Silver and white chenille stems, Wiggly eyes, A hot glue gun or craft glue, Scissors.

Warning.

Because the hot glue may burn them, it is important that you monitor your children if they are making the pom-pom bears.

Desember 03, 2019

how to make shrinky dinks

How to Make Shrinky Dinks.

Shrinky Dinks are popular arts-and-crafts plastic sheets that people use to create designs. They saw great popularity with children in the 1980s. Shrinky Dinks are still sold by many major retailers and online commerce sites. You can use them to create colorful art or even jewelry. It’s also possible to make homemade versions of the plastic designs.

Part 1 Creating a Design with Shrinky Dinks.

1. Draw, trace or copy an image onto a Shrinky Dinks plastic sheet. Shrinky Dinks are usually sold as 8-inch by 10-inch plastic sheets.

Use colored pencils, markers, and ink on Shrinky Dinks. Use the colored pencil on the rough side of the sheets, and use Sharpie or permanent marker on the smooth side. Some Shrinky Dinks come pre-cut and with designs already outlined on them, and others will just be the plastic sheets.

Don’t use oily or waxy substances like crayons or oil paint on Shrinky Dinks because they will melt in high heat. Some sheets are machine-sanded frosted sheets that usually come in packs of 10. Some Shrinky Dinks come as non-sanded sheets, though; that version requires permanent markers.

Printing from a computer directly onto a sheet is also possible, and works great with photos. Print letters in a mirror image so they can be read from the nicer shiny side once shrunk. Tracing is popular as well.

2. Cut a design or punch holes in the plastic. You may want to add decorative edges to the plastic, cut out your design, or punch holes in it to make it into a necklace or charms for a bracelet.

Use paper punches if you want holes in the plastic. You might want holes if you are making jewelry or just for decoration. Punch any holes before you bake the Shrinky Dinks.

Cut out your design with decorative or regular scissors.

Part 2 Baking the Shrinky Dinks.

1. Line a cookie sheet tray with non-stick aluminum foil or baking paper. You could also create a mock tray by folding aluminum foil.

Place the Shrinky Dink cut-out designs on the tray, rough side up. Leave space between the Shrinky Dink plastic shapes or they might stick together.

Ovens should only be used with adult supervision.

2. Preheat the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. You probably only need to pre-heat the oven for 1 to 3 minutes. You can use a toaster oven or a conventional oven.

Once the oven is preheated, put the tray with the Shrinky Dinks into the oven.

You only need to bake them for 1 to 3 minutes. At first the Shrinky Dinks will curl up, but they will flatten back out. Once they flatten back out, bake for 30 more seconds.

3. Remove the tray from oven. Use a potholder so you don’t burn yourself, and be careful.

You could flatten your Shrinky Dinks more by pressing them flat with folded paper. However, this step may not be necessary.

Let the Shrinky Dinks cool for a few minutes before handling them. The finished piece will shrink to 1/3 the original’s size, but it will become 9 times thicker. The artwork will be brighter and bolder, and you can more easily preserve it.

Part 3 Making Homemade Plastic Designs.

1. Obtain a piece of #6 plastic. For example, this is the kind of plastic often used in salad bar containers.

Look for a “6” on the bottom of the plastic. The plastic needs to be relatively thick to work.

Cut away the extra plastic until you are left with a flat square.

2. Draw your design on the plastic, using permanent marker. It’s best with this kind of plastic not to use colored pencils.

Once baked, the image will shrink to about a third of its size and will increase in thickness.

Cut your design out and/or punch holes in it. Round the corners a bit as edges may sharpen upon baking.

3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Put the rack in the lowest oven position. The reason the plastic works for designs is because it’s made out of polystyrene just as Shrinky Dinks are.

Make a tray out of aluminum foil by folding it until it’s thick enough to hold the plastic. Put the plastic designs on the tray.

Bake for about 3.5 minutes. The plastic will curl, and then straighten itself out. Remove, and allow to cool.

4. Finished.

November 29, 2019

how to buy crafts from third world countries

How to Buy Crafts from Third World Countries.

Countries across the world craft objects, jewelry, furniture and more based on their own customs, culture and history. If you are interested in buying crafts from a country different from your own, then you have a number of options in your town and across the world. You may also choose to buy crafts from third world countries in order to support fair trade. Buying fair trade crafts helps to prevent low wages and unfair working conditions. There are some guidelines you should follow to ensure you are buying from a country that is benefiting from your purchase. You may need to do a little Internet research to ensure you are buying the crafts you prefer. Read on to find out how to buy crafts from third world countries.

Steps.

1. Research fair trade organizations. There are a number of non-profit companies that choose to keep consumers up to date about fair trade options. These include fairtraderesource.org, chfinternational.org, and fair trade organizations of specific countries, such as fta.org.au.

2. Decide if you want to buy crafts from a specific country. For example, you may admire the bamboo furniture from Malaysia or carvings from Africa. Search for a non-profit organization that tells you where to find shops that sell that country's goods.

For example, there is a Bangladesh cooperative that represents 60,000 artisans.

3. Go to eBay or Overstock. Both of these websites have acquired companies that previously sought to promote fair trade crafts. Ebay acquired World of Good, and you can buy handcrafted gifts from third world countries at worldofgood.ebay.com.

Overstock.com provides a fair trade site, called overstock.com/Worldstock-Fair-Trade. You can find anything from jewelry to furniture and more.

4. Search for local stores that specialize in fair trade crafts. Most mid to large-sized cities have a few fair trade stores. You can often find the stories behind the manufacturers of the crafts.

Ask the store how they acquired the crafts. The best way to tell if you are buying from a certified fair trade, third world craft carrier is to ask how the crafts were acquired.

5. Visit world craft museums, such as The Museum of Craft and Folk Art or the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco. These museums fill their gift shops with crafts that are well-crafted and distinctive. Check the museum websites for crafts that can be bought online.

6. Visit summer markets in your town. People who have emigrated from other countries often stock booths filled with their home country's crafts. Peruvian alpaca crafts are common at summer craft markets.

7. Visit a third world country and buy the crafts straight from the source. While this is the most expensive option, it is the best way to ensure you are buying straight from a craftsman. Research craft workshops where you can visit and buy directly after viewing the creation of the crafts.

For example, in St. Kitts there is a batik factory where the batiks are made and then sold. In Peru, you can visit an alpaca farm where yarn is created, died, woven and sold.


Things You'll Need.

Summer markets.

Internet research.

Fair trade shops.

Trip abroad.

November 26, 2019

how to get ideas for crafts and projects

How to Get Ideas for Crafts and Projects.

Crafters, makers and builders create beautiful items out of raw materials. If you are a crafter that is unable to think of your next project, there are many ways that you can get new ideas. Crafting is one of the most popular subjects of blogs, magazines, classes and more, and its popularity has only risen as the Internet has become an easy way to share methods, techniques and projects. Depending upon how you like to learn, you can choose the most comfortable option. Select your specific area of crafting and search for the newest crafting projects using these avenues. Read more to find out how to get ideas for crafts and projects.

Steps.

1. Join a quilting bee, knitting circle or scrap booking club. Monthly meetings give the opportunities for exchanging ideas, showing off projects and doing group projects.

This is also a great way to meet people with similar interests and form lasting friendships. Crafting often allows you to talk to other people and learn their stories. Many rural communities have quilt guilds, knitting bees and craft circles that stay intact for decades.

2. Take night classes. Most cities have a group that is devoted to community education and gives a catalog of classes at a small fee. These can include anything from jewelry making to scrap booking to wood working.

Search online for "Lifelong learning classes" in your town or "Community education." Most classes happen once or twice a week over a period of months and they teach you new skills and give you many ideas for projects.

3. Get a subscription to a do-it-yourself magazine. Depending upon your preferences, there are many options. Magazine subscriptions can be bought from a website, Amazon, or a magazine prescription service, and it is a good idea to look for the best offer.

Good options for crafters include Martha Stewart Living, Card Maker, This Old House, American Style, Creative Knitting, Do-It-Yourself, Ready Made, American Craft, Crafts and Hobbies, Quilter, Paper Crafts, Creative Woodwork and Crafts, Car Craft. Knit'N Style, Sew News and Creating Keepsakes.

You may want to go to a supermarket and buy a few issues of each of these magazines to decide which one would be the best monthly subscription.

4. Get involved with Blogger, WordPress and other blogging platforms. Once you have a profile you can subscribe to craft blogs and check back whenever you need a fresh idea.

You may hear of craft bloggers referred to as "choggers." Start by checking out popular blogs, such as Bakerella, Cuteable, Dollar Store Crafts, Not Martha and the Pearl Bee. There are thousands of blogs to choose from, and they may also provide an email newsletter.

5. Sign up for email newsletters from magazines like Real Simple, Better Homes and Gardens and Ready Made. They will send you weekly or monthly issues depending upon your preferences, filled with new ideas from their crafters-in-residence.

6. Inquire at local stores if they do classes. In order to drum up business, stores often provide classes for a small fee as long as you buy the materials. For instance, a knitting business may teach their patrons how to use a new set of knitting needles in order to sell more sets.

7. Go online and simply search for patterns or templates. If you are looking for children's crafts, this is the fastest and least expensive option. If you cannot afford patterns for quilting and knitting, there are a number of free online templates that you can find using an Internet search and a printer.


Things You'll Need.

Community craft circles.

Craft magazines.

Craft blogs.

Email newsletters.

Printer.

November 25, 2019

how to make an art kit

How to Make an Art Kit.

As you begin studying art or creating art of your own, you may find it helpful to start with a selection of basic tools and equipment. Your art kit is your own, so take the ones described here as a guide to build upon or modify for your own style.







Method 1. Making an Adult Kit



1. Decide what you will put everything in. Choose something easy to carry around with you, especially if you want to do art on location or you are taking classes. You could use anything from a shoe box to an old briefcase.

Choose an ample container. You are likely to acquire more art supplies as you continue.

Plan to protect the supplies that are sensitive. A hard sided pencil case or simply a tin or shoe box can keep pencils and other delicate items from breaking.

Give some thought to how you will carry paints, brushes, and whatever you will use to clean them, especially if you're painting away from home.



2. Find or buy some basic equipment. Here's a list of what you might need with a rough estimated price. You will not need all of these items; just select what you would like to use and then build up your kit as you go along. You can always add to it later.

Pencil Set.

Pens.

Sketchbook.

Oil Pastels.

Dry Pastels.

Acrylic paint set.

Paint Brushes.

Water Soluble Pencils.

Colouring Pencils.

Glue.

Scalpel.

Metal Ruler.

Pencil sharpener. A small, handheld one will travel well.

Clay.







Method 2. Making a Child's Kit



1. A child's kit is extremely easy to make, since children are naturally creative and they will use just about anything. Here's a child's list to get started.

Colouring Book.

Safety Scissors.

Colouring Pencils.

Pipe cleaners and other items like that.

Non-toxic glue.

Sketchbook.

Play-doh.

Markers.



2. Include a cheap plastic tablecloth or oilcloth in a child's kit and explain to Mom and Dad that it's to go underneath anything messy: paint, clay, glue, etc. Plastic tablecloths easily cover the whole table and they come large enough for several friends or even the whole scout troop to gather around.



3. With this child's kit it's really up to you. Use anything age-appropriate that they can't hurt themselves with.



Tips.

If you want to skip all the hassle of searching through shops you can find lots of different starter kits for children and adults ranging from £5 to £100.

Leave yourself plenty of room to expand. Art supplies have a way of growing.

If your kit is for a child make sure you buy non-toxic products and safety scissors.

Art kits make great gifts. Try to learn a bit about the artist who will receive your kit so that you do inspire and don't duplicate. For gifts, interesting materials (e.g. fabric, paper, wood) might be a good addition, especially if your artist tends toward mixed media or crafts.

Remember that art is more than drawing and painting. If you find yourself drawn toward other activities or media, make the most of it. There's no reason why an extraordinary work of art can't be made of fabric, concrete, plastic, metal, natural materials, found materials, or anything else that will fit the bill. If you're already skilled at welding, sewing, woodworking or the like, you may already have many of the supplies you need.

Did you give an art kit last year? If it was well received, expand on it this year. New materials and supplies can afford an artist the opportunity to expand and can sometimes supply new inspiration.

Colouring is not an especially artistic endeavour. If the child who will receive this art kit happens to enjoy it, go ahead. If not, encourage creativity and innovation by giving a blank sketch book, or look for the "Anti Coloring Book" series.

Start simple, especially if you are making this kit for yourself. If you want to get into drawing, start with just an ordinary pencil and paper, then as you find yourself improving, invest in some color pencils and a sketch book or a simple prepared kit, obtaining supplies as you need them. Remember: gear doesn't make the artist; practice does. This approach will help you to find your artistic style while saving a bit of money and avoiding the clutter of materials you don't use.

Image titled Wild Rose Artists' Supplies and Custom Framing 7478Experiment. If a particular medium, tool, or other item interests you, give it a try. Don't give up on your first attempt, either. Give yourself a chance to get familiar with a new addition before deciding whether to keep at it.



Warnings.

Always supervise young children when they use anything like glue or scissors.



Things You'll Need.

Art supplies.

Box or bag.

Money.

November 21, 2019