DIY Snoopy Christmas Felt Finger Puppet

Snoopy felt finger puppet

One of our teachers this year is a HUGE Snoopy fan, so we just had to create a special gift for her. The class all enjoyed the puppets though. Perfect to go along with A Charlie Brown Christmas!

Christmas Snoopy finger puppets

Spotty Silly Spring Smiley Slimey Snails

These little cuties deliver a lot of cuteness and charm from a simple and easy design. Only three pieces mean you can whip out a class size group of these in no time.  With the range of printed felt out there, you can make quite a statement in shell design!  

Have your kids add a bow, bonnet, or bling for a fancier design, perhaps to go with Ordinary Oscar, an entertaining snail story by Laura Adkins and Sam Hearn.  Oscar Slimeglider is tired of being like all the other snails: dull, drab, and BORING!  On his quest to go beyond the ordinary, he learns that there are good reasons for snails to look ordinary on the outside... but that doesn't mean he can't be EXTRAordinary on the inside...

Our family snail story favorite, with artwork sure to appeal to Olive the Other Reindeer fans, is Gluey, a Small Snail Tale, by Vivan Walsh and J. Otto Seibold. This is one of those feel-good stories that sticks with you long after you read it, one that you can use to start many different "character" conversations with kids.  Celerina, a rabbit, moves into a house that is already occupied, but she doesn't realize it. Gluey the snail lives there, and keeps the place in shape like all good carpenter snails do. When things she breaks start to "fix themselves", she starts to think her house is magic... She doesn't realize it is Gluey, who is so small and has such a small voice she doesn't even hear him.  You are sure to enjoy this wonderful tale of mistaking someone's character, making a mess, then making it right again...

Free Snail Felt Finger Puppet Pattern

Frog Felt Finger Puppets

Zip, zap, zut!  Froggy's catchin' flies!  The fly is sewn onto a long ribbon that is poked through the puppet near the frog's mouth. There is a tiny safety pin on the other end so a child can pull the fly into froggy's mouth. 

Happy Leap Year!

Frog Felt Finger Puppet Pattern

Splat the Cat Finger Puppets

Love, Splat, by Rob Scotton, is my very favoritest kid Valentine book!  A rain cloud forms over Splat's head when things don't go right with his Valentine's Day plans, but Kitten saves the day! She finds his discarded Valentine anyway, and puts an umbrella over Splat!  We like you, too, Kitten!

I made Splat puppets by folding over a 6" piece of fuzzy black faux fur trim.  The arms, legs, and tail are double thick (glued together) pieces of black felt.  I hand sewed the tail on after sewing the body, legs, and arms with the machine. Ears and face pieces are glued on, with fabric paint details. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Rudolph Christmas Party Favors

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer finger puppets just in time for class gift giving. Slide one of these on a pencil or candy cane and spread joy!

How-To's:

Trace and cut out pieces  on brown, off-white, (tummy), sparkle red (nose), and dark brown (antlers) felt.  Lightly glue antlers to inside of back piece and glue together ears of front and back to hold for sewing.  Add tail, tummy, and nose after sewing.  3D fabric paint works great for eyes and mouth.  

Merry Christmas!

Reindeer Finger Puppet Pattern

I linked here:

Bird Seed Ornament Gifts

Looking for a fun way to surprise wonderful people this Thanksgiving?  How about whipping up a batch of bird seed ornaments! This idea was originally posted by eighteen25 and Design Dazzle as a summer craft idea but lends itself well to the holiday season, especially given that birds are in more need of nutrition as the weather cools.  

The recipe is easy enough for kids to do, the ingredients are simple, sharing food is a Thanksgiving tradition (even with birds!), and the gift will express thoughtfulness to recipients without being "stuff" they have to figure out what to do with after the holiday!   

What you need:

• birdseed
• cookie cutters or jar lids (to shape the ornaments)
• envelope(s) of plain gelatin (to hold birdseed together)
• wax paper (to set ornaments on while filling and drying)
• ribbon, string or twine (to hang ornament)

How To's:

1) Mix 1/4 of water with one envelope of gelatin in small saucepan.

2) Bring mixture to simmer and keep stirring until all gelatin is dissolved.

3) Remove from heat and let cool for a minute or so while you get a cup of birdseed and prepare a mold (cookie cutter) by placing it on wax paper.  I put ours on a small cookie sheet to make it easy for little hands to transport and maneuver!

4)  Stir in the birdseed.

5)  Spoon the birdseed/gelatin mixture into your mold (cookie cutter) until it is halfway full. 

6)  Lay a knotted loop of ribbon, string, or twine into the mold and bury it with more birdseed mixture until the mold is full.  Use fingers to pack the seed in and spread to edges of the mold.

7)  Let the ornaments dry overnight, then remove the mold (cookie cutter).  We needed to make a big batch in one night, so we quickly tucked the ornament in the freezer for a few minutes (while mixing up the next batch) to get a head start on the hardening.  We removed the cookie cutter carefully so the shape would still hold, but it did take overnight on the counter to completely harden.

8)  Attach a pretty tag (GIVE THANKS found for FREE here) or card and your ornament is ready for giving... or hanging!

Ladybug Ribbon Topiary

Ribbony goodness! 


I blame Courtney over at  A Diamond in the Stuff for getting me hooked on these ribbon topiaries.  I made one for Independence day and now I can't stop... Here's a summer ladybug version that has to be removed because Halloween is next!  I will store this with summer things and begin on a new foam ball soon.  I have the ribbon ready to go, and even some extra to make one for Mom!

The best part of this project is that it is so simple, yet satisfying. The feel and look of different ribbon types is addictive.  I can sit with my boys while they are snacking and not join in because my fingers are busy!  I can bring a roll of ribbon to soccer practice in my purse and snip while I'm watching!

For this easy project you need a foam ball (mine was 5", from the floral section of the craft store), a pot (mine was from Goodwill), a styrofoam block to stick inside the pot (stabilize dowel), decorative moss to cover the styrofoam, a wooden dowel (mine was 3/8"), straight pins, and bunches of ribbon in various sizes and textures cut up in 4" (10cm) pieces (5 or 6 rolls). The different textures really add to the project. Thicker ones stick up better and help support the satiny ones.   Watch the color on the INSIDE of your ribbon though. The ladybug one I used was white on the inside, which made the topiary look less full, like you could still see the white ball underneath.

All you do is pin loops of ribbon into the ball, one at a time, until the ball is covered. Twist the loops so they overlap in different directions.  A colorful burst of fun! 

Sunflowers and Squirrels: Hanging Outdoor Decorations

We were looking for something September-y to decorate our porch.  Back to school isn't a good choice here as no one likes school!  But looking around, the squirrels and flowers still seemed happy, so we went with that sunny theme! 

I cut the shapes from craft foam and used tacky glue to hold them together. I cut individual holes for the seeds on the large flower and glued a black piece of foam behind it. On the small flowers, I used 3D paint.  However, I'm not sure how long the paint will last in rain. The glue holds up well. 

The free templates are below.  Let me know if they are helpful to you!  Happy September!

Small Sunflower Pattern
Leaping Squirrel Pattern
Large Sunflower Pattern

I shared here:

Raccoon Felt Finger Puppets-- Bandits!

Great to go along with the story The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn...  Just add a red felt or fabric paint heart to the raccoon's paw!
 
How-to's:  Cut out two body pieces from the template below, cutting just a circle (no fingers) for hands, and glue arms together.  When dry, sew body together. Trim as needed and then cut fingers into hands.  For whiskers, knot a few short lengths of thread and glue onto raccoon’s nose.  Then add fabric paint on top for nose and again for eyes.

Raccoon Finger Puppet Pattern

For a story to go along with these guys, try Niccolini's Song, by Chick  Wilcoxen. This is a one-of-a-kind heartwarming tale about human kindness, set in the scene of a train yard (including a few intrusive raccoons!).  A nightwatchmen takes care of trains and his neighbors.  The words are almost poetic in places, as gentle as Niccolini himself. The first time I read it, tears came to my eyes as I remembered my own sleepless nights, pacing my colicky baby to sleep. My son who adores trains loves the illustrations and understands that trains can talk, if you listen. A great way to teach little ones about the gifts we each possess, and how that can fit into the world in surprising ways. Be true to yourself! Be a good listener!! How endearing is this story? I bought it when my son was three. He's 9 now. And it still brings a special feeling of peace and love to us when we read it together.

The classic, sweet raccoon love story is The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn.  A mother eases her young one's worries about the first day of school by sending along love... a sweet kiss in the palm of her child's hand. Whenever he feels lonely at school, he can press his paw to his cheek to feel her love.

Raven (or Crow) Felt Finger Puppet

Caw, Caw! Share some of that lunch?

How-to Hints:  Cut 2 body shapes out of black felt (template below).  Glue two pieces of black feather boa to the middle of the back piece.  When dry, sew front and back together.  Cut small feet and beak from orange felt.  I added a small piece of yellow feathery yarn behind the top of the beak for whimsy. For eyes, I cut a gold sequin in half and added black beads.  Fabric paint would also work well.  I also shoved a little pillow stuffing in the head with a pencil to give it a rounded, 3D (sort-of) look... Have fun!

For a story to go with these puppets, try Martha, by Gennady Spirin.  It's about a family who rescues an injured crow.  They take the crow to the vet, who advises putting it down. The family decides to see if they can nurse it back to health. They succeed, and the crow gets into a little mischief along the way (imagine a crow in your house!).  Eventually, Martha is set free, healed and flying. This compassionate tale is made all the better by extraordinary art work. Little ones will be able to "see" the story before they can read it, pointing out details that the text doesn't cover.  But that's not all!!  The setting of the tale is in Moscow, so kids end up with a window into another culture.  Check it out!

Raven Finger Puppet Pattern

Ode to Magicada: A Cicada Craft

We had so much fun observing the periodical cicadas that emerged in our area this spring that we just had to do something crafty about it to keep our memories alive.  So, we decorated a rectangular canvas to look like a tree trunk and glued on some cicada shapes carved from corks! It took us a month to make this... divided into many little bitty projects... finally on our wall.  It was worth it though. Just looking at it reminds us of the wonder these little enchanting creatures inspired.

Here's what we saw LOTS of: Cicadas!  Climbing up trees!  We partied while they molted then enjoyed hearing them sing for a month. 

I cut some wine corks in half and crudely carved them into cicada shapes.  I had painting helpers waiting, so I couldn't spend much time on perfection!  My painters mixed up a blackish brown body color, then I added dots of red fabric paint to make the 3D eyes.



The wings were cut from a clear plastic strawberry container. (If anyone wants a template, let me know).  I bent the wings a bit to give them a rounded look.  We then used gold paint pens to add wing veins. 

My boys protested at first that we were only making 2 wings (Mom, they have FOUR) but then they tired of wing decorating and thought two were fine...

I hot-glued the wings to the bodies.  Cute, but now what would we do with them?

We did some crayon rubbings of tree bark one morning.  At this point, the kids didn't know what I was up to.  ("We did this at preschool, Mom." But we still went through half a dozen sheets of paper!)  I brought the rubbings out when it came for the next step to help them visualize the project.

The canvas came from a craft store.  After looking at our crayon rubbings, the kids cut thin, wavy strips of black fabric and helped me arrange them on the canvas.  I glued them on as fast as they cut, until we had a zebra-looking tree trunk and the kids lost interest in cutting... falling on the floor in a wrestling match.   Boys!

The kids painted over the whole canvas in shades of black, brown and gray.  They enjoyed blending the colors and remembering who cut which stripe in the process...

Here is the final painted tree trunk.  The fabric gives a 3D bark-like texture.

Then, a little hot glue to add the crawling cicadas.... Ta da!  Our masterpiece!



I've crawled over here to link up:

Brood X1X Cicadas

On May 4, 2011, we had the fortune of encountering a natural phenomenon like nothing we'd seen in the West... periodical (Magicada) cicadas, and lots of them! 

I was walking the dog when I first saw them.  Actually, I saw a squirrel eating something and I couldn't figure out what.  I shooed him away, and he dropped his prize.  A half eaten bug?  When I looked around, I found DOZENS of half eaten bugs in a pile, and dozens and dozens and dozens more whole ones when I really started looking. Especially on sunny tree trunks and posts. 

That's all it took!  I grabbed my kids straight off the school bus to show them my discovery.  Being curious nature nuts at heart, we just couldn't get enough!  We spent the next month observing, playing with, rescuing, and rooting for brood X1X, our local periodical cicadas!   

So for our friends out west, here's what you might see if you come visit in 2024 (13 year cycle)...

The ground is pierced with hundreds of soda-straw width holes where the cicada nymphs emerge. 

They've spent the past 11 years under ground sucking on sap from tree roots, coming out just the last 4- 6 weeks to mate. The best time to see them emerge is at night. 

Watching for emerging nymphs is not an activity for the weak of heart though, as the nymphs will climb up anything or any one.

Once a secure place is found, they molt into adult form (white at first, then quickly darken as their exoskeletons harden, like first photo above).

Their baby skin, or sheds (nymph exoskeletons) are left behind on shrubs, posts, tree trunks, etc.

We decided we might as well have a little party.  Got the neighbor kids, a bucket, some flashlights and some treats.  Whoo-hoo, only once every 11 years!

 Let's make some memories!

Of course the real cicada party was high up in the trees. Check out the highway going up!

Down by us humans, the empty  "sheds" left behind by the nymphs piled up, history being formed right while we watched...  Totally amazing!

We thoroughly enjoyed hearing the adults call from their trees.  The boys "played" with them both before and after school, teaching everyone about their life cycle and how to tell males from females, having catching and flying contests, you name it. 

Eventually, we caught some of the adults in "the act."  But only for a moment.  We gave them back their space and wished them luck for the next 13 years!

Now their dead bodies are strewn among the leaf litter.  We see the next generation in the trees.  See the brown patches of leaves? that's called "flagging."  Most of the trees around us don't show that much flagging, the one in the photo was exceptional.  It sounds like Magicada can be a real nuisance in other parts of the country, however.

Females deposit their eggs in small diameter, peripheral branches, which eventually drop to the ground, allowing the newly hatched nymphs to escape into the ground.

Of course we now have the regular, annual cicadas around, but they just aren't the same. Being a part of the Magicada emergence was truly a magical phenomenon...



Links to Great cicada information


Magicada.org for info on cicada broods and emergence
This one includes info, great photos (male vs. female) and RECIPES, University of Cincinatti -Clermont College cicada page
University of Michigan Museum of Zoology cicada page
Massachusetts Cicada page, with info on mapping Williamsburg's cicadas!
Cicada Mania has it all, info, video clips, and merchandize!

Links to Cicada Craft ideas:

Clever singing Cicada nature craft from a paper tube at 5 Orange Potatoes
http://www.5orangepotatoes.com/blog/2009/09/03/singing-cicadas-craft/
Cicada origami printable from Lake County Forest Preserves, Illinois