1. Cut out the designs from the wrapping paper. Lightly brush the back with Modge Podge and place the designs on box.
2. When dry brush Modge Podge over the entire box. Youcan also sponge the Modge Podge on to give it a really neat, textured finish.
3. You can completely cover the box with the decoupage, or paint the box firstthen just apply a few decorative designs.

Take tuna sized cans and fill them with colorful dried beans. Then put a candle in the middle and fill the can with white glue. It should take about 24 hours to set. Then tie a red ribbon around the base of the candle.

1. Cut the toe of the sock off at a distance from the toe a half inch longer than the width of the sock.
2. Cut out a roughly 2 inch square from the rest of the sock.
3. With a running stitch, gather the open end of the sock toe.
4. Fill sock snuggly with rice, lentils, or Poly-Fil. Pull the opening closed and tie off.
5. Place the extra cut out square on top of the gathered tail and stitch down the edges. This is to make the opening area smooth and secured. Add buttons, fabric, ribbons, fabric paint, etc. to make your own unique bean bag baby!

Cut lengths of different colored curling ribbon. Tape it onto a straw.

1. You do not need the lid of the box to make this craft. Cut away one of the long sides of the box.
2. With the cut away side of the box facing you, mark the center of the opposite long side using the ruler.
3. Draw a line from the center mark straight towards you. Draw another line from the left top corner to your center mark and then one from the right top corner to your center mark.
4. Cut along the lines you have drawn. So that you have two bookends.
5. Tape or glue any loose edges. You are now ready to decorate your bookends. Be as creative as you like using markers, wrapping paper, paint or wallpaper remnants.

1. Cut along the long sides of the pillowcase so that there is only one seam left at the top.
2. Cut a “v” neck out off the front of the fabric and a scoop neck on the back. You can use your child’s t-shirt as a guide for how large you should cut the opening.
3. Using the crayons, allow your child to color a pattern on the front of the fabric. Be sure that they press hard enough so that the colors are bright on the fabric.
4. When they have completed coloring their design, lay out their poncho on an ironing board. Place an open brown paper bag over the entire front, covering the entire design. Place another pillowcase over the paper bag. Press down over the whole poncho with a hot iron. This will melt the crayon wax into the fabric so that it will not be easily scratched off.
5. Punch three holes about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the poncho. One should be in the center, the other two can be about 2 inches from each side of the pillowcase.
6. For each tassel cut 4 pieces of yarn about 12 inches in length. Take 3 of these pieces and thread them through one of the holes so that 6 inches of yarn is on each side.
7. To form the tassel, bring each of the 6 inch pieces of yarn together and tie together just below the bottom edge of the poncho. (see template)
8. Repeat this process at each remaining hole.

   Tips: Bright colors work well on these ponchos.

For the Piñata:

• Draw a free hand circle on the sheet of cardboard. Make sure the circle touches all four edges of the cardboard so that it’s about 24 inches in diameter.
• Bend the 2-inch wide strip of cardboard around the edge of the circle at a right angle. Tack it in place with masking tape as you move along the edge. This will form the brim of your sombrero.
• Once the brim is securely in place, cut shallow curves into it to vary the width of the brim slightly.
• Inflate a 12-inch balloon and use a ring of masking tape to secure it to the center of the circle.

  Run 4 or 5 pieces of tape down the sides of the balloon to further secure it to the base.

• Cut a slit down one side of each 8 oz. paper cup and remove the circular bottom of each cup.
• Piece the two cut cups together to form a wide cone. Place the wider end of the cone on top of the balloon and secure it with masking tape.
• Fill the casserole dish with liquid starch.
• Dip newspaper strips in the starch, one at a time. Wring excess starch off of the newspaper by running it between your fingers before applying it to the surface of the sombrero.
• Apply strips to the surface, beginning at the crown and working down. It is not necessary to cover the entire underside of the sombrero, but the strips should extend over the brim and onto the underside by at least two inches.

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• Overlap each strip with the next as you go along, being careful to smooth out any wrinkles as they form.

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• Use the paper strips to build out the gap where the balloon meets the brim so that it forms an even cone shape rather than a round balloon shape.

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• Continue layering the newspaper strips until a smooth cohesive surface is attained and the papier-mâché is at least 7 layers thick in all areas.

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• Let the sombrero dry completely overnight.

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• While waiting for the sombrero to dry, remove folded tissue from the package but DO NOT UNFOLD.

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• Cut folded tissue crosswise into 1-inch wide strips. (Reserve one whole tissue sheet of each color to make the pompom for the stick.) 1
• Along one cut edge of each 1 inch folded strip make perpendicular 1/2-inch cuts at 1/4-inch intervals.

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• PARENTS ONLY: Unwind a wire coat hanger and straighten, leaving only the original end used for hanging curved. This will be the “hook” that will let you hang your piñata. Use wire cutters to make an angled cut at the other end of the hanger.

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• Make sure that the piñata is completely dry, and then insert the cut end of the coat hanger through the top of the sombrero’s crown. This will pop the balloon inside.

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• Keep pushing the hanger until it pokes out of the bottom of the piñata. You may have to take the hanger out, straighten it and reinsert it before successfully piercing the bottom.

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• Continue pushing the hanger through until there is a 5-inch piece showing. Bend it at a right angle and tape it to the bottom of the piñata so that the wire cannot pull back through.

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• Now you are ready to begin applying the tissue paper.

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• Unfold the cut strips and separate them into single layers of tissue.

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• Start by turning the piñata over and gluing one row of yellow tissue to the outside edge of the underside of the brim. Make sure the ruffled edge faces out.

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• Overlap each row as you continue laying down the tissue. Work your way to the center in a circular, spiraling pattern.

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• When the bottom is completely covered, turn the piñata over and begin gluing yellow tissue at the bottom outside edge of the brim. The ruffled edge should be pointing down and meeting the ruffles from the bottom surface.

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• Continue adding overlapping strips of yellow tissue until you reach the base of the crown.

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• Go around the base of the crown 3 times each with the cut green, white and red tissue strips.

  This will form the hatband.

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• PARENTS ONLY: Use a craft knife to cut a 3 sided, 3 inch by 4-inch flap in the uncovered part of the crown.

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• Bend the flap out towards you and fill the inside of the piñata with candy, like Fun Size Candy Bars.

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• Bend the flap back into place and tape shut with masking tape.

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• Now continue covering with the yellow tissue strips until you reach the top of the sombrero.

  For the Stick:

• Wind the remaining red, green, white and yellow cut tissue strips around a 3-foot long wooden dowel. Hold the end of each strip in place with a small spot of glue. Each section of color should be about 3-inches wide.
• When the entire stick is covered, finish the end with a pompom made of all the colors.
• To make the pompom, fold a whole tissue sheet into a 4-inch by 7-inch rectangle.
• Cut 6-inch long slits at 14-inch intervals along the shorter side of the rectangle. Repeat with each color.
• Wrap these strips, one color on top of the other, around the end of the stick. Glue to adhere.
• Finish by wrapping one last section of ruffled tissue around the glued end of the pompom.

  For the Mask:

• Cut the red ribbon into 2 ­ 10 inch pieces.
• Use the mask template to trace and cut out two mask shapes from the red felt.
• Punch one hole on either side of ONE of the mask shapes. This will be the front of the mask.
• Thread one ribbon through each hole and tie into place.
• Glue overlapping layers of the ruffled tissue left from the piñata to the front of the mask. Vary the colors to give it a festive look.
• Turn the decorated mask front over and glue the second mask to it. This will cover any tissue edges that were folded over and make the mask more comfortable to wear.

  Tips: After the sombrero is dry, you may choose to paint the surface using acrylic paints, instead of applying the layers of ruffled tissue. The hatband can still be made from ruffled tissue or you can apply bands of colorful ribbons.

1. Poke a 1″ hole in the center of the bowl. Push the flaps upward. Put the cardboard tube through the hole, and glue the flaps to the tube. Write the words “Make a Joyful Noise” on the construction paper. Let the children decorate the construction paper and glue it to the tube.

1. Cut out a felt diamond shape, and a letter in a contrasting color. Cut a slit in the cape about 1″ away from the edge in the top two corners of the cape. Tie a piece of ribbon in the slits of the cape for tying.
2. Have the children choose their felt diamond and contrasting letter. Glue the letter to the top of the diamond. Glue the diamond to the center of the cape. Let it dry on wax paper.

Coat a piece of cardboard or poster board with rubber cement. When it looks dry, but is still tacky, rub on the spices to form a picture or design. Each spice has a different color. Salt and garlic are white. Sage is green. Mustard is yellow. Cinnamon is orange and chili powder is red. Pepper is black. (Make sure the children do not breathe in any of the spices.) At the bottom of the picture, print “Spice Makes Things Nice”. When your picture is finished, use your nose to admire it.