Miscellaneous Crafts 1

Snakes alive!

Create a jointed snake using toilet roll middles stuffed with packing foam or polystyrene.

Cut the packing foam or polystyrene to size and shape and push it into the toilet roll centres.
Pass string through the centre of the rolls using a crochet hook (push the hook through and then pull the sting back through).
At one end, divide the string into two pieces and push each piece through the eyes in a button.
Tie them together, leaving a length of two strands as the forked tongue.
At the other end pass the string through another button, tie a knot and cut near the knot.
Allow some slack along the length of the snake so it can coil.
Paint the snake.

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Crawler

This wonderful little mover was around when I was a child (I won't say how long ago, but it was a while ago!). In those days wooden cotton reels were readily available and they still make the best crawlers, but use plastic ones instead if you can't find wooden ones.

If you have a wooden cotton reel, carefully cut notches around the raised ends of the reel (to provide better grip as the reel rolls across the ground).
Cut a 1.5 or 2cm section of candle and carefully remove the wick and enlarge the central hole left by the wick.
Cut a notch across the diameter of the candle at one end. Push a drawing pin (tack) part way into the end of one side of the cotton reel.
Loop a strong elastic band over the drawing pin and push it through the centre of the cotton reel.
Push the elastic band through the piece of candle on the side that it emerges from the reel (i.e. not on the same side as the drawing pin), making sure the notched end of candle is outermost.
Pass a long matchstick (without the "fuse") or similar stick through the end of the elastic band and fit it into the notch of the candle. The elastic band should be only just long enough to reach so that the match stick is held firmly in place.
If you like, paint, or otherwise decorate the cotton reel.

Crawler Wind the elastic band by turning the match stick "handle". Don't wind too far or the elastic will break. Set the crawler on the ground and watch it move. Why not make several and have races!

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Potato prints

Use a potato to make a "stamper" - dip it in paint and stamp your design on paper. You can create all sorts of designs, and can easily adapt it for Christian activities - e.g. to make Christian symbols or to illustrate Bible stories. What You Need:

Large potatoes, Paint, Paper

What you do:

Cut the potatoes in half.
Carefully trace out the shape you want on the cut surface.
Pare away the potato surface so that your design stands proud.
Put the paint out onto flat dishes.
Dip the potato in the paint and stamp the design on the paper.

Notes: You can combine this with other paper-craft ideas like stencils and sponge painting.

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