Coffee Filter Butterflies

Materials Needed:

• White round coffee filter
• Watercolor paints
• Clothes pin
• Markers
• Small googley eyes
• Pipe cleaner
• Yarn
  
• Glue gun
  

Procedure:

1. Flatten coffee filter so that the child can paint it. Encourage him/her to paint the entire filter. The less white the better. If you're like me, you might have to "let go" of the urge to paint all the white parts that the kiddos did not cover. =)
2. When child is finished painting, set the filter aside to dry.
3. While the filter is drying, have the child use markers, or more paint, to color the clothespin.
4. Glue googley eyes on to one end of the clothespin. Make sure that the part of the clothespin that clasps is up...that's the end you'll glue the eyes on to.
5. Form the pipe cleaner into the shape of antennae. Glue this on to the butterfly's "head".
6. Once the coffee filter is dry, pinch the top and bottom together and use the clothespin to hold it there. "Fan" out the sides until they look like the wings you want them to be.
7. Optional: Glue yarn to the back of the clothespin to hang it up.

Handprint Napkins

This one takes a little more time, and depending on your aim, a little less intervention from the kiddos! However, it makes a great keepsake and they will love to see it each year! We did them for Thanksgiving, however I imagine they can be made for any holiday depending on how you use the hand print!

Supplies:

Cloth napkins
Fabric paint
sponge paintbrushes
stamps (optional)

Fold the napkin in half and then in thirds-as you would fold it to place it on a plate for a table setting. Paint or stamp the palm of each child's hand with the fabric paint and apply it to the napkin- centered on the third that is facing up-that way each place has the handprint showing. We then stamped onto the napkin the name of one family member. So my children's handprints were each on their own napkin, and then i used one of their handprints on my napkin and one on kevin's. my sister used her baby's handprint on the napkins for her and her husband. And for my parents we put all of the grandchildren's hand prints on the same napkin. For Thanksgiving, we made the handprints into turkeys, however they could be made into wreaths for Christmas or simply left as a hand print if you wish. We also embellished the corners of the napkins with stamps as well- you can really get as creative as you wish!

cookie cutter wrapping paper

Ella and I took on this project-and it turned out to be much easier than i expected, however not as pretty as i had hoped. Ahh, such is crafting with a 4 year-old! But its super easy and a great way to wrap gifts-especially for friends and grandparents-who have much less discriminating wrapping appreciation! And depending on how long you let it last, the clean up isn't too bad.

Cookie Cutter Wrapping Paper:

Large Sheets of Craft Paper-any color
Cookie Cutters
Paint-finger paint, acrylic, fabric-anything that will work on paper!

Use the cookie cutters as stamps and dip them in the paint and stamp them onto the paper. I tried construction paper, and depending on the paint-we used acrylic-it still will show up even on black paper! I suppose you could also decorate fabric as well to use as napkins or gift wrap!


And wrap your gifts! A perfect way to get the kids excited about giving a gift!