Craft: Easter Critters Napkin Rings

Don’t Throw it Away – Recycle it! Recycled toilet paper tubes, paper towel tubes, wrapping paper tubes are all great starting points for lots of kids crafts. Recycling cardboard of all types into these fun crafts is good for our environment.

Supplies:

STYROFOAM™Brand Foam:

Balls, one each per napkin ring: 1-1/2″; 1″

Acrylic paints: yellow; white; pink

Felt scraps: yellow; orange; white

Craft feathers: yellow; white

Pink mini pom pom, 1/8″

Pink satin ribbon, 1/8″

Black half-round eye beads, 8mm, two per napkin ring

Pink powdered blush (optional)

Cardboard paper towel tube

Serrated plastic knife or serrated kitchen knife and candle stub or paraffin

Ruler

Wooden skewers

Small flat paintbrush

Disposable palette

Water basin

Paper towels

Scissors

Iron and ironing board

Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks

Thick, white craft glue

Instructions:

NOTE: Adults only should handle knives, and this project requires adult supervision.)

1. Cut cardboard tube into 1-1/2″-wide rings.

2. Wax serrated knife with candle stub or paraffin. Cut small slice from bottom of each 1-1/2″ foam ball so head will rest flat; glue head to top of cardboard ring.

3. Paint head/ring white (bunny, duck) or yellow (chick). Place skewer on table edge and weight one end with heavy book or similar item. Hang ring from skewer to dry.

4. Cut each 1″ foam ball in half for feet; flat edge will rest on table. For bunny, use skewer to press indentations into edge of each paw to resemble toes; paint paws white and let dry. Glue feet to bottom of ring.

5. For duck and chick, cut tiny wedges from feet to separate “toes”; paint feet orange and let dry. Note: To make painting small foam pieces easier, hold pieces on skewer while painting; place skewer in heavy glass or jar to dry. Glue feet to bottom of rings.

6. Cut 1″ x 2 1/2″ rectangle from felt and round corners to make bunny ears. Use serrated knife to make small slits in top of bunny head for ears; glue ears into slits, using knife to push felt into foam. Glue pom pom nose to face.

7. For duck and chick, firmly fold beaks in half and press with warm iron. Glue beaks to faces. Note: Adult might want to do cutting and pressing ahead of time.

8. Glue tiny feather wings to duck and chick; glue feather to top of chick’s head, pushing feather end in with skewer tip to secure.

9. Use fingertip to blush cheeks and bunny ears, if desired. Cut 6″ length from pink ribbon for each character and tie around neck.

For more fun crafts visit www.freekidscrafts.com