(Grocery Bag) Valentine Mobile

This Valentines craft is easy to make and the mobiles look beautiful hanging in groups (such as in a classroom).

SUPPLY LIST:
- brown grocery bags (2)
- 3 plastic bags
- stapler
- yarn (roughly 2 feet)
- construction paper
- glue or tape
- glitter & glue -or- glitter pens/paint

STEPS:
1) Cut 2 heart shapes out of a brown paper bag, using the first as a template to create the second. Lineup the hearts and staple the bottom/sides together (leaving the top open). Use a plastic bag as stuffing in the brown paper heart. Make sure the entire plastic bag is inside heart shape and staple the top shut forming a "pillow."
*Repeat step #1 twice to form 3 heart pillows. The three hearts can be all the same size or different.

2) Using your stapler, attach the three hearts with yarn. Form a loop at the top of first heart.

3) Decorate your hearts using construction paper shapes in varying colors. Use glue or tape to adhere your construction shapes to hearts. Be creative! We used: polk-a-dots, hearts and lips.

4) Add a glittery shine to your heart mobile with glitter & glue, or glitter markers/sticks.

5) Lay your mobile out on flat surface to dry.

6) Once the front of mobile is dry, flip over and repeat steps 3-5.

Still having fun? You don't have to stop here! Look around for fun items to embellish your mobile with! These make great classroom decorations or gifts!

Design Tips 1-5

1) Mix & Match
Mix & match anything! Anything goes here! - colors, textures, patterns, mediums, etc. This will help create visual interest and unique art :)

2) Be Daring
Do something different! Just because hearts are usually red or pink, doesn't mean you can't make one blue or green! Be brave, try something new! There is no "wrong way" and no one right way (just your way).

3) Use YOUR Imagination
... not someone else's. The most unique and interesting ideas come from your imagination - so use it! Don't be a copy cat, be original and unique!

4) Do What You Like
Design & create based on what YOU like. So, if you like ladybugs... try incoporating them into your creation. If you love the color yellow, use a lot of yellow!

5) Be Resourceful
Have a lot of ugly brown paper or tons of brown paper bags? Supplies that aren't so "pretty" can often be a great start for a new look. Stretch your imagination to use something in a new way.

(Soap Pump) Creatures

©2007 Broken Box Designs™

This is a super easy, unique kids' art project that recycles empty soap pumps into a useful soap pump/lotion bottle for kids! Below is all the information needed to get started!

SUPPLY LIST:
- empty soap pump/bottle (plastic)
- colored craft feathers
- 1 pipe cleaner
- 2 wiggly eyes
- clear packaging tape -or- hot glue gun (with parent supervision)
- glue
- (optional) foam plate or clean empty container

STEPS:
1) Rinse out an empty soap bottle pump and peal the labels off sides if possible.
2) Select medium sized (2-3 inches long) colored craft feathers to cover your bottle.
3) Tape feathers around the plastic sides of your bottle with clear packing tape. Adhere feathers as far up the bottle as you wish and have fun creating a colorful feather pattern!
4) To create arms...cut pipe cleaner in 1/2. Bend about a 1/2" of pipe cleaner to 90 degree angle, and twist the remaining length around your finger or a pencil to create twirl.
5) Tape the short straight part of pipe cleaner to bottle (wherever you would like your creature's arms).
6) Glue 2 wiggly eyes to top of pump with small dots of glue. Set aside to dry.

WANT TO GO A STEP FURTHER?:
7) Use a foam plate or empty clean empty foam container to create feet for your creature! Simply cut out 2 feet shapes and tape to the bottom of bottle.
8) Add some hair to your creature by taping a little feather, ribbon, or yarn behind wiggly eyes on pump.

Have fun, use your imagination & BE CREATIVE!

Funky Pen & Pencil (Coffee Can) Container

©2008 Broken Box Designs™

New Year's Resolution: "Get Organized Kids!" Eliminate clutter and organize your desk with these fun to make pen/pencil containers. Plus, ad a little pizzaz to your desk with bright colors and shiny embellishments!

SUPPLY LIST:
- empty coffee canister (was with soap before using)
- scrap paper (from magazines, catalogs, junk mail, construction paper, etc)
- washable markers
- tape or double sided adhesive dots (find in scrapbook aisle)
- plastic beads, rhinestones, buttons, or any other fun embellishment

STEPS:
1) Peel off coffee label if possible and clean canister w/soap and water. Towel dry.
2) Pick a fun colored paper or patterned paper and cut a piece of paper to wrap around canister as covering. Tape one end of the paper to the other to secure in place. Glue also works on the canister to secure, but is a little messy.
3) Decorate outside by taping fun colored papers, patterns, shapes, and decals to canister. Be creative and remember that anything works! Have fun mixing funky colors and patterns to create a unique piece of art!
4) Finish off your design with little buttons, rhinestones, glitter, yarn, beads or whatever else you want!
5) Doodle designs, your name maybe? with colorful markers or crayon. This really adds that unique touch!
6) Finished! Now just toss in your pens, pencils, sissors, etc and plaace this on your desk to stay organized.

Have fun!! :)