Some SWAPS ideas have been gathered from friends, forums or lists. Some are original ideas. If you see an idea here that is your ORIGINAL idea and you would like credit for it, please let me know.Pinky's SWAP of the Month
(Being sent out in June SWAP exchange)
Beadie Dragonfly
 |  |
Use the same technique as for the popular Beadie Critters, but use seed beads and jeweler's wire.
Lady Bug
 | Mix Plaster of Paris according to package directions. Pour into the bowl of a spoon with the spoon handle resting on the handle of a wooden spoon to keep POP from running out the back. When set, remove from spoon. Let dry 24 hours, then paint with acrylic craft paint. Spray with clear acrylic sealer. Glue on googly eyes and a pin back. |
Hermie the Wormie
 | Tightly wind one full pipe cleaner around a pencil, far enough from the point that you will finish winding at the point (about 1-1/2 inches from point). This is Hermie’s tail-end. Glue googly eyes on the head, then hot glue the worm to a silk leaf. Hot glue a pin back to underside of leaf. |
Soda Bottle Butterfly
 | Using permanent markers, trace a butterfly onto a plastic soda bottle, with the centerline running up and down the bottle. Color with permanent markers. (If using a green bottle, don’t need to color.) Cut out the butterfly. Bend a 4-inch length of pipe cleaner in the middle and wrap around center of butterfly, between wings. Twist a time or two and spread ends apart to form antennae. With the wings curving UP, hot glue a pin back to the bottom. |
Clothespin Alligator
 | Paint a clothespin green. Let dry. Paint inside the clip end red for inside of mouth. Let dry. With a very fine brush, paint tiny white lines along the sides of the "mouth." (See picture) Glue on googly eyes and pin back. Use the fine brush and white paint to write troop # and/or event name on sides. (The other side of this one says ZOO SNOOZE) |
Sleeping Girl Scout
 | Paint a wooden spoon with flesh colored acrylic paint. When dry, paint on facial features. Glue on hair. Cut a 6-inch by 1-1/4 inch piece of felt. Fold in half and glue the edges, stopping ½ inch from open end. Fold ½ inch over on one side and glue. Stuff one cotton ball inside sleeping bag for camper’s body, then insert spoon girl. If desired, make a tiny pillow, stuffed with a cotton ball. Glue under camper’s head. |
Bright Buddies
 | Cut a pipe cleaner in half. Bend one half at the middle. Cut a 1-1/2 inch length from the other half to use as arms. Wrap yarn around 2 fingers about 7 times. Stick the bent pipe cleaner between your fingers, around the yarn wraps. Carefully slide the yarn off your fingers and stick the ends of the pipe cleaner through the hole of a ½-inch bead with a small hole. (hole about the size of a pony bead hole.) Pull the pipe cleaner so that the yarn is held tight against the bead. Put the "arm" piece of pipe cleaner between the two ends coming through the bead and twist tightly. Continue twisting until you have about an inch of twisted pipe cleaner. Slip a one inch piece of colored drinking straw over the body. Spread the legs in a "Y" shape to keep the straw from sliding off. Bend about ¼ inch of the ends to make little feet. Cut the loops of yarn and use a pin or toothpick to separate the strands for hair. Hot glue a pin back to the straw. (Can add googly eyes, if desired.) |
Film Canister Swaps
Oscar the Grouch
Materials:
film canisters
green pompoms
glue
glue gun
googly eyes
silver or gray paint (optional)
Instructions:
Paint canister to look like a garbage can. Put pompom halfway in canister. Attach lid at a slant on back with glue gun. Attach googly eyes with glue.
You can finish in several ways -
hot glue magnet on back
punch a hole and string a ribbon through for a necklace
hot glue a pin back to the canister
Stampers
Materials:
film canisters
fun foam
glue
Instructions:
Cut shapes (leaves, hearts, stars, etc.) from fun foam and glue to lid of canister.
Sewing Kit
Materials:
film canisters
needles stuck through small piece of index card
tiny spool of thread
folding scissors
small safety pins
Instructions:
Put all items inside canister. Punch hole in canister to string a ribbon through for a necklace or hot glue a pin back to the side of the canister.
First Aid Kit
Materials:
film canisters
Band-Aids
35 cents (for emergency phone call)
alcohol pad
needle woven through a small piece of index card
Instructions:
Put all items inside canister. Punch hole in canister to string a ribbon through for a necklace or hot glue a pin back to the side of the canister.
Picture Frame
Materials:
film canister lids
magnets
small photos
glue gun
poster board
paint
glitter
Instructions:
Cut a shape (heart, star, flower, etc…) out of the poster board, leaving a hole in the center slightly smaller than the canister lid. Decorate the shape with paint and glitter. Cut a photo to fit inside the lid. Glue it inside the lid, then glue the shape to the rim of the lid. Glue the magnet to the top of the lid.
Snow Man
Materials:
film canister lids (2)
fun foam
googly eyes
small black buttons
small piece of poster board
white paint
glue
black dimensional paint
4" piece of ribbon, yarn or ¼ in wide strip of felt
Instructions:
Paint the lids white. When dry, glue together in the shape of an "8". Glue the eyes on the head and the buttons on the body. Tie the ribbon (yarn or felt strip) around the middle for a scarf. Use dimensional paint to draw a mouth. If desired, you can cut a stovepipe hat from fun foam and glue to head.
Tic Tac Toe Game
Materials:
film canister with lid
square of fabric
beads or buttons, 4 each of 2 different colors
ribbon or yarn
permanent marker
Instructions:
With the permanent marker, draw a Tic Tac Toe board on the square of fabric. Punch hole in canister to string a ribbon through for a necklace or hot glue a pin back to the side of the canister. Put the fabric and buttons (or beads) inside for a traveling Tic Tac Toe Game.
Spaceships
Materials:
film canister lids
sliver paint or glitter
tiny green pompoms
glue
Instructions:
Paint the lids silver or cover with glitter. Glue pompoms on top (Martians!). Glue on a pin back. For older girls, you could punch a hole in the edge and attach an earring hook.
Recycling SWAPS
Puzzle Pins
Materials:
old puzzle pieces
glue
modpodge
paint
googly eyes
Instructions:
Paint a puzzle piece. (white for ghost, green for spacemen, etc…) Glue on googly eyes and pin back.
Puzzle Frame
Materials:
poster board
old puzzle pieces
glue
Instructions:
Cut 2 squares of equal size from the poster board. Cut another square about 1 inch inside one square, making frame. Glue the "frame" to the other square on 3 sides only. (photo slides in on un-glued side) Glue puzzle pieces on the poster board "frame." Can add a pin back or magnet to finish.
Puzzle Barrette
Materials:
old puzzle pieces
barrette clip
glue
Instructions:
Glue puzzle pieces to top of barrette clip. Can decorate with paint or glitter if desired.
Styrofoam Shrinkies
Materials:
Styrofoam meat trays (cleaned and sanitized)
cookie cutters
markers
Instructions:
With cookie cutters, cut shapes out of the Styrofoam. Color with markers. Bake in oven on low temperature until they shrink.
Safety Note: be sure to have proper ventilation and to watch the shrinkies closely, so they will not melt. Attach a pin back or poke a hole and use as jewelry.
Milk Lid Photo Magnet
Materials:
plastic milk jug lids
photos
glue
Instructions:
Cut photo to fit inside lid. Glue in place. Glue magnet to back.
Fans
Materials:
wallpaper remnants
glossy magazine pages
glue
scraps of lace
silk flowers
ribbon
Instructions:
Starting with a small, oblong piece of paper, fan-fold, then glue together at the bottom. Glue lace around edge of fan. Tie ribbon in bow around bottom. Glue silk flower over knot of bow. Glue on pin back or magnet.
Girl Scout Cookie Pins
Materials:
Girl Scout Shortbread (trefoil) Cookies
Modge Podge
pins
glue
Instructions:
Leave cookies out to dry out for several days. (You can also dry them in an oven at low temp, or in a food dehydrator) When they are hard, coat with Modge Podge. Let dry and repeat application. When completely dry, attach pin back.
Paper Beads
Materials:
old newspaper
magazine pages
wrapping paper
glue
Modge Podge
wooden skewer
Instructions:
Cut paper into triangles about 1" wide and 4 inches long. Roll onto skewer and glue the end. When dry, coat with Modge Podge for a finished look. Let dry overnight. String onto ribbon for friendship bracelets or necklaces. Can also hang 2 or three on a short piece of ribbon, knotted at the end. Tie other end of several strands around a pin back for a SWAP.
Pet Rock
Materials:
small rocks
acrylic paints (assorted colors)
googly eyes
Instructions:
Paint rocks to look like animals or "critters." Glue on googly eyes and pin backs.
For scented rocks, soak rocks in essence of oil overnight and bake inoven until dry. These can have pictures painted onthem but you would not want to completely cover the rocks as this would cover the scent.
Marbled Rock
Materials:
small rocks
crayola scraps, grated
Instructions:
Put rocks in a pan of water and bring to a boil. With tongs, carefully remove the rocks from water and place on a cookie sheet. Immediately sprinkle grated crayola over the hot rocks. Let cool.
Ants on a Log
Materials:
twigs
plastic ants
Instructions:
Glue ants to twig and attach a pin back.
Miscellaneous SWAPS
Toilet Paper Roll
Materials:
plastic drinking straw
white felt
wire or pipe cleaner
Instructions:
Cut straws in 1-inch strips. Glue 1-inch piece of felt around straw. Run pipe cleaner or wire through center of straw and through the hole at the back of a safety pin for hanging.
Toilet Brush
Materials:
plastic coffee stirrers
pipecleaners
safety pins
Instructions:
Cut coffee stirrers into 1-inch pieces. Cut pipe cleaner into 1-inch pieces. Bend pipe cleaner into a U-shape and insert both ends into the stirrer. Attach the safety pin to the other end.
Try-It or Badges
Materials:
felt or fun foam
Scribbles paint
Instructions:
Cut the felt or fun foam into the shape of the Try-It or badge. Make designs on it with the paint, then attach a pin back.
Worm on a Stick
Materials:
twig
pipe cleaner
silk leaves
googly eyes
Instructions:
Wrap 2-inch piece of pipe cleaner around the twig. Glue on top of silk leaf. Glue eyes on one end of pipe cleaner and attach a pin back.
Felt Pennant
Materials:
felt
dimensional fabric paint
Instructions:
Cut any color of felt or fun foam into pennants. Write troop number on one side with the dimensional paint. Attach a pin to the other side.
Teepee
Materials:
tan felt or fun foam
tooth picks
dimensional fabric paint or markers
Instructions:
Cut a triangle out of the felt or fun foam. Cut about ¼ inch off one corner, making it flat. Glue two toothpicks on two edges of triangle, crossing them at the flat corner. Decorate front of teepee with paint or markers. Attach a pin back.
Pizza Slice
Materials:
tan fun foam
assorted colors of felt or fun foam scraps
tiny pompoms
brown marker
glue
Instructions:
Cut a triangle from the fun foam about 2 inches from point to "crust." Color back edge with brown marker for crust. Decorate with scraps of felt and pompoms for toppings. Attach a pin back.
Campfire
Materials:
brown, orange, and yellow fun foam
navy beans or small pebbles
twigs or brown pipe cleaners
Instructions:
Cut a 2-inch circle from brown foam. Glue twigs or 1-1/2 inch pipe cleaners to center for fire wood. Cut orange and yellow foam into little flames. Apply glue to bottom of flames and insert into pile of "wood." Glue beans or pebbles around edge of brown circle for fire ring. Attach a pin back.
S’mores
Materials:
felt or fun foam, tan and brown
cotton ball
glue
Instructions:
Cut one 1-inch square of brown foam or felt, two 1-inch squares of tan foam or felt. Glue brown square on top of one tan square. Glue cotton ball on top of brown square. Glue remaining tan square on top of cotton ball. Attach pin back.
State Pin
Materials:
fun foam
dimensional paint
glitter (or use glitter dimensional paint)
Instructions:
Cut the shape of your state from the fun foam. Use dimensional paint to write the name of the state. Make a little star in the location of your town and add its name. Sprinkle glitter over paint before it dries or use glitter paint. Attach a pin back.
Mouse Pin
Materials:
gray felt
black yarn
black thread
sewing needle
googly eyes
1/8 inch black pompom
cotton ball
Instructions:
Cut the felt into a 2-inch long heart shape (fold in half before cutting so the sides will be the same). Glue cotton ball in center of heart at fattest part. Glue 2 or 3 inch piece of yarn so that it is hanging out the top center of the heart. Fold heart in half and glue edges together. Glue black pompom on pointed end with edges of heart making top of mouse. Glue on googly eyes. Thread needle with black thread. Run it through the mouse right behind the pompom nose. Pull thread part-way through and trim so that ½ inch sticks out on each side of nose. Attach pin back.
Mini Dunk Bag
Materials:
netting
string
doll dishes (Barbie size)
Instructions:
Cut netting in a 2-inch by 4-inch rectangle. Fold in half and stitch the two sides, making a 2-inch square. Thread string through top for drawstring. Put a couple of doll dishes inside and pull bag closed. Tie in knot. Attach a pin back or stick a safety pin through top. (If you can’t find the right doll dishes, make some out of clay or fun foam)
Brownies in Beanies
Materials:
acorns
yarn
acrylic paints
glue
Instructions:
Remove the tops of the acorns and set aside. Braid three strands of yarn and tie both ends. Glue center of yarn braid to top of acorn. Glue the top back on the acorn. Paint faces with the acrylic paint. Attach a pin back.
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