wintercraft

Knit Wits
Turn a glove into a palm-size pal.

WHAT YOU NEED:
• Knit glove
• Needle
• Thread
• Yarn
• Scissors
• Rubber ball
• Buttons
• Mini pom-pom
• Rice

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

Step 1:
Tuck the ring finger of the glove into the palm and stitch the hole closed.

Step 2:
Fill the glove (all but the cuff) with rice and tie it off tightly with a piece of yarn.

Step 3:
For the doll's head, fit a small rubber ball (or a Ping-Pong ball) into the cuff. Then, sew the glove closed to hold the ball in.

Step 4:
Make a wig by loosely wrapping yarn around your hand about fifty times to create a think hank.

Step 5:
Tie the strands together at one end of the hank, then cut the loop opposite the tie.

Step 6:
Stitch the tied portion to the top of the doll's head.

Step 7:
Finish up by stitching on button eyes and a tiny pom-pom nose.
© FamilyFun. All rights reserved.

Snow Mosiac
Create a snowy self-portrait that doubles as a tasty treat for animals who might stop by to admire and sample your work.

WHAT YOU NEED
• Birdseed (such as sunflower seeds and cracked corn)
• Fruits and vegetables (like apples, kale and carrots)
• Food coloring
• Pump bottles

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

Step 1:
Start by prepping your art materials; fill the pump bottles with different hues of food-color-tinted water and cut up various fruits and vegetables. Then take the materials outside.

Step 2:
Next, start your masterpiece by lying back in the snow to make a body print. Gently rock your body to pack the print, then carefully get up (you may need a friend?s help).

Step 3:
Create a portrait by filling in the shape with the seeds and vegetable pieces and adding details with the colored water.

Tips:
Younger kids may find it easier to work with fewer materials and to use cups or small pitchers (instead of their hands) to pour lines of seed. Remember to have the artists sign their initials somewhere, too!
© FamilyFun. All rights reserved.

Winter Crafts

Snow Château

Crown yourself a royal architect and build beautiful rainbow-colored ice castles.

WHAT YOU NEED
• Plastic containers
• Food coloring
• Natural materials

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

Step 1:
Fill containers (pails, gelatin molds, plastic storage containers, cups) with water. Then add food coloring (about 20 drops of color per cup of water) and freeze outside overnight.

Step 2:
Before building, bring the ice to room temperature. When you see a bit of water on top or when the ice turns in its container, that means the ice is ready to slip out.

Step 3:
Build away. Decorate the completed castles with sticks and mini pine boughs, if desired.

Tips:
If the ice shapes aren?t sticking when you stack, add snow between to "glue" them together.
© FamilyFun. All rights reserved.

Tea Box Snowman

The best part about this windowsill snowman is that he won't melt no matter how warm it gets.

WHAT YOU NEED
• Wooden tea box
• Drill
• Pipe cleaners
• Markers
• Piece of wide ribbon
• Glue
• Buttons
• Old colored sock
• Yarn

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

Step 1:
To begin, carefully take apart a small rectangular box, such as a teabag box. Turn it inside out and reassemble it, gluing together the sides but not the top.

Step 2:
Stand the box on end and drill two small holes where a carrot nose should go (a parent's job). Bend a short orange pipe cleaner into a V-shape, insert the tips into the holes, and then bend the tips against the inside of the box to secure them.

Step 3:
With colored markers, draw eyes and a mouth.

Step 4:
For arms, make matching holes through the box top and bottom and thread through a long brown pipe cleaner (it's easier if you open the box for this step).

Step 5:
Close the box, tie a ribbon scarf around it and glue on buttons. Top it all off with a ski hat made by cutting off the tube portion of colored sock, tightly tying one end with a piece of yarn and stretching the open end onto the snowman's head.
© FamilyFun. All rights reserved.

Patchwork Art

WHAT YOU NEED
• Colored paper
• Ruler
• Glue
• Markers or paints

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

Step 1:
Choose a full sheet of paper for the background.

Step 2:
Tear other colored sheets into different shapes by holding down a ruler and slowly pulling the paper so that it rips against the edge. Make a bunch of small squares to piece together mosaic style or create larger pieces for houses or trees, felt board style.

Step 3:
Glue torn pieces to the beackground. Then use markers, paints or other materials to embellish the designs.
© FamilyFun. All rights reserved.