Father’s Day Gift Idea

He makes the kids pancakes every Saturday morning. He teaches them the proper way to shoot a jump shot. He tells them they “can” when they think they “can’t.” He’s the strength in our family that keeps us going. What would we do without dad?

Yet, it’s tricky to find just the right way to show our appreciation. After all, this is the man who has everything (and whatever he doesn’t have, he will either buy or doesn’t want). So it has to be something sincere; something from the heart; something that is irreplaceable... a perfect opportunity to create art. Fortunately, my husband has a penchant for all things modern, and abstract art can open an easy door for children to discover success in painting. It was Pablo Picasso who said, “It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”

Pre-made, finished canvases (available at most art supply stores in a variety of sizes) are the answer to making instant artwork suitable for display in the finest of galleries (or dad’s office for that matter). A few tubes of acrylic paint in the primary shades of red, blue and yellow are enough to mix nearly every color imaginable (reference the Bauhaus genius, Joseph Albers, color theory); add a couple of decent artist paint brushes and your child can create the next expressionist masterpiece — at least in the eyes of their dad.

Supplies

Pre-made canvas (Michael’s Crafts has an excellent selection)

One or two 1" - 1/2" wide, artist paint brushes

Tubes of acrylic artist paint in red, blue and yellow

Paper towel, old rag, or sponge

Smocks, or old t-shirts for the kids (acrylic paint does stain)

Newspaper

Cover your work area with newspaper. Squirt quarter-size blobs of paint on a clean, plastic lid from your recycling container. Hand the kids their brushes and let them go to town. Encourage them not to overwork the paint by minimizing long strokes repeated in the same area. Dabbing the brush in multiple colors at once and applying them to the canvas can build beautiful, subtle shades without making a muddy mess. You may also choose to use a paper towel or rag to blot the paint for additional blending. Once dry, with a permanent marker, be sure to have your child include a sentimental note and date on the back of the canvas frame.

The finished artwork

©2010 tricia barry biagi

Whimsical Bunny Mask

“Here comes Peter Cottontail... hopping down the bunny trail...” words that, for better or worse, continually ring in my mind this time of year. Create your own “Cottontail” with this playful bunny mask made from a paper plate. While there are lots of paper plate ideas on the internet, this one is unique in its use of simple shapes and sturdy materials. Props like this also provide an excellent opportunity for kids to engage imaginative play. Perhaps acting out the classic Beatrix Potter story of Peter Rabbit or inventing their own bunny tale? Either way, this bunny mask will send them hopping (with a little help from all the handfuls of jelly beans).

Supplies

sturdy, white paper plate (found at party supply stores)

8.5" x 11" white, pink card stock

gray construction paper (or brown paper bag)

15" long, 2" wide ribbon (I used a sheer, turquoise color)

2.5" circle cutter

pinking shears

scalloped edge scissors

1" heart punch (I used Martha Stewart’s brand)

X-acto craft knife

self-healing cutting mat

glue stick

paint-stirrer stick (free at most hardware stores)

Bunny face template

outer ear template

inner ear template

1. Download templates above.

2. Print bunny face template and outer ear template on white card stock. Print inner ear template on pink card stock.

3. Using regular scissors, trim bunny face template out.

Cut eye holes with x-acto knife.

4. Center bunny face template on the front of the paper plate

and trace eye holes with a pencil.

5. Use x-acto knife to cut eye holes from paper plate.

6. Using circle cutter, cut two circles from gray (or brown bag) paper.

7. Trim edges of circles with scalloped scissors.

8. Cut outer and inner bunny ears with pinking shears.

9. Punch heart from pink card stock (to be used for the nose).

10. With glue stick, adhere gray circles and heart nose on the front of the paper plate as shown in the photos.

11. Glue pink inner ear onto white outer ear.

12. Flip the paper plate over — using glue stick, paste ears at the top of the paper plate, pressing hard and holding until secure.

Set aside to dry for a few minutes.

13. While paper plate is still flipped face down, position paint-stirrer stick in the center the plate and paste with glue stick, pressing firmly until secure. Set aside to dry for a few minutes.

14. Flip paper plate to view front of face and add a bow tie on the stick at the base of the plate.

Velum Easter Cards

I love to make handmade cards for the holidays. It’s that little “extra” that lets someone know you took the time to create something beautiful in honor of them. Here are two Easter designs I created when my daughter was a baby — simple, clean and iconic. The translucent velum creates a softness of color when layered upon the pastel card stock. The added details of adhesive jeweled eyes, tightly tied bows, glittered chick feet, dimensional beak, and cotton tail provides finishing touches of thoughtfulness. 

Supplies

8.5" x 11" yellow, pink, orange card stock

translucent velum

Martha Stewart orange glass glitter 

10 inch long, 1/4 inch wide ribbon

Martha Stewart adhesive jewels

scalloped edged scissors

cotton ball

Martha Stewart glitter glue

fine-tipped Sharpie markers in bright, pastel colors

Chick and Bunny template

X-acto craft knife

metal ruler

self-healing cutting mat

Japanese hole punch

1. Download chick and bunny template and print on velum paper.

2. Trim bunny and chick out of velum with X-acto craft knife. 

3. Measure, cut pink or yellow 8.5" x 11" card stock into four 4.25" x 5.5" rectangles using metal ruler, x-acto knife and cutting mat.

4. Trim 4.25" x 5.5" rectangles with scalloped edge scissors.

5. Align and center velum chick or bunny over card stock rectangle.

6. Use Japanese hole punch to make holes at the “x” on the template.

7. String ribbon through holes, tie in a bow, trimming ends until even.

8. Adhere jeweled eyes.

9. Using glitter glue, add cotton tail on rabbit.

For chick: 

10. Use glitter glue to draw feet and sprinkle with glitter.

11. Trace beak template on orange card stock; cut and score with X-acto knife; fold and glue on the top of the chick card.

12. Finish with message written with fine-tip Sharpie markers.

Lyrical Leprechaun Mask

One of the most whimsical symbols of Ireland, and St. Patrick’s Day for that matter, is the mischievous, legendary leprechaun — a dwarf-like creature known to galavant the Emerald Isle hiding pots of gold among the rainbows. Perhaps you have your own playful “little person” at home anxious to rally in shenanigans and jest? Well, here’s a festive craft to help them express their glee. Using geometric shapes, cut with circle cutters and punches, this mask is based upon an orange paper plate.  

A wooden, paint-stirrer stick (available for free at most hardware stores) becomes the handle to hold for positioning in front of one’s face. I used the Martha Stewart four leaf clover punch to add a little luck to the leprechaun’s tie. Pre-cutting the pieces will make this assembly easy and give you something with which to entertain your wee one — at least until the corned beef and cabbage is ready.

Supplies

9" orange paper plate

various shades of green card stock

peach colored construction paper

black paper or card stock

yellow paper or card stock

wooden paint stirrer stick

6" circle cutter

1" circle punch

four leaf clover punch or sticker

x-acto knife (adult use only)

scissors

glue stick

template for hat and bow tie

1. Using 6" circle cutter, cut a circle from the peach construction paper and divide in half.

2. With the 1" circle punch, create eye-holes in semicircle and save one punched, peach circle to be used later as the leprechaun’s nose.

3. Position the peach semicircle on the orange paper plate and trace eye-holes with a pencil.

4. Use the x-acto knife to cut the traced circles away from the orange paper plate, trimming slightly larger than the tracing.

5. With glue stick, attach peach semicircle onto paper plate, aligning the eye-holes. Glue reserved, 1" peach circle on as the nose.

6. Download leprechaun accessories template above and print hat and bow tie on green card stock. Trim out the pieces.

7. Trace the hat band on black paper and trim. Trace the buckle on yellow card stock, cutting the inside of the buckle with the x-acto knife.

8. Assemble hat and bow tie according to the image.

9. Double cut, a 1" circle punch from the black paper resembling a crescent moon smile for the leprechaun. Attach with glue stick.

10. Finish by applying heave glue to the wooden paint stirrer, adhering to the back of the paper plate. Press firmly and let dry until secure.

©2010 tricia barry biagi

The PURR-fect Valentine

My 8-year-old daughter loves CATS! Not the broadway musical, (although I’m sure if she knew about it, she would love that too), but the cute, little, cuddly, fuzzy cat images seen on notebooks, calendars, and stickers. Each year we try to come up with a festive, handmade Valentine card to pass out to her classmates. I’ve been tempted (and when pressed for time, caved) to crank out the pre-made, store-bought ones, but making Valentine’s by-hand gives us an opportunity to spend some time together with a rewarding, creative result. This year’s idea is inspired by my daughter’s cat-infatuation and is an easy, trifold assembly of circle and heart shapes made with craft punches and circle cutters. Craft punches provide an excellent chance for kids to build professional-looking projects, while improving fine motor skills and hand strength. I like Martha Stewart’s collection of craft punches the best and used her scalloped, 1” circle punch for the cat’s cheeks.

Supplies

8 1/2" x 11" light pink card stock

white, dark pink and black card stock

3 1/2 " circle cutter

1" scalloped circle punch

1 3/4 " heart punch

1/2 " heart punch

heart shaped hole punch

glue stick

metal ruler

X-acto knife

self healing cutting mat

scalloped scissors

Assembly

1. Using your metal ruler, X-acto knife and self healing cutting mat, trim 1" from the short side of the 8 1/2 " x 11" pink paper so the size becomes 8 1/2" x 10".

2. Fold card stock into itself, creating three, nearly equal sized panels (think business letter fold). Each 8 1/2" x 10" piece of card stock will yield two Valentines.

3. Place 3 1/2" circle cutter at the top of the folded pink card stock, 

holding securely, firmly cut a circle through three layers of card stock. 

Be sure the circle cutter extends beyond the folds to avoid cutting through them. 

4. Punch a 1 3/4" heart from the light pink and white card stock, glue back to back and cut in half. The half hearts will become the ears of the cat to be glued at the top of the inside of the trifold’s center circle.

5. Cut a 3 1/2" circle from the white card stock and glue to the back of the center pink circle on the trifold. Cut a 3 1/2" dark pink circle, trim with scalloped scissors and glue to the inside of the center circle, covering the bottom tabs of the ears. 

6. Using the 1" scalloped circle punch make 4 white circles and 2 light pink circles — these will be used for the cat’s cheeks.

7. Punch 6 dark pink 1/2" hearts for the tongues and noses, 

then 6 black, hole punch hearts for the eyes.

8. Flip card to the outside, paste pieces as shown in the image above.

9. Write message inside across three panels. Ideas include: 

“You’re purr-fect Valentine!”; “Have a purr-fect Valentine’s Day!”; and “Valentine, you’re purr-fect, just the way you are.”

© 2010 tricia barry biagi