Penguin Finger Puppets

Once in a while I like to share something fantastic of my own.  These adorable penguin puppets can be duplicated with a free printable penguin finger puppets pattern downloaded on Google docs.  *note: I made the above finger puppets (not my children).

Easy instructions: Trace penguin puppet pattern pieces on felt.  Cut out the felt pieces and glue with a low-temp glue gun (adult supervision please!).  The wings and feet are glued in-between the body pieces.  Only glue the top and side edges of the body so a little finger can fit inside!  Don't forget the googly eyes!!

Here are some penguin books to go along with the penguin finger puppets.  You could pair a puppet and book together for a fun kid birthday gift!

 





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**linked to:

Sew Can Do, Somewhat Simple, Childmade, Local Fun For Kids, Funky PolkaDot Giraffe, Raising Memories, My Delicious Ambiguity, Skip To My Lou

**featured on:

One Pretty Thing
Tip Junkie
Fun Family Crafts

*post contains affiliate links

Sewing: Drawstring Bag

I came across a Simple Drawstring Bag tutorial from Happy Things and luckily she spoke in simple sewing terms.  I more than lack skills in sewing so if I can sew it you certainly can too. 
I made this bag a few months ago for some homemade lacing shapes. A little drawstring bag could hold so many kid things like fun-shaped homemade crayons and story dice and would make a perfect little gift for a birthday or Christmas.
(find another simple Drawstring Bag tutorial on Make and Takes) 

Ed Emberly's Fingerprint Drawing Book

I checked out Ed Emberly's Fingerprint Drawing Book from the library and my 7 year old daughter has had so much fun with it!  I equipped her with a smock, stamp pads, wet rag, scratch paper, and construction paper.  She wasn't satisfied with her beginning practice but I told her to keep trying and look closely at the drawings and after a while she proudly showed me her page full of fingerprints!  She also made two birthday cards and was inspired to create a fingerprint drawing of her own (big dipper)!

The pictured directions for each fingerprint drawing are easy to follow.  The fun includes holidays, seasons, garden, and feelings.  Ed Emberly's Fingerprint Drawing Book would make a fun kid gift!

*Post contains Amazon affiliate links

Make Fun-Shaped Crayons

Right now 24 packs of Crayola Crayons are cheap at back to school sales.  Stock up if you want to make homemade crayons in lots of different shapes all times of the year!  Last February I followed Family Fun's Crayon Hearts instructions to make crayons for my daughter's Valentine/birthday goodie bags. *A couple tips: I slit the wrappers off carefully with a craft knife (some were still difficult to get off).  Do not use other (cheaper) crayon brands if you want them to melt good and color great!

There are a few different ways to make recycled crayons.  I have yet to try the tin can method (Momtastic, Chica and Jo & Squidoo) but I plan to soon.  The microwave method with a silicone tray went poorly for me (julie-k).  I think the oven method is the best (Make and Takes & Family Fun) and it was easier to get the crayons out from the mini muffin tin than silicone ice tray. 

The silicone heart ice cube tray pictured was found in January at Target in the front cheap section ($2.50/2 pack).  IKEA sells fun-shaped ice trays ('Only intended to be filled with water') and I found a flower-shaped one at Dollar Tree recently (haven't used it for crayon melting yet).  Michaels also has seasonal shaped baking pans.  Use caution when heating any of these trays in the oven or microwave.

10 Cute Printable Paper Dolls

These cute paper dolls would be fun for lots of things: a SUMMER car trip, *fridge magnets, boredom activity for a rainy or snowy day, little girl birthday gift, party activity or favor, stocking stuffer (*in a little magnetic tin), etc..  All of the free printable paper dolls are for non-commercial use.  *One Pearl Button has a Magnetic Paper Doll tutorial.

Wee Wonderfuls has download freebies (mostly patterns)!

paper doll (1)

Patty Reed Designs has 6 printable dolls! (2)

 

Babalisme has many free printables (*memory game made with her reindeer tags).  If you place your cursor over a download link on her blog and the link shows in the bottom left of the computer screen as going to ziddu I would caution you to not go there.  Babalisme has changed her hosting site to Scribd (only a few links are still ziddu) and it's a much nicer site.  You will have to sign up and skip past a couple of 'offers' before the download will happen.  It's worth the trouble though!  Her paper dolls are really sweet!

fairy tale paper doll (3)

Halloweenie dress-up boy and girl (4)

Santas's little helpers and decorate a tree (5)

Kireei has free printable stickers and paper dolls.  The site is in spanish but all you need to do is click on 'english' under the image and then 'download'. (found via How About Orange)

Clementina (6)

Terri Pettit has a whole page of paper doll links that she's scanned; she created the Vector Strawberry Shortcake. (found via How About Orange)

Little Kiddles (7)

Vector Strawberry Shortcake (8)

The Graphics Fairy has many vintage paper dolls. (9)

Wee Life has paper dolls with clothes and Halloween costumes to color! (10)

This Mama Makes Stuff made a cute Fabric Scrap Paper Doll Kit.  (I had to include this, even though it's (11) and there's no printable for her sweet and simple doll, because it's such a fantastic idea.)  A little metal box would be perfect for storing regular and magnetic paper dolls.

• This top ten eleven paper doll list is linked to Top Ten {Tuesday} on Oh Amanda.  The dolls listed are in no particular order!  **part 2: black-and-white printable paper dolls

Make a Spring Bubbles Kit

Playing outside in the spring with bubbles is the best and taking them with you to the park is fun!  What kid doesn't love bubbles?  I made a spring bubbles kit that will travel well and has all the necessities for a great time blowing bubbles!  I REUSED a 21.8 oz. Nesquik container to make the kit (6½" tall) and our bubbles and blower fit perfect.

* supplies: container, Mod Podge, patterned paper, wide ribbon (½" to 1"), 2 brads

* cut your patterned paper- mine were 1½" and 1" strips

* apply Mod Podge in small sections and smooth paper strips down

* when the container is covered apply a thin layer of Mod Podge on top of strips and allow to dry

* cut a 2½" piece of wide cloth ribbon, fold ends under a ½", make a slit with a craft knife, push brad through

* cut a small slit in both sides of container with knife and attach your ribbon strap

in the bubbles kit: the best bubbles (or make good homemade bubbles), bubble blowers, a few small bubbles (less spilling-- find them at party stores or Walmart) for kids and any friends that come around at the park, a baggie of wipes (for the clean-freak momma like me!)

A spring adventure or exploring kit would also be fun (binoculars, magnifying glass, top, mini frisbee, bouncy ball, etc.)!!  An 'outside fun kit' would make a unique kid birthday gift!! ☺

* featured on:
                    Weekend Roundup @ One Pretty Thing
* linked to: 
                    Mod Podge Mania @ This is the Year...
                    Whatever Goes Wednesday @ Someday Crafts
                    Creative Cats @ Poppies at Play
                    Spring has Sprung @ It's FUN to Craft 
                    Craft Concoction Friday @ That's So Cuegly! 
                    Weekend Wrap Up Party @ Tatertots & Jello
                    Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design 
                    Making the World Cuter Monday
                    Made by You Monday @ SkipTo My Lou 
                    Earth Day Craft Challenge @ Make and Takes