Two Holiday Arts and Craft Projects

Due to an unforeseen problem I couldn't write since early this week so I will double up on tips and such on other days. Today is Holiday Arts and Craft Project Day.

1) Pinecone ornaments-
What you need: Small thin pinecones, glue gun or strong tacky glue, hangers for ornaments, silver or gold can of spray paint.
What to do: Outside on a newspaper spray pinecones gold or silver. Wait until dry and paint part that couldn't get to. When dry, glue ornament hangers on top of pinecone. Hang on tree like a pinecone would hang. This looks nice with a red ribbon wrapped around branches of Christmas tree.

2)Graham Cracker Snow House- (Back by popular demand)

Needed items:
1) A box of Graham crackers.
2) White canned frosting or make your own. The frosting will be used in this project as glue and as snow.
3) Gum drops. This makes a colorful fence.
4) Red licorice. For door and window frames.
5) Hard candy. Makes a stone wall.
6) Tiny marshmallows. For Snowman. Roof tiles.
7) M&M's or Skittles. To decorate sides and for roof tiles. Or walkway pavers to house.
8) Starburst Candy. This can be used to make a chimney stack. Or use on sides as fence. Can be roof tiles. Or create a walkway to house with them.
9) Snack size candy bar. For a chimney.
10) Pretzels. Line up for a fence.
11) Cotton candy. For pink smoke coming out of chimney.
12) Coconut shreds. For snow on the ground.
13) Frosted Mini Wheats. As roof tiles.
14) Cake sprinkles.
15) Other candy you think you can use for something on the house. Have your child use their imagination.
16) Stiff paper plate.
17) Cake topping decorating bag/pump. Squeeze frosting on roof edges to make icicles.

You will build the house on the paper plate. Start with walls of the house as if you were building a house of cards. The Graham crackers will be the walls. You might need to hold the crackers steady as your child glues them together with frosting. Frost three edges of each cracker. Place bottom of frosted cracker upright on plate. Let dry a bit. Then build an A frame roof (at an angle place two sides of Graham crackers together). Frost wall tops and ends of roof together to keep frame up. Hold and let dry. Now at this point make a decision. Will you be frosting the whole house or just the roof? If you want to do the whole house I suggest you do it all at the beginning.

If you are going to do the whole house start with the sides. Gently frost crackers using a rubber spatula. When done, do roof. When done, outline a doorway using the string licorice. Do the same for windows. Place M&M's and/or Skittles all over wall siding or make a design on wall. Decorate the roof using M&M's, Skittles, tiny marshmallows or Frosted Mini Wheats. Sprinkle cake sprinkles on roof for festive look. Your child can stack up five Starbursts for a chimney. Or they can use the snack size candy bar for this. Place stretched cotton candy on top of chimney for smoke.

Once house is decorated to your child's satisfaction they can do the yard. On the plate spread frosting around house. Sprinkle coconut around house for snow. Stack up three marshmallows to make a snowman. Use a dab of frosting in-between marshmallows to keep snowman up. Using finger put a teeny dab of frosting on the side of the top marshmallow. Using sprinkles make a face. Place in two eyes, nose and mouth on marshmallow. You can make a walkway to front door using Starbursts, M&M's or Skittles. Place gum drops or pretzels around house as a fence. For a stone wall stack hard candy, using frosting as cement to keep them in place. The last thing you should do is the icicles. With your bag of frosting place tip on edge of Graham cracker roof. Squeeze enough frosting to make a hanging icicle.