Create-Celebrate-Explore

Handmade Puppet Theatre

UPDATE:  THE #CANYOUTOP THIS ELMER'S TRI-FOLD BOARD CHALLENGE HAS ENDED. 

AND THE WINNERS ARE:

Nana's Tutu Trunk: Dress-Up Station

Cheryl Budge: Photo Wall Display

Christy Nelson: Homework Station

Susie QT Pies: Coffee Cup Chalkboard

Upstate Ramblings: Turkey Basket

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Remember the Bumble Bee Photo Station I created for the twins 4th birthday party? 

Well, it seems to have inspired an Elmer's Tri-Fold Board "Can You Top This" Challenge.

As one of 6 project leaders for this challenge I was asked to create something new using an Elmer's Tri-Fold Display Board.

Having been on a recent Real California Milk Tour (yet to be blogged about), I guess I had cows on my mind when I came up with this idea.

The kids absolutely LOVE their new Barnyard Puppet Theatre.  If you would like to make one visit the Can You Top This website for instructions.

Onto the challenge.

My challenge to you is to come up with an Elmer's Tri-Fold Board project.  Any project.  Can't think of anything, well not to worry, here are a few things I thought of:

• A science fair project
• A book report for school
• A backdrop for a nativity scene for the Holiday's
• A chore chart for your children
• A holiday calendar
• A bean bag toss game
• A display board for your kids artwork

You can break down the board, you can cut it, glue things to it, paint it.  Whatever you like.  You just have to use it.  Does your child have a school project coming up?  Or do you want to make homemade gifts this year?  Perfect.  And where do you purchase these boards?  Walmart.  That's where.  And they are very reasonably priced and you have 2 options, a cardboard or foam version.  I used the foam version for both the Bumble Bee Photo Station and this project and I used the cardboard version for the Halloween Photo Station.

And why would you want to take me up on this challenge?

I'll give you two reasons.

1. I will be choosing 5 tri-fold project board submissions to each receive a $100 gift card to Walmart
2. The 5 winning designs will also be turned into an 'recipe card' and included on the Can You Top This site.

So here are the rules:

You must create a project using an Elmer's Tri-Fold Board

You need to include the instructions and materials used to create your project.

You do NOT need to have a blog to participate.  You can post your project as a public note on Facebook, or add a photo with details required on Flickr.

You must acknowledge that you are submitting your photograph to the Can You Top This challenge (with a link to either the Can You Top This site or my blog post) and use this hashtag #CanYouTopThis

That's it!

Once you have published your project to your blog, Facebook or Flickr, add a link below.

You have until December 1st at 9pm (PST) to get your entries in.  So let's get crafting.

CAN YOU TOP THIS?

Oh and one last thing.  I mentioned that there are 6 project leaders in this challenge.  Let me introduce you to the other 5:

Sarah's Deals / Super Saving Sense / Dealusional / Confessions of an overworked mom / MamaBuzz

 

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1. Cheryl Budge 2. Count Down To 3. Boler Home 4. Xmas Command Ctr 5. Becca Ludlum 6. Vinyl Wall Decals 7. "Be Thankful" Card! 8. Turkey Basket 9. Momma D's Handiwork 10. won 11. Children's Playset 12. Hanukkah Deco & Game 13. Advent Calendar! 14. Train Xmas Countdown 15. Christmas Countdown 16. Giant Wallet Craft 17. Harry Houdini Craft 18. Fireplace 19. A learning Board 20. Homework Station 21. Sparkly Christmas 22. Organizational Board 23. Barbie Nativity 24. 25DaysofChristmas 25. Dress-Up Closet 26. Alabama vs LSU 27. Nativity background 28. our chimminey

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Disclaimer: As a project leader for the Elmer's "Can You Top This" Challenge for Collective Bias, I am being compensated.

The Little Monster Puppet Show

Me: "Marisol can I have a kiss please"

Marisol: "a kiss for a craft project"

Yes, that's right I was being blackmailed by a 3 year old. 

Thankfully grandma in Australia came to the rescue and sent a special Easter parcel to the kids.  Inside was another Figtree Hollow Crafts and Homewares kit.  This time it contained some "Monstrous Fun".  So I popped out to Best Buy and picked up the Monsters Inc. DVD and we spent 3 days on and off (in between trips to the park because the weather was so fabulous this week) working on this special project.

The kit came with everything the kids needed to make these puppets:

Unfortunately though my kids are only 3 so these particular puppets were a little too hard for them to replicate so I delved into my stash of bits and pieces and put together a little pile of wool scraps, felt pieces (which I cut up to make hats, boots, hair etc) and more googly eyes and then let the kids decide how they wanted their puppets to look.  While they crafted they watched Monsters Inc for inspiration and occasionally told me that they wanted their monster to look like one they had seen in the movie so I cut out a few more bits and pieces along the way.

Their finished creations:

Of course I had to take over from this point to stitch the puppets together.

MARISOL'S PUPPETS:

 
FLYNN'S PUPPETS:

And what should one do once they've made such adorable little monster puppets?  One must put on a puppet show.

We have had this little cardboard puppet theater for a couple of years (thank you Shannon).  It's from Ikea.  The kids hadn't used it often.  I think they had forgotten it was there, hiding amongst their toys.  So we set it up on their lemonade stand outside (which apparently needs to be cleaned - see things aren't perfect around here).  They practiced singing their favorite songs with their puppets and they plan on putting on a show for daddy when he gets home.  Shhh, it's going to be a surprise.

By the way, I got my kiss.

This is a great idea to save for a monster themed birthday party or for a Halloween party.  

Here is a Figtree Hollow Crafts and Homewares kit we have done previously: Mask-arade Kit

Hand Puppet Ghosts

 You know how the washing machine or dryer eats socks and if you are like me you have a basket containing all the lonely socks just in case their partners return.

Today I used a few of those lonely socks to make hand puppets for the kids for Halloween. 

Supplies:

• White fabric
• Patterned edge scissors
• Lonely white socks
• Embroidery thread & needle
• Black fabric marker

 

Using something large and round (I used serving platters in different sizes) mark a circle on the fabric.

Cut out using patterned edge scissors

Using the embroidery thread and needle stitch the toe of the sock to the middle of the circle.

Draw on the eyes and mouth with the fabric marker.

Place a few random stitches around the middle of the ghost to attach it to the sock and to give it a little more shape.

Knit Finger Puppet Bat Pattern

You will need:

• Black yarn (scraps up to 4ply are fine)
• Red embroidery thread
• Black felt
• Grey felt
• 3mm Knitting Needles
• Sewing needle

Instructions:

Using black yarn and knitting needles cast on 13 stitches.

1st row: Knit 1, Purl 1, repeat to end

2nd – 24th rows: Same as 1st row

Do not cast off.  Cut a long tail of yarn.  Thread the yarn onto a sewing needle. Thread the sewing needle through the loops remaining on the knitting needle.  Once all loops are off the knitting needle, pull the yarn tight to gather. Sew down the seam and cut off any loose ends.  This makes the ‘finger’.

Using any leftover yarn on the sewing needle repeatedly sew a stitch over the top of itself near the finger tip to make an ear.  Repeat this to make the second ear.

Place the ‘finger’ on a piece of paper and draw the wings.  Remove the ‘finger’ and join the wings together.  Cut out your template and place it on the black felt.  Cut out your wing.  Hand stitch it onto the ‘finger’ about 5mm below the ears.

Cut a few odd shaped triangles from the grey felt and using a strong glue attach them to the underside of the wings.

Using red embroidery thread stitch 2 eyes to the front of the bat.

The result:

 
The beauty of these bats is if you take them outside the wind will pick up their wings.  There was a lovely breeze blowing in our backyard today while I was taking photographs, but capturing the movement on a photograph proved to be a little difficult as you can see by the blurry shot below.

As seen on:

One Pretty Thing