Paper Mache' Flower Pot Games

Each year volunteers pack millions of gift filled shoeboxes for children in need. These shoebox gifts are sent to children all over the world through Operation Christmas Child.  Shoebox gifts are filled with; school supplies, personal care items, clothing, small toys and more.  As a crafter there are so many things you can make to personalize your shoebox gift.  I believe when you create you share a part of yourself,  a part of your heart. Who better to share your heart with than a child in need?

Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week is  just 1 month away but there is still time to create something to put into your shoebox gift. Toys and games are always a highlight with any child’s gift. These paper mache’ flower pot games are fun for 1 of for 2. 

Supplies needed:

For both games:

3- 3inch paper maché Darice

Assorted paint colors Delta CeramCoat Paints

Mod Melter by Plaid Crafts

sanding sponge

brushes

pallet

2-golf plastic balls (the ones with the holes) 

For ball catch:

1-26” piece of narrow ribbon

1-large eyed darning needle

2 beads (large enough they will not go through the holes in the ball) 

1-3/8” dowel rod (cut into a 6” segment) 

2-3/8” washers

1  3/4” wood bead with large hole (big enough to fit the dowel rod)

Drill and drilling bit

For tossing game:

1 paint stirrer or flat craft stick at least 1” wide. Cut into 2-6” pieces

General Directions:

1) Lightly sand dowel rod, craft stick pieces, and flower pots- if needed (some came with a bit of a “shiny coat” I gave the pots a once over to make sure the paint would adhere.)

2) Paint the flower pots, Craft stick pieces, and dowel rod, allow to dry.

Ball Catch Directions

1. Drill a hole to fit the dowel rod in the base of the flower pot. This can be done with a craft knife as well, but I found a drill made for a cleaner hole. 

2) Take one end of the ribbon and tie a double not about 5” from the end, thread one bead onto the ribbon resting against the knot, thread ribbon through middle holes of the practice golf ball, add another bead, and make a 2nd double knot to secure in place. Trim the end and add a dab of glue to secure if desired. (See photo)  

3) From under the flower pot, insert about 1” of  the opposite end of the ribbon into the hole drilled glue inside the flower pot

4) Glue wood bead to the end of the dowel rod, thread a washer onto dowel rod. Put a bead of Mod melt glue around the drilled hole inside the flower pot.  Immediately insert dowel rod threading through the hole until the washer and bead rest on the inside bottom of the flower pot. Allow glue to cool. (see photo) This forms a handle.

4) From the bottom of the handle thread the other washer onto the dowel rod and glue to the base of the flower pot. (The washers give the paper maché some extra support and protection from repeated use.)

To play: See if you can catch the ball in the cup. 

For Toss Across Game: 

Using mod melter glue one flower pot to the end of each stick. 

To play:

Grab a friend and play catch.

Thanks to Plaid Crafts for providing the Mod Melter for the project! 

50th Anniversary of Mod Podge! -Crafting for Shoeboxes-Wobble People (Contest Closed)

One of my FAVORITE things to use is Mod Podge! I remember my mom using it as a child to make all sorts of craft projects and it's safe to say I followed in her footsteps!

Mod Podge is turning 50 and Plaid Crafts the makers of Mod Podge have declared May 19th as "National Mod Podge Day!"

The good folks at Plaid Crafts are holding a celebration all over the web to celebrate Mod Podge's 50th and sent me some Mod Podge to join in the celebration! Naturally I had to think of something fun to put into a shoebox gift for Operation Christmas Child using Mod Podge!

With Easter being just a few weeks back, we had a bunch of plastic eggs left over, when some spilled on the table they reminded me of a childhood toy. When I was little, I loved playing with "Weebols" (ya know the kind that wobble but don't fall down!)  If you don't remember them, check out this old ad I found on You Tube from the Museum of Classic Chicago Television

My version isn't as fancy, but just as fun and even the "big kids" around here had fun knocking them down only to see them wobble back up. Best yet, they are perfect for 2-4 year old shoeboxes!

Wobble People

Supplies: plastic Easter eggs (test first as you will be using these with Mod Melts and the thinner plastic eggs can melt), metal nuts, wing nuts or washers for weights, Mod Melter by Plaid, Mod Melt sticks, Mod Podge, Brush, scissors, cut outs of faces, alcohol markers. Silicone Craft Mat. Optional Supplies: Silicone tool set.

• Start by opening the eggs, using the Mod Melter, glue a couple of washers, or one nut into the middle of the bottom of the egg. (Images 1 and 2) You will notice that the "middle is already marked out for you due to the markings from the creating of the egg. TIP-the more weight the quicker the egg rights itself, less weight equals more "wobble".  Wing nuts provide more of a "consistent" wobble. Experiment to find out what you like best. This is where the Silicone tools  came in really handy, they don't stick to the glue AND are heat resistant!
• Carefully on the inside of the top half of the egg place a thin ribbon of Mod Melt and then quickly close the egg to glue shut. (Image 3) 
• Color in your faces or images you wish to adhere to your eggs using alcohol markers. Alcohol markers will not run when you apply the Mod Podge. 
• Mod Podge your images to the surface of the egg, for fun add images on the front and the back.  Allow to dry and add a second coat. I only covered the the image with Mod Podge. I felt it looked better.  TIP-if you create a "circle" of mod melt on the silicone mat and allow to cool, it will act as a base to hold your egg while Mod Podging. (Images 4 and 5)

You are now ready to try them out:

How would you like a chance to win a $50 prize pack from Plaid Crafts the Makers of Mod Podge???

This prize pack includes: -8 OZ. Mod Podge gloss,  8 OZ. Mod Podge Matte, 8 Oz. Dishwasher Safe Gloss, Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium 2 Oz., Mod Podge Silicone Craft Mat, Mod Podge 7 Piece Tool Kit, Mod Podge 4pc Spouncer Set, Mod Podge 4pc Foam Brush Set. 

To enter, you simply have to leave a comment sharing your favorite toy as a child! Want a second entry, subscribe to my blog. Entries will be accepted until 12:00 Noon CST May 23th 2017. Sorry the contest is open to US residents only. Winners will be selected at random based on all comments. Be sure to enter your email in the comment form if you wish to be contacted when you won!

Be sure to follow Plaid Crafts on Facebook May 19th for more giveaways and amazing Mod Podge inspiration!!


Special thanks to Sarah Renee Clark.com for letting us use the "cartoon face" images on our Wobble People! To see the images we used check out her blog!




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New Product SNEAK PEEK Mod Podge Mod Melter!

The last two weeks or so I have been have loads of fun playing with a new tool from Plaid, the Mod Podge Mod Melter. Now everyone knows I LOVE my glue gun, but let me be one of the first to say the Mod Melter, takes traditional glue guns to a whole new level.

For starters the Mod Melter, can be used as a traditional glue gun with mini high temp glue sticks, but what makes it unique is that the Mod Melter is designed to use vertically.  Traditional glue guns are hard to see around when gluing your project, the Mod Melter is designed to be used above project with the glue flowing downward, meaning you can see exactly where you need to glue.  If the vertically design wasn't enough, Plaid added a longer cord (6ft.)  an on/off switch, a silicone safe tip, and to make holding the tool more comfortable an even a larger trigger, and silicone grip. In addition to it's gluing abilities, the Mod Melter is designed to use Plaid's Mini Mod Melts to create a whole array of embellishments for your crafting projects. Mini Mod Melts, look like a traditional hot glue stick and come in a variety of colors and finishes.

Once I practiced with the melter a couple of times getting used to the trigger, I was ready to attempt filling some Mod Melt Molds, these detailed silicone molds are designed to create resin looking embellishments with the melts.

My first attempt wasn't too bad. After they cooled (recommended time is about 10 minutes.) I found them to pop easily out of the mold, any "extra" hardened mod melt was easily removed with a pair of sharp scissors.

I loved the look of the "milk glass" sticks, the detail shown in the pieces reminded me of a cameo, so my first project I took a ring tray and made a faux cameo ring. To start i created my "shell piece" out of the white milk glass, I allowed this to thoroughly cool. Then I filled the tray of the ring with pink mod melt. I left a bit of space around the edges to allow for spreading. Then I embedded the white piece into the pink. As I carefully pushed the white piece into the tray, the pink mod melt spread out to fill the tray completely because it was still in it's molten stage.

The result a "faux cameo"ring. I can't wait to try this with different shapes and base colors.

 From the ring, I moved onto a project near and dear to my heart, embellishments for hair pretties. I pack shoebox gifts for Operation Christmas Child, and we love putting hair accessories into the girls boxes. I was given a bunch of plain clips that needed something extra. After creating some bows out of ribbon and hot gluing them into place, I added Mod Melt decorations to the centers of the hair bows. The shapes added a perfect finishing touch.

Even though the Mod Melts come in a variety of colors, you can paint and ink them to the color of your choosing. Here I simply rubbed some alcohol based ink over the owl with my finger. The color collected on the raised edges showing the detail of the piece.

My favorite project of my Mod Melter adventure, is this 8 x 10 canvas. I loved the mini frame molds, and thought mini "gilded" frames showcasing my family would be fun. So taking the frames, I simply painted them with gold acrylic paint. When finished I used them to frame mini prints of my family as the focal point of my "family canvas"

 

The Mod Melter will be available Mid March on Plaid Online and on Amazon.com and HSN.com March 9th. Be sure to check out my blog next week for more on the Mod Melter!