Recycled Autumn Crafts
By Brenda HydeI love crafts that use items you collect from around the house or yard. I'm known for asking family and friends to save things for the kids and I to use! Here are a couple of easy Autumn crafts:A Pumpkin PatchEach child will need:one clean foam tray from meat packages, produce etc. shredded green paper orange pom poms wiggle eyes chenille stems in green or black Green paint-any type of paint will do craft or Elmer's glue Brush a layer of glue on the foam tray and press on the paper shreds. (if you didn't have green paper to shred, you could use white or other colors and then spray paint it green or use leftover Easter grass-an even simpler idea is to just paint the foam green and forget the paper.) After you've created your "pumpkin field", then glue the pom poms down where desired on the foam tray. Allow them to dry. Next decorate the pumpkins with tiny wiggle eyes and cut the chenille stems to glue on the top for stems. Get creative and let the kids draw a mini scarecrow on heavy paper, cut him out, and glue to their "pumpkin field". This is a great craft for classrooms, groups or fall parties. An Autumn MobileYou'll need:one paper plate for each child an extra paper plate for the paint paint brushes kitchen sponges cut thirds or fourths brown, green and orange paint yarn, raffia or ribbon in autumn colors artificial or real colored leaves Optional: acorns, tiny pinecones or other seedpods Fold the paper plate in half and staple a few times along the edge. Paint the plate brown on both sides and allow it to dry. Place a small dab of orange and green paint on another paper plate. Take a piece of sponge and dip in one of the colors, then lightly dab it around the 1/2 paper plate you painted earlier. You want all three colors to show, so don't make the sponging too heavy. After your base is painted and dried, punch four holes in the straight part of the paper plate-so the top of your mobile will be the rounded edge of the plate,and the bottom is straight. Make sure the holes are spaced evenly. (great chance to let the kids use a ruler!) Now punch one hole directly in the middle of the top of the plate-this you will tie a string to for hanging when you are finished. Cut pieces of yarn, raffia or ribbon (we used raffia) the same size-length can be 6-12 inches or so. This part you can vary by threading 3 or 4 pieces through each hole and let them dangle, OR glue acorns, seed pods or a leaves on the end of the raffia, and let that hang down. FINISHING: Glue real or fake leaves to the plate. You can make a collage, cover the entire plate or glue them to the edge. This looks neat in a window, so do both sides. Hang by threading a piece of ribbon or raffia through that top hole you made. You can really vary this craft and allow the kids to get creative. It's really a special craft if you plan a trip to the park and let them gather their items, then come home and make the craft.
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