Christmas TRH Book Advent Calendar Day 6 – Angel & RedTedArt Cute and Easy Craft for Kids #Guestpost

Paper Baubles

I love this paper bauble craft, simply because it is a craft that ANYONE can make. Make it with the wee ones (get them to scribble and paint) or with the older ones, get them to cut and stick. Or just make them yourself!

The run up to Christmas is a great time of year to sit down together and get crafty. Enjoy making one new Christmas decoration for the family Christmas tree every year. These little paper baubles can be made from toddler paintings or old Christmas cards, can include family photos or can be ‘re-shaped’ into Christmas trees. You could also make them egg shaped, and they make a sweet Easter craft too.

Materials: paper or card (thicker paper works a little better, as it is less likely to buckle from the wetness of the glue), glue (glue sticks are good for this craft), a circular template (e.g. a glass), scissors and pencil, ribbon or cord for hanging

1)      Use your template to mark out 8-10 circles. If you are adding photographs, cut out photos that are approximately 2cm smaller in diameter. If you would like to try to make the trees or the eggs – follow the same instructions, but start off with a tree or egg shape, instead of the circles.

2)      Cut your circles out as neatly as possible. (Again, if you are adding photographs, glue them on the discs now).

3)      Fold each circles in half and make a good crease.

4)      Glue the left side of one circle to the right side of the other. Continue until you have glued all of your circles together.

5)      Now glue or tape in a ribbon for hanging. Finally glue the side of first circle to the last circle to create a sphere.

6)      Even them all out a bit, if necessary add a tiny bit more glue and done!

This is craft is from the fabulously popular Red Ted Art, Cute and Easy Craft for Kids – a hardback book containing 60 crafts to delight you and your kids over the whole year. You will find something for everyone – from wee ones to tweens! The only problem is deciding what to make first!

Alternative Christmas Gift idea for you this year…

This year we are going to give “The Gift of Creativity”. The idea is to create “Basic” and “Jazzed up” Craft Kits that you can put together yourself – and then, if you wish, add a copy of Red Ted Art the book and you will have a fabulously creative gift –  both original and different! What do you think? You don’t need much in a basic craft kit, especially if you add recycled materials and finds from nature…. I love to add pinecones, stones and recycled fabric to our basic craft kit to get the kids think creatively about things they can find and reuse.

About the Author: Maggy Woodley, a mum of two, blogger and craft nerd! She loves everything about crafts and loves nothing better to recycle and forage for craft materials –making crafts economical and fun. Maggy also writes at Life at The Zoo about cooking with kids, gardening and sciency “stuff” and also at Theatre Books and Movies for well, theatre, book and movies! Red Ted Art, is also now being translated into German, Spanish and Russian for more people to enjoy! Do check these out if these are one of your native languages.

It seems fitting to put this book with the toilet roll holder Angel – inspired from the book. What I really liked was the comment about just basically giving it a go – and if it you did it wrong you could just paint over it, or start again – as after all they are just made from toilet roll holders, easy enough to get hold of another one.

Here is a 2012 model – simplicity in itself. A bit of glue to attach a face, skirt, wings (folded paper) and some string for a halo.

I have received no compensation for this post, I bought my own (signed) copy of the book. I am honoured to receive a Guest post from Maggy and enjoy making her crafts so much I wished to share them with my readers.