Stained glass light catcher

Materials:

• scrap tissue paper
• 2 sheets of construction paper (letter size printer paper shown)
• scissors
• tape
• white glue
  

Instructions:

• take one sheet of construction paper and fold it in half lengthwise
  
  
  
  
  
  
• cut out the centre piece (which includes most of the folded edge), leaving a 3cm (1.25") frame
  
  
  
  
  
  
• open out the frame
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• take the second sheet of construction paper and cut several 2cm (0.75") strips lengthwise
  
  
  
  
  
  
• begin arranging the 2cm strips over the frame, cutting as required to fit your design
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• tape the strips down to secure them to the frame and to each other (this is the back side of the frame)
  
  
• cut tissue paper big enough to fit over each of the holes in your frame, dry fit them (overlay them on the back side of the frame to make sure they're the right size, but don't glue them until you're sure they are!)
  
  
  
  
  
  
• glue the tissue paper to the back side of the frame
  
  
  
  
  
  
• let dry overnight
• hang on a window and enjoy!
  

As you can see from the photo below, if you use lightweight paper such as printer paper, the frame will be translucent. For best results, use thick opaque construction paper for the frame elements.

An advanced method (for adults) of doing this, would be to use a single sheet of paper for the frame and an X-Acto knife to cut out the "window" parts of the decoration.

Stained glass bell

(This idea came home from school.)

Materials:

• waxed paper
• different coloured tissue paper cut into small rectangles (approx 2cm x 3cm)
• white glue
• construction paper
  

Instructions:

• layout a sheet of waxed paper
• have child glue pieces of tissue paper on the waxed paper (it's okay to have the tissue paper overlap)
• leave overnight to dry
  
  
• have adult cut out the shape of a bell out of the construction paper, and then cut out the inside leaving a 2-3cm outline of a bell (make sure the overall size of the bell is smaller than the sheet of waxed paper covered with tissue paper)
  
• trace the outline of the outer part of the bell onto the dried sheet of waxed / tissue paper
• glue the construction paper bell outline onto the tissue paper covered side of the waxed paper
• let dry
• hang on a window and enjoy!

Reindeer antler headband

(This idea came home from school.)

Materials:

• 2 sheets of coloured construction paper, about 16cm x 30cm (3" x 12 ") to make the headband - red shown
• brown construction paper, big enough to cut out two child size hands (antlers)
  
• pencil for tracing hands
• scissors
• clear tape
  
• stickers, markers, glue etc for decorating headband
  

Instructions:

• fold the coloured construction paper in half lengthwise (so you have two sheets 8cm x 30cm)
• slip one of the folded sheets inside the other (keeping the folded edges in the same orientation) overlaping about 5cm (2") and tape to hold in place
• optional: have child decorate construction paper (dry fit around child's head so you know where the decorations should stop)
  
• have an adult wrap the length of construction paper around the circumference of the child's head and tape to fit
• have an adult trace the child's open hands on the brown construction paper
• have an adult cut out the hand outlines, being sure to include 3cm (1") for the wrists
• tape the cut out hands by the wrists to the inside of the headband, opposite each other
• outfit your little reindeer with their new antlers!
  

Santa mask

(This idea came home from school.)

Materials:

• paper plate
• cotton batting / cotton balls
• white glue
• red construction paper cut out like Santa's hat
  
• red construction paper cut into a circle for the nose
  
• scissors
• ruler
• optional: crayons, markers, stickers, glitter for decorating
• optional: craft stick to make a handle for the mask
  

Instructions:

• adult: mark a "T" shape on the back of the mask (the eating surface of the paper plate)
• adult: measure approximate width of child's eyes across face (outer corner of eyes) and mark that as the top of the "T"
• adult: measure approximate distance of eyes to mouth of child and use this to mark the vertical length of the "T"
• adult: cut out the top of the "T" and the very bottom of the "T" to make holes from which child can see and speak
• have child glue cotton and nose on mask
• have child decorate as desired
• mask can be held up to face
• optional: attach craft stick to bottom of mask to use as handle