OLA Conference 2012 - Craftastic Programs for Teens

Craftastic Programs for Teens

Marble Magnets

Supplies: ¾” clear flat glass marbles, ½” magnets, old magazines, glue, hot glue

Directions: Find images from old magazines. I take the marbles and “look” through them at the magazines to get an idea of what they will look like. Trace around the image. Cut slightly smaller than the tracing. Glue the image to the marble. (Some people then glue a layer of white cardstock behind the image to stop the magnet showing through, but I’ve never done this.) WAIT for the glue to dry-if you glue the magnet right away, you will ruin the image. We use hair dryers to speed up the process. Once the image is mostly dry, use the hot glue gun to glue the magnet onto the marble. If you really want to impress, decorate old Altoids tins and store the fancy magnets inside for a great gift!

Paper Fortune Cookies:

Supplies: Circles of paper --CUT: circle cutter, die-cut, or hand cut / PAPER: from scrapbook paper for lovely patterns of interest or just colored copy paper / SIZE: 4" diameter is about the size of a real fortune cookie, Strips of "fortune" paper --SIZE: about an inch or so longer than your circle is across ; so a 4" diameter circle would use a 5-5 1/2" long strip of paper / tall enough to write on & fit inside your "cookies", White/liquid Glue , Scissors --if needed for cutting, Container --something eye-catching for display like a large Chinese take-out box or big glass bowl

Directions: Write or print your "fortunes" (book titles & authors, book quotes, program info, etc) on the appropriate sized slips of paper and have them handy to insert in your "cookies." Gently crease your paper circle just at the halfway point (not completely across) and unfold it. With your index finger inside, wrap the sides of the circle until they just cross around your finger and hold the sides in place with your thumb and inside index finger. Your crease should be perpendicular/across your index finger. Insert a "fortune" behind your index finger. Gentrly press the crease of you "cookie" as you remove your index finger and pinch the two ends together with your other hand. Add a dab of glue to the inside of the "cookie" to hold it together. Mail Art Supplies: cardstock, fancy pens, stickers, old magazines, glue, stamps Directions: Cut out cardstock to postcard size (4”x6”). Decorate. Write a note. Mail to another library (check with them first to see if they’ll mail something back!)

Magnetic Poetry:

Supplies: Flat magnets (recycle those ad magnets or buy flat magnet sheets; you can purchase printable magnet sheets like those from Avery), Recycled text sources (magazines, newspapers, printed papers, greeting cards, etc.), Doubled-sided tape, Scissors (quality enough to cut magnets, too), Metal containers, optional for storing poetry magnets (recycle old CD tins or mint tins) Directions: Let them cut words, or letters to make words, for taping to the magnets. Then cut out the words and tape to the magnets. You may opt to skip the cutting if you have a computer lab option where they can type up their words of choice and print them out to cut and tape or print directly to the printable magnet sheets.

Rubber band bracelets

Supplies: Rubberbands, Sharpies, Stiff cardboard to stretch bands

Directions: Stretch out rubberbands on cardboard. Decorate with Sharpies. Let dry. Wear!

Wire Rings

Supplies: 20-21 gauge craft wire, (You can try other weights, but be warned- lighter may be too bendy and heavier may be too thick.), Beads, Buttons, Wire cutters, Round nose, flat nose and crimping jewelry pliers, Ring mandrel (For forming and measuring rings.), Random cylindrical objects (To replace or supplement mandrels.) Finger gauges (To find correct ring sizes. Participants can use their own rings if they arrive wearing them.)

Instructions: 1) Determine your ring size using a set of finger gauges or by measuring one of your favorite rings against a mandrel. 2) Cut a three foot length of wire and straighten it. 3) Find a point on a mandrel or cylindrical object about a half size bigger than your ring size. 4) Wrap your wire around that point. Start with a third of the wire on the left side and wrap it twice, then wrap the right side wire twice below. Make sure the wire is snug around the mandrel. 5) Pinch the wrapped wire between your thumb and forefinger and pull it off the mandrel, making sure to keep the integrity of the ring. 6) Wrap the short end tightly through and around the ring at least three times. Make sure your wraps are close together. 7) Slide your bead(s) or button(s) onto the short end of the wire to the base resting against the wraps. Bend the wire so the bead/button lays flat against the ring. 8) Now, wrap the short end at least another three times on the other side of the bead. 9) At this point, you can slide the ring back onto the mandrel to tighten and resize, if necessary. 10) Wrap the long end of the wire around the base of the bead/button. Experiment as you like with different kinds of wraps. You may want to continue your wraps all the way around the ring. 11) When you are satisfied with your wraps, loop the wire around the ring one or two more times near the base of the bead. 12) Trim both ends of the wire and tuck them under the bead/button into the “nest” you created through wire wrapping. Voilà, you’re done!

Duct Tape Roses

Supplies: Duct tape, lots of rolls, lots of colors (Duck brand is best), Straws, pens or pencils for stems, Pipe cleaners for bendable stems

Instructions: 1) Choose your stem and leaf color. Cover your stem with the color you select. (This is optional. You may want to leave your stem uncovered.) 2) Choose your petal color(s). Use one color for a solid blossom and two or more for a variegated look. 3) Cut your duct tape into several two inch strips. 4) Fold one corner of a strip over, leaving a sticky border along the bottom and side. 5) Fold the parallel edge and stick it to the original fold, creating a triangle and leaving stickiness along the bottom edge only. 6) Wrap this piece around the tip of your straw. 7) Repeat these steps to add petals to your rose, making sure each additional petal sticks to one below as well as to the stem. Keep adding petals until the rose reaches your desired size. 8) Repeat steps 3-4 using the color you selected for your stem and leaves. 9) Wrap a leaf around the base of the rose. Use more leafs, if you so desire. 10) And, you’re done! If you used pipe cleaners for your stem, you can bend them and add embellishments for a wrist corsage.

Contact for more information:

Aimee Meuchel Tualatin Public Library ameuchel@ci.tualatin.or.us

K’Lyn Hann Newberg Public Library klyn.hann@newbergoregon.gov

Lisa Elliott Tigard Public Library lisae@tigard-or.gov