Coffee Filter Butterflies

These beautifully vibrant butterflies are a great way to welcome spring! Suspend them from the ceiling with fishing line, or make several and attach to a paper plate mobile.

What You Need

· 1/2 black chenille stem
· Paper coffee filter
· Water color paints
· Paint brush
· Water

How To Make It

1.Flatten the coffee filter and place it on a plate or newspaper, the paint and water will soak through. Set aside on paper towels to dry.

2.Fold the chenille stem in half. Remember, you are only using half of a chenille stem to begin with.

3.Fold the coffee filter accordion style, in about ½" pleats.

4.Position the pleated coffee filter into the bent end of the chenille stem. Center the filter at the bend.

5.Twist the chenille stem around the filter to secure it in place.

6.Bend the tips of the chenille stems over about ¼" to create the antennae.

7.Fan out the butterfly wings.

8.If desired, hang with yarn or fishing line.


Helpful Hints

· For a more vibrant butterfly, be sure to paint all white areas with paint.

· Tie a piece of fishing line around the "neck" and suspend from the ceiling. They will look like they are flying!

· Instead of using all the colors on one filter, make some with warm colors (red, yellow, orange) and some with cool colors (blue, green, purple).

 

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Spring Lambs

 Chase away rainy days with a flock of cottony critters.

Craft Materials:

· Small plastic cup, a L’eggs panty hose egg or a plastic deli container
· Large bag or box of cotton balls
· Glue
· Four miniature spring-action clothespins
· White paint and brush
· Black marker
· Black pom-pom
· Black felt
· Googly eyes

 (Time needed: Under 1 Hour)

 Directions:

1.Spread glue all over the cup and cover it with a coat of cotton balls

2.Paint the four clothes pins white and color the bottom tips (the part you squeeze” with black marker. Clip clothespins at even intervals around the bottom of the cup to form legs.

3.Glue the black pom-pom into position as the head, then glue on two ears cut from the black felt.

4.Attach the googly eyes to the head — and don’t forget to add one last cotton ball as a fluffy tail.

 

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Fruit Pizza

Your kids will have a blast decorating this tasty fruit pizza. Fruits in an assortment of shapes and sizes allow your kids to make faces, designs, or fun shapes.

 

Ingredients:

Crust

  • 1 Ready to bake piecrust (or your favorite recipe)

Filling

  • 1/2 cup soft spread fat-free or low-fat cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon 1% milk

 

Toppings

  • A selection of berries and sliced fruits (strawberries, blueberries, bananas, kiwis, seedless grapes sliced in half, pineapple, etc…)

Directions:

1.Let the piecrust come to room temperature per the package instructions, then unfold it onto a large cookie sheet or pizza pan.

2. Roll up edges of the crust, crimping them slightly so that they’ll stay rolled up. Prick the crust lightly with fork in about 20 places (allowing air to escape).

3.Bake the crust in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 9 minutes or until it’s lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool.

4.As the crust bakes, whisk together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract, adding just enough milk to make it spreadable. When the crust has cooled, spread on the cream-cheese mixture with a rubber spatula, bringing it to the edge of the pizza.

5.Arrange the fruit on the pizza and don’t stint on the creativity. If you want, sprinkle the pizza with shredded coconut. Slice with a sharp knife and serve, or refrigerate. Serves 8.

 

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Bird’s Nest

Ingredients:

  • Chow mien noodles
  • Chocolate chips or brick chocolate
  • Jelly beans
  • Candy coated chocolate eggs
  • Marshmallow chicks
  • Peanut butter
  • Wax paper
  • Paper plates (colored plates optional)

Directions:

  1. Place squares of wax paper onto individual plates.
  2. Put chow mien noodles into a large bowl.
  3. If using brick chocolate, break into pieces
  4. Melt chocolate chips or pieces in the microwave, or over low heat on stove, just until melted.
  5. Pour melted chocolate over chow mien noodles, mix together to coat.
  6. Place mounds of chocolate/chow mien mixture onto several plates (on top of wax paper).
  7. Have children form the mixtures into nests. Be sure the chocolate has cooled, but don’t wait too long or it will harden.
  8. Using peanut butter as an adhesive, “glue” down the jelly beans and candy coated chocolate eggs inside the nest cavity.
  9. “Glue” marshmallow chick on the edge or inside nest.