PUMPKIN CARVING/DECORATING CONTEST

2009-11-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who sent in their Pumpkin Carving/Decorating pictures.

Below are the 5 finalist!

Please visit our link below to vote for your favorite Pumpkin Carving/Decorating picture.

#1 - Maria from Florida

#2 - Robert from Ohio

#3 - Dean from California

#4 - Nancy from Iowa

#5 - Debbie from California

Valentine's Day Craft Contest - Final

2009-02-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

Results from February 11, 2009 contest:

Congratulations to Lorri from Main for her 1st place "Pop-ular Valentine Card" craft and Debbie from California for her 2nd place "Woven Placemat" craft. Lorrie and Debbie will be moving on to the finals.

Please visit our link below to vote for your FINAL favorite Valentine's Day Craft listed below today. We will list the Winners of the voting tomorrow, February 13, 2009.

HEART MOBILE

Materials Needed:

*Foamie Spirals

*24 Heart Stickers

*6' of Yarn 1/8"

*Hole Punch

*Scissors

Craft Directions:

1. Punch an 1/8" hole every 5" on the foamie spiral.

2. Cut yarn to 6" pieces. Tie a large double knot in one end of each piece.

3. Twist the other end into a point and poke one through each punched hole.

4. Trim pieces to desired lengths.

You will probably like the ones near the top shorter and gradually get longer as you go down toward the bottom. Peel and stick a heart sticker at the bottom of each piece of yarn and stick another one to the back of each heart so the yarn is sandwiched between to hearts.

VALENTINE CUPCAKE NOTE/RECIPE CARD HOLDER

Materials Needed:

*Plaster of Paris (About 3/4 cup for each cupcake)
*Cupcake wrappers
*Plastic forks
*Tissue Paper
*Paint
*Fiber fill
*Tiny pompoms or other decorative items
*Brightly colored paper
*Paper Punch

Craft Directions:

Tissue Paper Cupcake

1. To make the tissue paper cupcake, place cupcake wrappers in cupcake tins.

2. Mix plaster of Paris in a plastic cup with a plastic spoon. Mix 1/2 cup of plaster for each cupcake. Add just enough water to make a mixture about the thickness of pancake batter.

3. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake wrapper. The plaster should only fill out 3/4 of the wrapper.

4. Let the plaster dry for a minute or two and then stick a fork in the middle so that the tines are sticking up. If the spoon doesn't stand up, you can use clothespins to keep it steady until the plaster dries. (Note: Throw away the plastic cup and spoon when you are finished. Never try to rinse the plaster down the sink.)

5. When the plaster has set remove it from the tins. Press on the bottom of the tins to pop them out.

To make the icing part of the cupcake

1. Cut two, 5" by 26" sheets of tissue paper. Place them on top of each other and scrunch the tissue together long ways. Scrunch one end together and tape it to the bottom of the fork near the plaster and loosely wind it around the fork. Keep winding it so that you fill in the top of the cupcake or cover the plaster. Twist the tissue as you wrap it.

2. Glue the twisted tissue paper to the plaster.

3. When the plaster is covered start winding the tissue paper up and around the fork closer and closer to the fork as you go. When you reach the top tuck the end of the paper in the center.

4. Glue the tissue together to get the layers to stick together.

5. To finish glue sequins or other decorative items on top.

6. Write a note on a small sheet of paper that says, "You're like icing on a cake. You make my life sweeter", and stick it between the tines of the fork.

JAR OF PEDALS

Materials needed:

*Glass jar
*Artifical rose pedals
*Construction Paper

Craft Directions:

1. Take an empty jar like a pickle jar.

2. Buy some fake rose pedals and place them in a jar. Or you can buy artifical roses and cut off the pedals also.

3. Decorate the lid with a cut out valentine larger than the lid so it does not show.

4. Write in the the jar to my valentine, open this everytime you think you are having a bad day and remind you to take time out and stop to smell the roses, and you will remember you always have a friend when you need one. Also you can buy a rose scented car freshener and cut small piece of it place it in the jar and the rose pedals will smell like rose to.

FORTUNE COOKIES

Materials Needed:

*Small pieces of paper
*5-10 pieces of craft foam
*Small glue gun
*Scissors
*Cup with an opening of 3-4 inches
*Pen
*Paper

Craft Directions:

Here's how to make the fortune cookies! First you will want to take small slips of paper and hand write love notions on each piece of paper. Things like. Tonight you will kiss under the stars. Today you will find your true love. Or you can make other things for a fun night of play.

1. Draw the circle on the foam sheets.

2. Then cut out the circles.

3. Fold in half and put a small amount of glue at the top. Insert your fortune in the opening.

4. Then holding at the top put your pointer finger in the middle and push it up so you make a fold.

5. Put a small amount of glue in the middle to hold them together.

6. You will want a cute basket or box to put these in. Great gift for Valentines Day. You can make these as spicy or mild as you want.

VALENTINE WOVEN PLACE MAT

Materials Needed:

*Construction paper in two or three colors (Note: This can be made with foam sheets.)
*Ruler
*Scissors
*Pencil
*Stapler or Glue

Craft Directions:

1. Fold a sheet of construction paper in half so the long edges meet.

2. Hold the paper so the fold faces you.

3. Starting 1 inch from the left edge, mark every 1/2 inch along the fold.

4. Stop marking 1 inch from the right edge.

5. At each mark, cut a straight slit from the fold to 1 inch from the top edge.

6. Unfold the sheet of paper.

7. This is the mat that will be woven.

8. Cut 1/2-inch-wide strips of construction paper in one or two other colors.

9. The strips should be as long as the long sides of the mat.

10. Beginning at one of the short sides of the mat, help your child weave a strip down through the first slit, up through the second, down through the third, and so on through all the slits.

11. Weave another strip up through the first slit, down through the second, up through the third, and so on.

12. Continue weaving strips in this way until there's no room for may more strips.

13. Adjust each strip after weaving it so it's snug against its neighbor and/or the edge of the mat.
14. Secure the strips along the short edges of the mat with staples or glue.

"POP"-ULAR VALENTINE CARD

Materials Needed:

*Scissors
*Red & black markers
*Scotch tape or clear mailing tape*3.5 oz package of microwave popcorn for each Valentine*8½” x 11” sheet of white card stock (also know as heavy weight 110 lb which is what I use and is available at any office supply store, Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club)

Craft Instructions:

1. Simply draw a popcorn box with a red marker on a piece of white card stock paper.The dimensions of the popcorn box are approximately: 5½” H5½” W across the top, tapering to 4” across the bottom of box.

2. Design your custom label (about 3½” W x 2” H) in black marker and make it out to your recipient.

3. Then attach the label with tape to the center of the popcorn box.

4. Next, tape a bag of microwave popcorn to the back of the popcorn box so it pokes out of the top.

This is a great alternative to giving a sugary treat on Valentine’s Day.

Use this as a template if you desire, it oneI created on my computer! Alternative message ideas:To a POP!-ular Teacher!To a POP!-ular Person!To a POP!-ular Grandma or Grandpa!To a POP!-ular Mom or Dad!I’d like to “POP!” the question!(Will you be my Valentine?) (Where’s the diamond?)

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE VALENTINE'S DAY CRAFT!

SWEEPSTAKES

PUMPKIN CARVING/DECORATING CONTEST

Valentine's Day Craft Contest - Final