Several years ago, my three daughters and I had a craft "club" called AuralArtists. We'd either choose a theme and make items to share, like our wizard wands, or I'd create a "mystery box" which I'd fill with oddball items that we each used to create a craft of our own choosing.
On Earth Day in 2016, Jodie and I had a crafternoon via Skype and decided to craft with recycled materials. I used:
- Oatmeal box
- Peanuts can
- Batting bought at a thrift store
- Fabric from a child's dress
- Nylon stocking
- Styrofoam ball (not recycled, but old)
I also decided to start that season's Mystery Box challenge at the same time. It had a Holiday theme. That day, I began this project. You can see how far I got if you look at the Earth Day blog post.
Today I finished it!
The origins of this elf go all the way back to when I was in 2nd grade. My mom was a girl scout leader for my sister's troop. One of the projects the "big girls" made was a Santa made out of an oatmeal container, a styrofoam ball, and some contact paper. I think that after the project was done they filled the Santa's belly with cookies.
I was too small to do the project then, but I remember how much it intrigued me.
So with my mom as my inspiration, and my supplies at hand, I decided to make my own version. The main body of the elf is pretty straight forward. I wrapped a big oatmeal container in some fabric from a recycled children's dress (a sewing project my mom started and never finished). The belt is made from a strip of black craft felt, glued into place. The buckle is cut from a piece of thick silver paper that was the inside of a fancy Christmas card envelope.
The elf's head is made from a styrofoam ball. I first covered it in batting, then covered the batting with a nylon stocking, all held in place with pins.
I used more batting to create a beard and mustache, held in place with pins and glue. I glued on some wide googly eyes. Then I formed a hat out of a triangle of the same deep red fabric. I used another length of batting for the hat trim, gluing it in place. The poof at the tip of the hat is an old powder puff, which I sewed in place.
To hold the hat to the head, I slipped a silver snowflake-shaped piece of sequins onto a strait pin that has a silver head. I then dipped the pin into hot glue, and pinned through the brim of the hat into the styrofoam ball. The snowflakes go all around the brim.
To hold the hat to the head, I slipped a silver snowflake-shaped piece of sequins onto a strait pin that has a silver head. I then dipped the pin into hot glue, and pinned through the brim of the hat into the styrofoam ball. The snowflakes go all around the brim.
A peanut can acts as the elf's neck/chest. It, too, is covered in the red fabric. I used a black Sharpie to color in the top edge where the fabric doesn't quite reach the lip where the lid attaches. The elf head is hot-glued onto the lid of the peanut can. This way the entire head can be removed so goodies can be stored in the small can.
The small can is glued to the lid of the oatmeal container. It, too, can be removed so that more treats can be stored there.
Does this mean it's time to start baking Christmas cookies so I can fill the canister? Oh! I hope so!
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