SNOWMAN SOUP GIFT

Into a hot cup or snowman mug, put

*1 package hot chocolate mix,
*a few candy kisses,
*some mini marshmallows,
*and a candy cane.

Wrap in cellophane or plastic bag
and add a gift tag.

Gift Tag

Here's a little gift,
When you need a lift.
It's Snowman Soup!

Hot water you add,
And you'll be glad
To have Snowman Soup!

Add the rest and
here's the best:
You're almost done making
Snowman Soup!

Use the cane to stir
and that is all,
Now have a ball
Drinking Snowman Soup!

Windowsill gardens. When snowdrifts keep your residents inside, try cultivating a windowsill garden. All you need is a sunny spot and a few containers of soil. Herbs are an excellent choice for windowsills.

Pot People. Draw or paint faces on small clay pots, then fill with soil. Plant grass seed, water, and watch the "hair" grow.

Have a Hot Chocolate Party and play board games.

Coffee Filter Angel Craft - These little angels are very simple to make and very inexpensive.

What you will need: Three coffee filters for each angel, one large bead for the head, a pipe cleaner, doll hair, and paint.

What to do:

1. Cut the pipe cleaner in half.  Gather up one coffee filter across the width and wind one of the halves of pipe cleaners around it to make the wings.
2. Cut about 10 strings of doll hair about 6 inches long. Wrap the other half of the pipe cleaner around the middle of the doll hair lengths leaving about 1 1/2” of pipe cleaner at one end.
3. Wind the 1 1/2” length around to form a halo.  Insert the other end of the pipe cleaner through the center of a coffee filter and then through the center of the bead and then through the center of another coffee filter. Bend a loop in the end of the pipe cleaner so the coffee filters and bead don’t fall off.
4. Bring the top coffee filter down around the bead and gather it around the bottom of the bead to form the neck of the angel. Attach the wings to the body just below the bottom of the bead.  Wind the ends of the pipe cleaner from the wings around to form the arm.
5. Paint the angel with water colors or glitter glue and draw on a face.

Create your own miniature golf course inside and have a tournament.

PAPER MACHE HANGING BOXES

For this activity you will need the following:

One recipe paper mache paste as follows:

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. In a bowl combine 2/3 cup flour with 2 cups cold water. Add the cold mixture to the boiling water in the pot. Return to boiling stirring continuously. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tbsp. sugar. Mixture will thicken as it cools. When it is cool it is ready.

Cardboard boxes any size/shape

Newspaper torn into strips (comics are bright and colorful)

Dip newspaper strips into paste, wiping off excess and apply to box. Press the paper down and smooth out. Repeat the process until the entire box is covered. Let dry. As it dries it will harden making the box sturdy.

HOMEMADE SNO-GLOBES

A big hit for holiday gift-giving.

Materials Needed:

any kind of jars -- baby food jars are perfect

Small decorative items to go inside: little plastic animal and people figures, flowers, buildings, etc.

glitter

glycerin

1. Paint the jar lids in seasonal colors with oil-based enamel paint.

2. Sand the inside of the lid until the surface is rough.

3. With clear-drying epoxy, adhere the figurine to the inside of the lid and let the epoxy dry.

4. Fill the jar almost to the top with distilled water

5. add a pinch of glitter for the snow and a dash of glycerin to keep the glitter from falling too quickly. Don't add too much or the glitter will stick to the bottom of the jar when it's flipped.

6. Screw on the lid tightly, being careful not to dislodge the figurine.