Mary Had a Little Lamb, Part Two: Mary

Before I start this craft, I want to digress for a moment and talk about how important it is to follow your bliss--do what makes you happy. As most of you know, for the past year I have been doing crafts every Tuesday at the most excellent Sprout Soup store. I really love doing crafts--and even better, helping KIDS do crafts. The joy they get out of taking something mundane, such as a toilet paper tube and turning it into something adorable is just priceless. So that has been part one of following my bliss.
Then, I decided that I wanted to help more people craft with their kids. So many parents don't take the time to let their kids make a mess and I think this is sad. So, I started blogging about it. It was nice to do something everyday (though I admit a tad overwhelming at times). My kids love it and I love it. We grow closer together as a family and spend time with each other that might otherwise have been wasted. This makes me happy too. So this blog is helping me marry my love of crafts, my love of writing and my love of spending time with my kids. What could be better. THIS is my bliss. And I love you for sharing it with me. :)
Dare I say my end goal would be to get a book published about crafting with kids? Maybe I dare not say it. Doesn't change the fact that it IS my end goal...and the pot at the end of the rainbow!
(For more information about following your bliss and the “A Great Day / Blissdom Conference Pass Giveaway”, check out this website!)

Aside over--now let's get on to making Mary!

Mary Had A Little Lamb, Part Two: Mary

The Rhyme:
Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb.
Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow.
Everywhere that Mary went, Mary went, Mary went,
Everywhere that Mary went the lamb was sure to go.


Age: 4 & up, younger with help
Difficulty rating: 3 out of 5 (younger kids need more help)
Messiness rating: minimal

Yesterday we made the lamb...today we make Mary. I admit, I am floundering a little as how to do this. Toilet tissue roll to make it proportional? Or clothes pin to make it easier?
Hm.
Alright, toilet tissue roll it is! Can't have Mary being overshadowed by the lamb, can we now?

Supplies:
Toilet Tissue Roll
Felt--for face & hands, dress, hair (alternately could use yarn or ribbon for hair, and fabric scraps for the dress) Or construction paper for all
Craft glue
Googly eyes
Tissue to stuff in tube
Template (see below...still need to work on THAT)
Marker for face

The Craft:

1. Cut out body, hair, top, bottom, shoes and hands.
2. Assemble the top & bottom--but do not put on the tissue tube yet. They fit together like a puzzle piece, with the arms coming down on either side of the overall bib.
3. Glue those pieces to the body piece, making sure you are putting the "clothes" on at the bottom and leaving room for the head.
   
4. Glue on the hands and the shoes.
5. Glue the body & etc to the tissue tube.
   
6. Now, comes the hair. I fringed the "bangs" so they would look better.
   
7. Glue the front of the hair on the front of the doll, right above where her eyes will be.
   
8. Glue the back of the hair on the back of the doll.
   
9. Use the side "tabs" to round off the squareness of the hair and cover the opening of the tissue tube. An adult might have to do this--this is a tricky step.
   
10. Glue on the googly eyes.
11. Draw on her face.
    

And there you have Mary. Put her together with the sheep you made yesterday and let the shenanigans begin!
(And no, the lamb is not drunk, just listing severely. I think I need to make a different lamb. SO unhappy with this mangy one!)

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