Spindle Snowmen!

Here is an easy simple craft you can do with your kids.  They will look real cute on your porch or beside the tree.

Materials Needed:

Porch Spindles (I got mine at Lowes for less than $2 each).
Rectangle Wooden Plaque (Walmart Craft Dept)
Strong Glue of your Choice (I used E6000)
Glue gun and glue sticks
White, Black, Orange, Light Pink Acrylic Paint
Paint Brushes
Black small Pom Poms or Black Buttons
Red and Green Felt
Scissors
Medium sized Jingle Bells

I started this craft by glueing the rectangle of wood to the bottom of my spindle.  When I was purchasing my spindles, I was careful to find ones that were even on the bottom and stood straight.  Check them before purchasing, sometimes they are crooked and lean.  I glued mine at night and left them to cure overnight. 

Now you can either spray paint your spindles or hand paint them.  I found that hand painting them was easier for me.  It applied two coats of white acrylic paint. 

Once dry, you can put on their felt hats.  Cut off a thin strip (about 1/2-3/4 inch) from the long side of the felt (you will use this strip to tie on his hat.  Fold over a section on the shorter side of the felt to make the brim of his hat (about 2 inches) and wrap around the top of your spindle leaving enough at the top to tie it off and snip into strips for the pom pom effect.  I'm guessing I left about 4 inches from the top of the spindle and use your glue gun to secure the felt to the spindle.  Tie off the 4 inches remaining (overhanging the top of the spindle) with your strip you cut, then use scissors to cut strips (1/2-3/4 inch strips)  in the hat top to create the pom pom effect as you see in the photo above.

Once your hat is finished you can start on your snowman face.  Using the end of a paintbrush, dip in black paint and dot the eyes.  Also using the end of a paintbrush, dip into orange paint and make a orange dot under the eyes, use a small paintbrush to paint the orange out to a point off to one side to create a carrot like nose.  Next, again with the end of a paintbrush, make a dot mouth with the black paint.  I used various sizes of paintbrushes.  To create the rosy cheeks, either use a paint brush to paint pink circles or use a small round sponge brush.  Last, once the eyes have dried, take a smaller paint brush end and put white dots inside the black eye dots (I will add a close-up of the face soon).  Now your face is completed.

To make the scarf, cut a strip of the opposite color about an inch and a half from the long side of the felt.  Tie around the spindle and glue in place and glue on a jingle bell.

Lastly glue on your button or pom pom buttons.

You will be pleased with your creation I'm sure! 

Happy Holidays from Kids4Crafts!

Kemi Doran