Halloween crafts can be created using a wide variety of recycled materials. Egg cartons can be cut and painted into bats or treat cups. Toilet paper rolls can be embellished with fabric or paper scraps to make a mummy.
"We love the pasta craft. You can use used cardboard cereal boxes as the base and glue different shaped pasta on to make a spiderweb, skeleton, jack-o-lantern," said Heather Williams, executive director of Art Explorium.
Williams provided instructions on using Popsicle sticks to create holiday puzzles. If you don’t have Popsicle sticks at home, you can purchase wooden craft sticks, she said. "We loved this one because kids love paint. This project appeals to children of all ages, and while it is simple enough for young children to do with adult help, it leaves room for creativity for older children. They can decide how they want their creatures’ faces to look," Williams said.
Popsicle Stick Puzzles
You will need:
>> 21 clean, uniformly sized Popsicle sticks or wooden craft sticks
>> Tempera paint in green, white and orange; additional colors if used for decorating
>> Tape
>> Permanent-ink markers
Directions:
>> Group Popsicle sticks as follows: eight sticks for Frankenstein’s monster, five for the ghost and eight for the jack-o’-lantern
>> Paint each set of sticks: green for Frankenstein, white for the ghost, orange for jack-o’-lantern. Let paint dry.
>> Tape the backs of the Popsicle sticks together in groups so they will stay put while you decorate them.
>> Using paint and/or permanent-ink pens, design silly faces on your Popsicle sticks.
>> Remove tape and have fun mixing up and reassembling your Halloween puzzles.
The Art Explorium
>> Where: 1142 Koko Head Ave.
>> Hours: Open studio hours from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays; 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays; 2 to 5 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays
>> Cost: $5
>> Information: Call 312-4316 or visit artexplorium.org.
