Gwennie's "Lovey-Pop People"

I think I invented lollipop puppets when I made a person lollipop. I just wanted to have a head. I wanted to eat the lollipop, but I saved it under my pillow, I think.

The first one was a really silly one, with the dress going around her. I should have done it the other way -- where you put the dress straight on her, and tape it on the back and front and bottom and top.

Big sister and kitty

Ingredients:
a piece of paper
wire
a lollipop (that's the importantest)
tape

Tools:
wire cutters
pencils
scissors

Little sister and brother

First, you need to cut out a square. Then you color on the square. Then you tape the square onto a lollipop. The square is for the dress.

Then, you cut out two even pieces of paper, then you measure it, see how long the pieces of paper are, then you tape the wire onto one piece of paper and tape the other piece of paper on top of the wire. That's the arms. So, you just get some more tape, and tape the arms on. If you want to do a boy, you can do a shirt. The girls just have skirts with arms. The boys? No, they don't have any arms -- they just have shirts, shirt sleeves or long sleeves.

Baby and candy purse

And then -- it might be the hardest -- put some tape if you want eyes on the face, then draw eyes. If you want to do the hair, you have to collect it from when your brothers or sisters -- or you! -- have haircuts. Then tape it on. Or you can cut it out and color it, or just have them have white hair. But if it's a different color piece of paper, just leave it, or color it differently. If you want legs, do it the same as arms, but two of them, and shorter.

To make a bag or a purse, whatever you want, you cut out walls and a bottom and then do an opening that can open and close, and tape it together. And if you wanted a handle, cut out a skinny, long piece of paper, and tape it on the top as well. And then you can put small little things in there, and candy, that's what I did.

(Instructions by Gwendolyn.)

Fortune Tellers

I don't know what these are really called, but chances are, you all remember them. Searcy's sent one to Zoe for her birthday and it was so fun I had to make them for Liam and Lydia also. One thing that is so fun about them is you can customize the insides to fit what interests your child has at the time. Instead of telling fortunes ours had actions. Such as: "make a funny face", "hop on one foot", or "try to make someone laugh". They can also include questions: "What is your favorite food"?
To make them (if you don't recall), take a square of paper (8.5X8.5 works, we used 12X12) crease down the middle both ways and unfold. Take the corners and fold each one into the middle, lining them up perfectly. Turn the paper over and fold in each corner to the middle(just like the other side). At this point it is ready for labeling and playing. Let me know if you need instructions from here.

Gwennie's chain necklace

I taught myself how to make straw paper chains one day during quiet time. It's good for necklaces, rings, and bracelets. I'd like my cousins to try this, especially Zoe.

To make a straw paper chain you have to cut a straw, and then you have to put the straw you cut onto another to make the chain longer. It can very easily break, so you can put it in a cup or glue it. You have to be careful with a necklace because it's very fragile.

I'd like my cousins to show me some of the things they think up.

Love, Gwendolyn