THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, December 19, 1995 TAG: 9512190035
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Sherrie Boyer
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
OUR NEIGHBOR, Joan, brought over the cutest little snowman the other day - made of marshmallows. The children just ate it up, literally. Now we're making more - and it's the all-time-easiest winter craft of all. And just maybe the best, too.
Listed here are just a few ideas of favorite winter crafts from friends, neighbors and family.
I never mind a messy craft, but listed here you'll find ones that don't make much mess at all.
These are carefree projects, the ones with easy supply lists and minimal clean up. Enjoy.
The snowmen are first. Joan used to make these when her eight children were small. Now she does them in her classroom at school. They are so simple, yet offer such elaborate possibilities, that your children will want to make a tray full. I can just picture a bevy of these snowmen surrounding a village display among the greens.
To make a single snowman, ask your child to count out two fat marshmallows and four mini-marshmallows from the bag. Have them lick one of the big ones on its end, then stick the other big one to it, end to end. Stand it on the table. To the lower marshmallow, lick and stick the end of each of the four minis, letting them poke out as stubby hands and feet so it looks like the snowman is sitting with his arms and legs are spread out for a hug. He's nearly done now.
Color toothpicks with an orange magic marker. Break them in half. Poke one half into the top marshmallow (the head) as a carrot nose. With a fine-tip black marker, dot two eyes and a mouth. With a big marker, dot three buttons down the front. Tie a ribbon around as a scarf.
While he sits there, smiling at you and your child, contemplate a hat. You can use a candy kiss, a round peppermint or a very large gumdrop. A dried apricot makes a nice beret. An Oreo could work. Candy corns around the rim pointing in would give a dunce cap. Just lick the top marshmallow and the hat will stick.
You can also make a hat. Cut a 3-by-4-inch square of bright construction paper. Fold it in half lengthwise. Bend down the two folded corners to make a point, then fold up each edge twice so you'll have a little brim for a triangle cap.
If you plan to give the little snow people as gifts (and expect them to be eaten), dab on food coloring with toothpicks or cotton swabs for eyes and buttons. Or poke in cloves, a child's pop-beads or stick pins (for older children). Consider sequins or beads for eyes and buttons. Or try red-hots, miniature M&Ms or nuts. And instead of licking (and passing germs to the recipient), use a wet paper towel.
Joan also recommends gumdrop animals, to keep the snowmen company. Use two or three big gumdrops as the body, sticking them together by threading them onto a toothpick. Use other toothpicks to hold small gumdrops as legs and a big gumdrop as a head. Tie ribbon as scarves or leashes. Use ready-made icing as glue to hold sprinkles, miniature chocolate chips, etc. on as eyes. A red-hot could be Rudolf's nose.
We're still in the kitchen. Now it's time to make candy ornaments to eat, hang on the tree or give as gifts. Pick up a bag of hard candies (Brach's makes a nice assortment of miniature rounds for about $1.50/bag at the grocer). Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place 8-10 of the candies around the tray. They'll spread.
Bake in a 300-degree oven for 10 minutes. The candies will spread into lovely medallions.
Let them rest just a second or two, then immediately etch holes for the ribbon with a toothpick, ballpoint pen or pencil. The cookie sheet will still be hot when you do this, so put the children's hands in mitts if they are to help hold the tray still. If you do more than a handful of candies at a time, they'll harden before you can get holes in each one.
When the candy cools completely, the children can easily peel the ornaments from the foil. Help them string and tie the ribbons. The prettiest results come from decorative hard candy, although you can break apart candy canes as well. Candy with soft centers won't work. Whatever isn't eaten will keep nicely for next year, wrapped in plastic wrap. This is the perfect, low-stress, home-baked holiday gift.
This last idea isn't so much a craft as it is food.
Make old-fashioned cinnamon rice pudding with the children, taking care around the stove. Place three cups milk, three tablespoons sugar, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon vanilla in a pot. Stir to mix and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and stir in 6 tablespoons uncooked, regular rice (not instant). Cover and let simmer one hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the milk is almost absorbed. The mixture should bubble gently as it cooks. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 cup raisins. Cover again and let set about 10 minutes. Serve warm or chilled with a dash of nutmeg. by CNB