(What's up with the catalog avalanche, anyway? It used to be the JC Penney Catalog and the Sears Big Book, and that was it. I'm just glad they can be recycled.) I counted the stack, and a couple other strays, and I had collected 15 in ONE week. Yikes.
So, as I was trying to think of something fun to do with them before they went into the recycling bin, I came up with a kid-friendly idea. Kiddie decoupage. (Unfortunately, no children were decoupaged during the making of this project.) Even better, kiddie decoupage on some of those boxes we keep getting in the mail. (Since when did cardboard become so ubiquitous? Cardboard boxes were such a rarity when I was a kid. Hmmm . . . a glut of catalogs and cardboard boxes. Could there be a connection? Ummmm . . . nevermind . . . Vern, you didn't just read that.)
Materials:
Catalogs
Previously-used cardboard boxes
Glue sticks
Scissors
Munchkins
Give the children their tools (age-appropriate scissors, please), and let them snip and trim to their hearts' content.
While they're doing that, take all of the tape and shiny labels off of the boxes. The glue stick glue won't stick very well to the glossy surfaces, and this saves a lot of frustration for the little ones.
Try to get them to cover the cardboard completely with the pictures they cut out. Glueing the edges down is helpful. Only the sides, and the larger flaps on top and bottom need covering, as the short flaps will be covered by the other flaps once the boxes are closed.
Do your best to keep them focused until the boxes are covered . . . but if not, Daddy will likely love it anyway. :o) And finally, voila!, you'll have works of art in which to nestle precious gifts from children to beloved relatives and friends. (Almost as good as wrapping gifts in comic pages, no?)
I don't have a finished photo yet of the boxes . . . naptime was finished before they were, and then dinnertime and bedtime and all of those other mandatory -times took precedence. They're coming along beautifully, though!
So, there's a way to use up fairly large portions of the catalogs, and reuse boxes, too. Double recycling karma points, eh? I can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with. I woud love to win the contest, but I'm afraid my contribution isn't as beautiful as other's will be. Here's to hoping. :o)
And lastly, a teaser . . .
Guess what those are???
Have a wonderful weekend!
