By Dena Fishbein
McClatchy-Tribune
Decorating for a party can be as much fun as the actual party! I had some colorful paper lanterns in my craft cupboard and thought it would be great to turn them into animal characters for a children’s party. They look so happy and festive when hung from the ceiling. Let your creativity run wild and make any type of animal… from foxes and owls to imaginative monsters. The more fun embellishments you have at your fingertips, the more inspired you will be!
Gather:
- Variety of paper lanterns in different shapes and colors (ovals, squares and rounds)
- Colored paper
- Scraps of fabric
- Scissors
- Embellishments such as feathers, pom-poms, ribbon, felt, boa, yarn and googly eyes
- Craft glue or glue dots
Create:
1. Bring out a nice variety of embellishments to get your creativity flowing!
2. Cut out and glue the facial features. If you’re doing this project with a small child (or group of children) you can lay out pre-cut shapes on the table for them to choose from.
3. Use fabric or felt for large shapes, like wings or tails. No need to hem any edges…keep it simple!
4. Finish with a variety of embellishments. You can use buttons or felt circles for eyes and fluffy pom-poms for cheeks and tails.
This project is a great starting point for many kinds of party decorations. Make baby animals with big eyes for a baby shower, or superhero creatures with capes for an older boy’s party. Or you can even make decorating the paper lanterns the main event and let the little guests take their animals home as a party favor!
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