Festive shakers
by Kathy Cano-Murillo - May. 4, 2002 04:16 PM
The Arizona Republic
Here's a wonderful and easy craft for kids (and anyone else) that will help put the whole family in the fiesta spirit.

At a glance, it's hard to tell that these musical shakers are created from your average plastic drinking cups.

That fact won't even come to mind once you see how well they enhance the rhythm of the music, spirit and celebration behind the holiday.

Musical Cinco de Mayo Shakers

SUPPLIES:
• 2 colored plastic cups (8 ounces each)
• Scissors
• Assorted acrylics
• Paintbrush
• Assorted Mexican-theme stickers
• Miscellaneous embellishments: beads, glitter, sequins, etc.
• Party streamers in bright colors
• Hot glue
• 1/8 cup of sand, uncooked rice or seed beads

DIRECTIONS: Use the edge of the scissors to poke a 1/4-inch hole at the bottom of each cup. Decorate the outside of the cups with painted designs, stickers, glitter, sequins or beads. Turn the cups upside down and let dry.

Cut eight strips of party streamers, each 10 inches long. Fold four of the strips in half and use scissors to make vertical snips to create fringe. Twist the top of the fringed crepe paper (the edge that is not snipped). Add a bead of hot glue around the hole in the bottom of the cup and slip the twisted end of the crepe paper through it. Repeat process for the other cup and let dry.

Pour the sand or rice into one of the cups, then attach the two cups by adding a bead of hot glue around the rim of one of them. Press the other cup's rim onto the glued rim and hold firmly in place until the glue sets. Add a string of beads around the glued seam if desired.

TIP: Have Mom or Dad help with the glue gun and scissors.

VARIATION: While you're at it, make an extra set of shakers to take to Diamondbacks games. Decorate in purple and teal and add rattlesnake designs with paint pens or stickers.


* For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: back to school, Cinco DeMayo, Latin-inspired, multi-culti, recycled

They are cute, cuddly and easy to make -- we're talking sock monkeys. Throughout the years, they have been seen alongside everyone from David Letterman to Catwoman in Batman Returns and have become the object of affection in paintings, advertisements, comics and fan Web sites.
Although the classic version is the most popular, there are many kitschy crafters who are whip-stitching a variety of sassy sock monkeys.
Visit www.sockit2me.com or www.sockmonkey.com for inspiration. Fox River Mills Inc. keeps the spirit alive by producing a do-it-yourself kit, and it has shared a pattern and instructions. Sock monkey kits are available at Cracker Barrel locations.

Sassy Sock Monkey
SUPPLIES:
* 1 pair Original Rockford Red Heel socks
* Stuffing (nylon stockings, unwanted hosiery or cotton batting)
* Heavy-duty thread, red knitting yarn and needle
* Sewing machine
DIRECTIONS: Take sock No. 1 and turn it inside out. Sew seam (A) 1/2 inch on both sides of center of sock, starting 3 inches from the white heel and across the end of the top. Cut sock between seams and to within 1 1/2 inches of white heel. This will leave an opening in the crotch. Turn sock right side out and use the opening to stuff head, body and legs.
For the rest of the monkey, use sock No. 2 and refer to the pattern:
* Arms: Cut the upper part of the sock into two pieces. Seam the edges, round the ends and then stuff the arms.
* Mouth: Cut the heel from the sock, leaving a brown edge around the white. Fasten on the lower part of the face, whipping around the bottom; stuff and finish sewing around the top. The mouth can be improved by running a stitch of either black or white across the middle of the lips.
* Tail: Cut a 1-inch strip from the sock, taper to end of cuff on length of front of sock. Seam the edges and stuff.
* Ears: Cut the ears from the remaining brown part of the sole of the sock. Seam and hand-sew onto the head.
* Eyes: Sew or glue on wiggly eyes, buttons, felt, embroidery thread or sequins.
* Cap (optional): Cut off the toe from another sock, leaving 1/2 inch of brown to roll for a brim. Sometimes a fez is used for a cap.
VARIATIONS: Personalize the monkey by using doll clothes, which you may wish to make, for a dress, vest, jacket. Mix and match other kinds of long socks to create more colorful monkeys.

* For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: back to school, kids, sewing

La Loteria is the traditional Mexican bingo game which features colorful images such as La Luna, El Corazon and El Mundo. It was introduced south of the border in 1769. These days, the colorful imagery is used everywhere - from classrooms to advertising to artwork.

Now Phoenix artist Teresa Villegas has added a twist. She took her love for Loteria a step further and created a stunning art installation titled "La Loteria: An Exploration of Mexico." The images within the 54 oil-on-wood panels draw upon whimsical Mexican traditions, historical figures, gastronomy and pop culture. Her work made such an impact during its national exhibition that it inspired Don Clemente, owner of the most popular version of the game, to adapt Villegas' work into the "Nueva Version."

Villegas gave permission to use her images in this craft project celebrating Cinco de Mayo, the day that commemorates the Mexican army's victory over the French in 1862.

To read more about Villegas' art and to purchase the games, visit her Web site at www.teresavillegas.com.

La Loteria luminaria
Supplies
1 cylinder-shaped glass hurricane lamp, 9 inches by 4 1/2 inches in diameter
3 sheets of clear or white vellum paper
Color-copy machine
3 sheets of a Lotería game
Scissors
Foil tape
Double-sided tape
Glass votive holder with candle

Directions: Insert one sheet of vellum into the color-copier paper tray (either at a local copy center or on a home ink-jet printer). Lay the Lotería sheet on the copier glass and enlarge to 129 percent. Make the copy and repeat the process until you have three printed sheets.

Use scissors to trim the border of the printed vellum. Apply the double-sided tape to the edges of the sheet. One at a time, affix a sheet to the hurricane lamp so that the top edge of the vellum aligns with the top edge of the lamp. Repeat with the remaining sheets to cover the entire lamp. Trim off any excess vellum around the bottom of the lamp. Cut the foil tape into two strips, each measuring 9 inches long and 1/2-inch wide. Affix the tape around the top and bottom edges of the lamp. Set the glass votive holder with candle on a base and place lamp on top.

Tips and variations: Use the same application, except with family photos, copies of vintage book covers or colorful calendar pages. The printed vellum can also be used to make hanging lanterns or to line the outside of candles, partitions and more.



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* All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com

Labels: home decor, Latin-inspired, lights, multi-culti