Getting out the laminator this week.  It just makes craft creations look so much better.  Could make key ring tags - use a hole punch on the laminated article.  Have got some lovely doodle designs to colour, cut into circles then laminate to make mats/ coasters.  Will sort out their names using graffitti font programs for them to colour - they will love it!

There are a number of printable photoframes around to colour.  I am going to photocopy them on to card.  Cut around them and cut out the middle ready.  Find some thicker cardboard for the backing and use double-sided sticky tape to seal on three sides.  I use coloured pencils not felt tips when possible.  Make sure they are all sharp and there is a good selection then kids don't complain and actually produce better looking articles.

Finding it so essential to have a really eye-catching very short activity for the last 10 minutes.  Decorating the love-heart biscuits worked a treat two weeks ago.  Not there with the right idea for tomorrow yet though!

Valentine's Day pipecleaner hearts, cards and love bugs

Valentines Day can be tricky unless you stress that it is all about showing that you love someone - even if it is your Mum!

Cards - through the year I save anything I find with hearts on so that it all comes out as new stuff today.  It is always good to do a few examples to provide inspiration.  Punches are good investments and you can always punch hearts in advance if you wish.

Pipecleaner hearts - take one pipecleaner and fold in half.   Thread beads on each end.  Join ends together and form in to a heart shape.  Use ribbon to make a hanging loop (ask ladies to cut them out of their jumpers, T-shirts - they are annoying anyway!).
Here's the examples I made earlier:

It's important to make at least one that doesn't look too stereotypically girlie.

Lovebugs - I really need a use for the dozens of pompoms I have accumulated. Check out activityvillage.co.uk for ideas.

Could also of course make some heart-shaped biscuits and they can decorate with icing pens and 'Love Heart' sweets.

Butterfly sun-catcher take 2, Muffins, old video and DVD cases, paper rockets

Well the cutting out of the templates for the butterflies defeated me last week so I am just going to do very simple ones with my own template ready so that the less artistic can just draw round it with black A4 paper folded in half.  You can open out, glue pieces of crumpled tissue paper over the cut-out section which will be great for using up the vast pile in my scrap box.  Pipe cleaners can be stapled on to make the body and antennae.  The black border can be decorated with sequins, stickers etc.  I will let you know.

It is muffin week this week.  I am off to buy very cheap plastic bowls so that 3 pairs can make small quantities each.  Great as they do not need very precise mixing.  It is a good idea to have amounts weighed out first.  I use fairtrade chocolate bars and get them to cut up as still much cheaper than buying chocolate chips which usually aren't fairtrade.  Double choc ones are the favourite.

Now I am saving old video boxes.  Kids can decorate a piece of paper same size as the sleeve then slip it in.  Think they will be about the right size for holding petit fours for Mother's Day.  So a trip round charity shops needed.  

See a lovely idea today for how to make a pencil holder/ case out of a DVD case.

And lastly an idea for paper rockets - one to only attempt in the last 10 minutes when boredom is creeping in.  

You will need paper, glue, Sellotape and a plastic straw.Put glue on one of the longer edges. Then role the paper around a pencil starting from the opposite side.  Remove the pencil.
Close the top of the rocket with the tape.
Insert a plastic straw and blow.