| ISSUE 41 • 7 OCTOBER 2007 | |
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Editorial Thanks to everyone who has pre-ordered a copy of the new Kids Craft Weekly mini-book! I can't tell you how excited I am about it. Hopefully it'll be back from the printers before the next newsletter is due out so stay tuned! If you haven't done so, you can still pre-order a discounted copy for the next two weeks. It's been a big thrill to see some Kids Craft Weekly crafts being documented out in blogland. Here are some of the great posts that I've come across:
I hope you enjoy the newsletter. If your kids love the train theme you have Vicki to thank for the great suggestion. Happy crafting and I'll see you next time!  Amber Carvan editor@kidscraftweekly.com |
This cute freight train is really quite simple to put together and it makes a really fun toy. In fact, we'll be buying more matchboxes tomorrow so that the kids can have one each – Ella wants to paint her one pink and stick rhinestones on it! You will need • four matchboxes • acrylic paint • buttons or black stickers • scissors • glue • marker pen • ribbon • button Directions 1. Pull the trays out of all four matchboxes. For this craft you will need both parts of three matchboxes, plus the lid from a fourth matchbox cut in half. Paint the outside of all these pieces with acrylic paint.  2. Line up the lids, place a length of ribbon over the top and tape them on.  3. Then glue/tape the trays on the top as pictured. Then glue on a bead to make a funnel.  4. Stick on some buttons or stickers for wheels. Use scrunched up aluminium foil for lights and fill with some dried beans or gravel. 
Need a special circuit for your matchbox train to travel on? This simple play tray is just the ticket! You will need • a cardboard tray • acrylic paint • matchsticks • glue • green tissue or crepe paper Directions 1. Paint the background of your tray. When the background paint is dry, paint or draw on two lines, a little under a matchstick width apart, to form your track.  2. Squeeze glue lines across the track and pop match sticks on them.  3. Add some bushes, trees or other embellishments by scrunching up green crepe paper and dipping it in glue.  4. Allow to dry before taking your train on it's maiden journey! 
To make this fabulous train picture you may have to track down some specific packaging – cardboard but with a clear plastic window in the front. We used small boxes that had been filled with jelly beans. You will need • cardboard packaging with windows • sticky tape • scissors • pens and pencils • coloured paper • length of ribbon • flat magnets (we simply cut up the free magnets with advertising on them) • strong glue Directions 1. Turn your packaging from this...  to this...  ...by unfolding and flattening it, then cutting it to size and taping along three sides. We also painted over the branding. 2. Cut a coloured piece of paper to the same size as your rectangle and draw on some passengers.  3. Then slip the coloured paper into the window packaging and add some sticker wheels.  4. Now it's time to make the engine. I haven't provided a picture to download as it's a very simple concept. Simply draw an engine outline on a piece of coloured card, cut an oval in a contrasting colour and stick it to the front of the engine. Add some wheels and a driver if you wish.  5. Lay the engine and carriages face down on a flat surface, in a straight line and place the ribbon on top and tape it down. Once you've taped the ribbon on, glue on the magnets. Here's the view from the back:  And here's the front:  6. Once the glue is dry, stick the train to the fridge!  |
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