This is a project that requires supervision for the first step. Decorating will keep the little girl's occupied without much help.
Materials
6-8 oz. styrofoam coffee cups
A cookie sheet or pizza pan
Bead Head Pins (to serve as hatpins)
Thick white glue (to attach trims)
Trims*
*Mom can furnish embellishments such as: nylon net, feathers, sequins, small buttons, small silk flowers, ribbons, etc.
The hats may be painted with acrylic paints. These are available at Wal-Mart in 4 oz. jars.
Instructions
Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F. Set cups on baking sheet, leaving plenty of room for the shaping. Watch them closely as it only takes about 30 seconds to shape them as shown. Remove immediately when they are the desired size and shape. Use the ones that result in a nice hat and discard any that don't suit you.
From this point, you can let the girls take over with help from you (if needed), depending on their ages.
By Harlean from Arkansas from Hot Springs, Arkansas
Editor's Note: Harlean has also provided a PDF of this craft Click here to download it.
I did these many different times with Sunday School groups. It's also fun to experiment and put some egg cartons in and watch them wiggle into weird shapes. We also colored with crayons on styrofoam meat trays and they act like shrinky dinks.
I use to work in an retirement village, and did crafts with them... I had them to fix the cups, I put them in the oven, and just like tv. I had some already for them to decorate. They had so much fun, and they gave them to their grand kids or kids that came to visit. Made their day.... kddid
We also made these for favors at a women's meeting. I wanted to add however a word of caution. The material used to make the styrofoam cups is very toxic to the lungs when placed in the oven. Use opened windows and fans to draft out the fumes and protect you and your children's lungs.
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