Kid Craft: Box Chain Pendant and Ring

The boy stayed home from school again yesterday. He has a cold. I don't like sending him out amongst the other children when he's phlegmy and sneezing and carrying used tissues in his hand all day. I don't want him to contaminate people. Except me. That's what mothers are for.

So he stayed with me. And you know what happens when he stays home from school... He asks - nay begs - for a craft. Though the begging isn't necessary. I never say no to crafting. Ever. And since getting your responses to the letter from Kapila, I've been thinking about those box chains and just how I would use some of your brilliant ideas. Today was my chance.

The boy and I selected only the finest of junk mail for the job along with some scraps of coloured construction paper. We cut these into 1/4 inch (6 mm) strips, and built some tiny box chains. It was a great craft for the boy (who's seven by the way); a little, but not too, challenging. He picked up the concept quickly and really enjoyed watching each little chain grow.

Note: I'm assuming you know how to make these little box chains. Do you? Maybe I should never assume. We all know what happens when I do that... Okay, so you take two strips of paper, glue the ends 90° to one another, and start folding the strips over each other one at a time maintaining perpendicularity always. Perpendicularity. That is the key. You know this.

We turned the finished chains into small wreath shapes as the talented Melissa suggested. As soon as he saw these, the boy knew what he was making: jewelry for his best little girlfriend. And for himself too.

We made rings and pendants. For the rings, we glued the ends of a chain together. To make the pendants, we glued 2 of these rings (one small, one large) to a circle pendant made from a cereal-box-cardboard-circle-on-a-string.

I think the jewelry idea turned out famously. So sweet. The junk mail makes for really pretty multi-coloured chains.

Warning: Expect more box chain crafts. I have a whole list to get through yet. One suggestion was a skirt, right Maya? That should be most interesting. But I can now strike necklace off the list. Pendant is the same as necklace wouldn't you say? Think so.

Okay then. Have a great day. I'll see you again real soon!