Kid Craft: Monster Baby Finger-Puppets

Um... despite the uncanny resemblance, I am not your mommy...

Oh hi there, happy Friday!

With Halloween on the way, I thought today's super-quick craft was fitting. It was inspired by the teensy monster babies in Microcrafts, the book I reviewed in Wednesday's post. The original monster babies in the photo below are made of embroidered felt.

Monster Babies from Microcrafts designed by Holly Keller

Using Holly Keller's monster baby concept, I cobbled together a little finger-puppet from teeny bits of construction paper and a plastic milk carton seal.

My little one is unusually terrified of any and all odd-looking characters. I thought that maybe these tiny and extremely benign monster finger-puppets might be a good way to re-introduce him to monsters, and ever so gently work away at that fear.

As you can see, this craft is the definition of simple. Make a monster baby the size of the plastic milk carton seal from a few scraps of construction paper. Flip the plastic seal inside out. Glue the little guy onto the seal. You now have a diminutive monster finger-puppet!

Alternatively, if you leave the seal in its original position, you have yourself a monster baby ring.

He's sort of irresistible in an "I'm-desperate-for-love-I'm-a-monster-after-all" kind of way...

And his friends seem to pop up out of nowhere. That's what monsters do I guess. Though, they are extremely polite. Surprisingly!

No... But thank you very much for asking.

Have fun dreaming up all kinds of monster baby finger-puppet play with your kids!

Have a fabulous weekend. And to my fellow Canadians: "Happy Thanksgiving!" I'll see you Monday!

Review - Microcrafts: Tiny Treasures to Make and Share

Disclosure: After being approached by Quirk Books to do a review of their new publication "Microcrafts: Tiny Treasures to Make and Share", I received a free copy of the book. All opinions stated below are my own.

Tiny books designed by Melissa Jacobson

What is Microcrafts?

• Microcrafts is a craft book containing the instructions to create 25 tiny projects from available "odds and ends". Published © 2011 by Quirk Books, the book was compiled by Margaret McGuire, Alicia Kachmar, Katie Hatz and friends. The photography is by Steve Blekowitz.

Monster babies designed by Holly Keller

What do I like about the book, you might ask inquisitively?

• I don't know if it's obvious yet but I like to bounce happily between types of crafting. I get bored easy. That's how I am. This book, with its variety of crafts in an array of materials and techniques appeals to that fickle side of me.

• In this book, there's something for you and there's something for me. Microcrafts is accessible to all levels of crafters from beginner to experienced.

• From the outset, the authors state that most of these projects, because of their mini-stature, can be made in very little time with stuff you already have. That, I love!

• The layout of this book is ideal. You see the full-colour full-page photo of the finished craft, and then immediately next to it are the actual-size templates and easy-to-follow instructions to make the project happen.

• There are some really pretty crafts in the book by a number of talented contributors. A few of my favourites include the tiny greeting cards by Larissa Holland, the miniature books by Melissa Jacobson, and the monster babies by Holly Keller (all pictured in this post, by the way.)

Greeting card designed by Larissa Holland

If this were my book how would I change it, you might well wonder?

• With a world of tiny possibilities at their fingertips and knowing that the authors were unconstrained by the type of crafting, I would have liked the book to contain a few really unusual projects, something to make me sit up and exclaim: "Well isn't that clever!"

But overall, my opinion of the book is this: Microcrafts: Tiny Treasures to Make and Share is a beautifully photographed, very well-constructed book, showcasing an assortment of attractive and teeny-tiny projects.

You have a great day now. I'll be back on Friday with a sweet and simple craft inspired by Microcrafts!