Stick Vase

After leading hundreds of hikes, I've come to the conclusion that no self-respecting kid ever walks through the woods without breaking off a stick to carry. To put that stick-gathering impulse to good use, save them all for decorating this woodsy vase that even young children can make in minutes.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
Sticks (about 1/4 inch in diameter), clippers, an empty plastic peanut butter jar (or other empty jar), thick rubber bands, raffia or ribbon, glue and pinecones (optional).

HOW IT'S DONE:
Break or snip your sticks to about an inch longer than the jar. Put two rubber bands around the jar, one inch from the top and bottom. Now begin tucking the sticks under both rubber bands, placing them as close as possible to each other. Once you've surrounded the jar with sticks, slide the rubber bands together at the jar's middle, then cover them with a decorative bow. Glue on a few pinecones, then fill the vase with flowers. For campers uninterested in flower arrangements, this vessel also makes a fine pencil holder.

CAMP CRAFTER'S TIP:
When collecting sticks, encourage selectivity, rather than wanton deforestation. Suggest that your child look for fallen sticks, or if he's clipping a live branch, to take only a small sample.