Kids can exercise their imaginations with this posable peanut gallery, putting their finished elves to work carrying candy canes or skiing down the holiday slopes.

Materials

• Ballpoint pen
• Peanuts in the shells
• Brown pipe cleaners cut into 3-inch pieces
• Colored pipe cleaners
• Craft glue
• Mini googly eyes
• Pom-poms in assorted colors and sizes

• Fine-tip markers
• Scissors
• Felt, assorted colors
• Craft sticks
• Toothpicks
• Candy canes
• Ribbon

Instructions

1. Use the end of a ballpoint pen to poke 4 small holes through each peanut shell, 2 for the arms and 2 for the legs. Push a 3-inch piece of brown pipe cleaner through one armhole, then out the other for arms. Push another piece through one leghole and out the other, then wrap a small piece of different-colored pipe cleaner around the bottom of each leg for elf shoes.

2. Give the peanut a face by gluing on a set of googly eyes and a mini pom-pom nose, then draw on a mouth with a marker.

3. For an elfin cap, cut out a long, thin colored felt triangle with a base no longer than 2 inches, glue together the sides, and attach it to the peanut elf's head. Cut the point off the hat and glue a mini pom-pom to the top.

4. Now give the elf some props: a pair of craft-stick skis and some toothpick poles, or candy-cane cargo. For the finishing touches, glue a small loop of ribbon to the elf's hat to hang him on the tree.

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Related Categories:

• December/January 2003