Arts for Men

Are you a camp director, professor, or homeschool mom looking for a new arts and crafts idea for your children? Or maybe you are a recreation director at a senior centre or day care and could use a new project. Either way, this arts and crafts idea will be interesting and enjoyable for all. This glass box can be used, given as a present, or converted into a necklace purse.

To make the glasses box, you will need the following simple materials: a square of craft foam, plastic or large blunt needles, lanyard lace or thick yarn. Cut 2 rectangles from the foam, each 3-1/2 inches (9 cm.) by six inches (fifteen cm.). With a orifice punch, make holes on 3 sides of each rectangle, leaving one short side unpunched. Make the holes 1/2 inch apart and permit at least 1/4 inch between the orifice and the border of the craft foam. The holes need to line up so that the 2 pieces can be tangled together. In the case that you are preparing the craft for small children, you should make the holes yourself. Otherwise, the crafters can do this step if you have enough pairs of hole punches.

At this level the crafters can cut decorative shapes from other colors of craft foam, or you can buy sets of easy-cut foam shapes. If you are making the craft at a special event, like vacation Bible school, choose shapes that echo the theme of the event. For example, if the Bible school or camp has a cowboy theme, find figures that fit well, for example boots, cowboy hats, and stars. Let the children choose the shapes they prefer and glue on as desired. You might also like to provide beads or sequins to glue on as well, especially if the crafters are a bit older.

The next step in this arts and crafts idea is to thread the plastic needle with the yarn or lanyard lace. Yarn might be a bit easier to handle, but lanyard lace is shiny and attractive. In a pinch, some professors of small kids use a bobby pin as a needle. It is certainly a safe alternative. Simply loop the yarn through the opening and use the open end of the bobby pin as if it were the point of the needle. The children can now begin to lace the front and rear of the glasses box together.

To transform this arts and crafts idea into a necklace purse, simply attach a piece of lanyard lace to each corner making a long handle. Kids will have fun using this box as a place to store secret notes and tiny objects. If they’d prefer, they can give the glasses case to a parent, grandparent, or friend who wears glasses. Either way, this arts and crafts idea will be interesting for all.