Little Leprechaun Craft

Difficulty: Medium Time: 1 hour

I don't know if the rest of you collect used TP tubes, but I do! My hubby thinks this is an intentional attempt to drive him insane (his nickname at our house is 'Garbage Man,' because his love of tossing things in the trash), but I actually find a use for them once in a while, and here's a good one!

Supplies:

• TP Tube (or paper towel)
• Green Craft Foam or Cardstock (I used cardstock)
• Black Craft Foam or Cardstock (I used cardstock)
• Paint in Green (to match the paper), and Skin Tone
• Black Permanent Marker
• Brown Pipe Cleaners
• Tacky Craft Glue or Hot Glue
• Small shamrock button, confetti, or other (optional)

1. Trace around the TP roll onto the green craft foam. Draw a larger circle around the first (about 1/4- 1/2 inch wider), and cut both out. This will be the hat top and brim. ALSO, cut a strip arpx 5" by 1/2" for arms

2. Trace around the TP roll unto the black craft foam, and add a sort-of-heart to one end....this will be the feet.

3. Paint the TP roll green, let dry, then paint a U shape for the face, and hands. Allow to dry. Use the black permanent Marker to draw eyes, mouth, shirt, belt, pant legs and fingers. Add rosy cheeks with crayon or use a pinkie finger on a pink stamp pad.

4. Coil pipe cleaners around a pencil or pen to make curly hair, and glue around face for beard, and around back of head for hair. I like hot Glue better than craft glue, but be careful not to get burned AND know that you can melt the foam sheets if your not careful.

5. Glue brim of hat on top of hair/beard. Glue feet on bottom of tube. Glue arms around back and onto hands. Glue top of Hat into TP roll

(optional, glue partially on, but leave most of the top hat open. Then fill with candies, and give as a gift with the poem that follows)

6. Glue decorative button or confetti, or whatever to hat brim.

Now your little guy is done! Leave him as is, or give him as a gift. I left the majority of my little guys hat unglued (see step 5) and filled with gold wrapped candies (or gold chocolate coins). Then I wrote this poem, and gave these as gifts to my kids grandparents. The type-o's are intentional, it's supposed to be read in an 'irish' accent!

Leprechaun Poem:

Ah, shore now, ye've caught me,

don't take yer eyes off me

er I'll vanish as like ye've been told.

Wish for health, or long life

Happiness and no strife,

but nay, not a wish fer me leprechaun's gold.

Now be quick about it, three

is all ye get from me

not four, nay no more, nay, never.

Ye want happiness? Well then

quit chasin' rainbows that don' end

Now wish two, and I'll be just as clever.

Two is fer ye health?

(eh, I thought it'd be wealth)

Done! Ye'll be well 'til yer old!

Take yer time about three,

Shore ye wont outwit me....

WHAT!?! Dare ye wish fer the gold?

Ah, the forces that be,

that is always wish three.

Ah, well, I'll tell all in ye ear.

Come in close, tip me hat,

Thar's the gold, that be that,

Don't blame me when it all disappears!

From your little Leprechauns,

(all my kids)

Then, inside the leprechaun is, of course, the candy 'gold!' Feel free to use this poem, or alter to your wish, just link back to me so others know where it's from!