A Little Light

Hello Quarantined friends. Raise your hand if you’re wondering how many days of cheese quesadillas you’ve got in your fridge. Better yet, how many cheese quesadillas you can serve before everyone starts to get sick of them….or each other. Like you, I’m bracing myself for the weeks/months ahead, and hoping that our efforts to flatten the curve aren’t too late. And all I can believe is that — unlike that five-pound bag of kidney beans I snatched up for quarantine/hoarding purposes– we’re going to get through this.

Here’s a craft that’s sure to bring some light into your home. AND it 1) can occupy a child for up to a good hour or so 2) makes use of fine motor skills 3) isn’t too hard 4) results in something you *actually* want to keep. I’m not bashing anyone’s construction paper chains, but honestly, how many have you “accidentally” swiped into the trash bin?

You’ll need Mod Podge because it dries clear (although a regular glue like Elmer’s might work), some leftover scraps of tissue paper, and a jar. Those “Bonne Maman” jam jars work well in case anyone feels up for that last spoonful of marmalade kicking around in the fridge door.

How to do this:

1. Start by tearing/cutting strips of tissue paper, about½” – 1 ” wide .

2. Cut or tear the strips into squares. They can be any size, but I tend to go fingernail-size. You can go hand-torn (a more organic look) or scissor-cut (more mosaic-y.)

3. Cut or tear the strips into squares. They can be any size, but I tend to go fingernail-size. You can go hand-torn (a more organic look) or scissor-cut (more mosaic-y.)

4. Use your brush to paint a thin layer of Mod Podge over a small section.

5. Start sticking your squares on piece by piece.

6. Keep gluing and sticking until you’ve covered the candle holder to your heart’s content. I find that a slightly sticky finger helps in picking up the squares. If you have a small child, this might just be the natural state of their finger.

7. When you’re done, paint the whole thing with a thin layer of Mod Podge. Don’t worry, it dries completely clear and will pull the whole thing together.

Younger ones might walk away after a few minutes of concentration to go do something else, like pretend to be a dog, or give the sheepskin rug a trim, but don’t be discouraged. This is the type of project they can return to later to finish, even the next day. I got TWO days of quiet time out of this project with my 4-year old. Not bad for some old tissue paper and a jam jar.

8. Stick a candle in it, and light it up.