Media Clip Craft

Turn a crumby clothespin into a crafty picture holder!

Submitted by
Kayla Chong

Stick this year's school picture on top of your creation and ... voila! You've got the grandparents' holiday gift with this clever craft!

Old-fashioned clothespin:
Dryers may have made these puppies obsolete, but we like to keep them around for cool craft projects. The "newer" clothespins (it's all relative) with the spring will work best.
Modeling clay
Tempera paint & paintbrush
Construction paper
Scissors
Pencil
Glitter
Markers
Clear contact paper (optional)

If you're still hanging tighty-whities out in the breeze to dry (much to your neighbor's annoyance), snag a clothespin from the clothesline. If you use a dryer, just pick up a bag of clothespins at your local crafts store.
Have your child sculpt a piece of modeling clay into a base. She can make a plain old circle for a base, or create a more sophisticated shaped one, like a heart or a cube.
Next, have her stick the clothespin, clamp-side up, into the modeling clay.
Have your child choose a design for her picture holder. She can make a holiday-themed holder (like a heart-shaped Valentine's Day one or a Christmas tree-patterned one) or she can make a cool everyday picture holder in the shape of a flower, tree, star, etc.
Have her paint the clothespin in a color suited to her theme. For example, pink for Valentine's Day.
While the clothespin is drying, break out the construction paper and help your child trace a large shape on it. It should be big enough to cover the clothespin.
Help her carefully cut out the shape and decorate it with glitter or markers. She can write the recipient's name on it, or jot down the year. Let her artistic juices flow!
If you want to make the holder a little more durable, laminate the construction paper between two pieces of clear contact paper and trim around the construction paper shape.
Help your child glue the shape onto the clothespin.
Slip a photo in the clamp and presto! She's got a great homemade picture holder.
Wrap it up, and have your little one give it to Grandma. The perfect inexpensive, personalized holiday gift. Go ahead and take the cash you saved on this year's gift for the in-laws and get a little something for yourself. We won't tell!