Mini-Pretzel Wreath: Valentine's Day Craft
Create a circle of love out of your kid's favorite snack!
Submitted by
Sonam Adinolf
Sonam Adinolf
Mini pretzels are not only an addictive snack. They make fabulous crafting materials, as well. Have your kid break open a bag, and between bites she can create this cool Valentine's Day wreath.
- Mini-pretzels:About 14 per wreath (and another three dozen or so for your mouths).
- White glue
- Paintbrush
- Embellishments:Like conversation hearts, red and pink bows and ribbon, heart-shaped buttons, mini silk or paper roses.
- Red glitter
- Hot-glue gun and glue sticks:Kids and hot glue don't mix, so make sure you do all the gluing!
- Scissors
- Red ribbon
- Wax paper:One large sheet.
Lay down a piece of wax paper to protect your work surface.
Have your kid place seven mini pretzels next to each other in a tight circle, salty side down.
Help her squeeze a line of white glue right where each of the pretzels touches the next pretzel. Don't use hot glue, it won't hold. For this step, regular old Elmer's will do the trick.
Have her grab another seven pretzels and carefully help her coat the salt-free side of each pretzel with white glue using the paint brush.
As she coats each pretzel in glue, have her stick it (glue side down) onto the ring that you glued together in step 3. Each pretzel should be centered on the joint between two of the bottom pretzels.
Once the top layer of pretzels has been set, have your kid fill the joints between the top layer of pretzels by squeezing on a line of white glue.
Let the whole thing dry for about an hour. In the meantime, go ahead and chow down on the leftover pretzels.
When it's dry, flip the wreath over, paint on a thin layer of white glue and sprinkle glitter onto it to give it a little shimmer.
Let it dry and then it's time for the fun part.
Cut a piece of red ribbon long enough to circle the wreath twice.- Then, help your little cupid carefully weave the ribbon through the pretzels, looping it through the holes and over the joints. Tie it in the back. (You'll want to have her start on the back side so the knot is hidden.)
- Next, get your kid to gather all of her embellishments and have her play with them and figure out exactly how she wants them placed before gluing them on (because once they're on there, there's no turning back).
- Help her hot-glue them onto the wreath and let them set.
- Loop a ribbon through the top for hanging and you've got some sweet Valentine's Day décor that should last longer than that heart-shaped box of chocolates.
- Can't resist snacking on those pretzels? Make your wreath edible by substituting melted chocolate for the glue. You might have to use a lot of chocolate (or even dip the pretzels to get a good stick (but when was a lot of chocolate ever a problem? Just be sure to leave off all the non-edible embellishments!
Submit!
