One of the all time top 10 toys is a big empty cardboard box. The kind copy paper comes in, or with stratospheric luck, the kind a new washing machine or refrigerator comes in!
For a birthday party with a dozen moms and 3 year olds a long time ago (my kids are now 15 or so), I once snagged a big tall box and made a puppet theater. The idea was to have the kids make a puppet out of a glove or sock and then put on a show. I cut out a window a little above where the kids' height was, attached a rod and a split piece of fabric to slide along for the curtain, and covered the outside with brick pattern contact paper. The contact paper was really the only expense.
It turned out nice enough that I donated to a preschool class after the party.
Well, I am still playing with boxes!
By sheer luck I picked up this book at the library sale shelf on making fabric covered boxes some months ago:
The original purpose was for giving as a birthday gift, with some supplies to a friend of my daughter. But we went another route, and I realized I WANTED THE BOOK.
Inside are patterns for many many box shapes and sizes. A brief read of the instructions and there was NOTHING terribly hard or unusual. It called for various kinds of cardboard, hot glue and a razor blade to make good cuts.
It seems I have an endless supply of cardboard! Cereal boxes, cracker boxes, soda cartons, corrugated boxes from house project hardware, and on and on - all FREE. AND I LOVE reusing and recycling!!
Also by sheer luck I have been loaded up with surplus beaded trims by a sewing friend and by my sister. (This is what happens when people know you make stuff, they give you lots of supplies!). The book is lush in decorating ideas, but I have plenty of ideas of my own!
A perfect use for the trims, the fabric scraps and my endless supply of cardboard. I would give box making a try.
So here's a teaser of a date with my scissors and glue over the weekend. This was a diamond shaped lidded box.
Come back and see it done tomorrow!