Crafting in the New Year
The holiday season is upon us, and everyone is preparing for Christmas, upholding the usual yearly traditions: baking dozens of cookies, decorating the tree, ringing up the lights, hustling to get the shopping done and visiting Santa.
Every year at my house, once the cookies are gobbled up and the decorations come down, there is always a certain air of sadness at the holiday’s passing, but then I remember that I get to ring in the New Year with my closest friends and family.
By the time Christmas comes and goes, I am usually all crafted out, but this year, I decided to try an idea I saw while surfing the web a couple years ago.
A lot of us celebrate the New Year with kids, and this New Year’s Eve ball drop craft is perfect for kids of all ages, or for adults like me that have a particularly strong childlike passion for the holidays.
Kids will not only get to enjoy making the project, but it will make that popular tradition of watching the ball drop more exciting for them, too.
I started out with the following supplies, all purchased at my neighborhood Wal-Mart: Styrofoam balls, acrylic gems, beading wire, StyroGlue, scissors and a paintbrush.
First, I used the pointed end of the paintbrush to poke a hole all the way through the center of one of my Styrofoam balls. Any long, sharp object will work here, but with kids, plastic or wood skewers will be safer.
For kids, it might be easier to leave the skewer in place, so they don’t lose sight of the hole.
Next comes the fun part. I started by meticulously placing glue on each little gem and sticking it to the ball, but after some time I realized it was easier to put the glue directly on the Styrofoam ball. (Side note: I don’t recommend paying the extra couple dollars for the StyroGlue; Elmer’s will work just fine.)
I used acrylic gems, but lots of other decorations will work: craft mirrors, sequins, glitter. I suggest taking the kids along to the store and letting them choose.
Once all my gems were in place, I had to let the ball dry. In order to assure that everything is in place and dry, it is best to let it sit overnight.
Once I was ready to hang the ball, I cut a piece of wire long enough to fit through and have some space on the ends. This part is usually a job for the parents. I tied a loop in one end for hanging, and I strung the wire through the hole I had made in the Styrofoam ball. It took a few tries for me because the wire kept poking into the spaces in the Styrofoam, but I got it.
When this step is done, the project is almost complete. Just add a clip to the untied end of the wire, hang the ball and when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, unclip the
LAURA DILLON — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA
wire. Voila! The ball will drop.
You can create one ball and designate one child to do the honors, or each kid can have their own. Either way, this project could quickly become a fun new tradition with the kids.