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Sonoma Family Life Magazine

Lucky Leprechaun Art

For one day in March, the ends of rainbows promise pots of gold, and four-leaf clovers grant us a bit of good luck. You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. All you need is a little green garb and a festive spirit. Here are a few activities to get your celebration started.

SHIMMERY SHAMROCK CARD

Heart-shaped stencil, pencil, green and white construction paper, scissors, glue, paintbrush,

green glitter, markers.

  1. Use stencil, pencil, and green paper to create three hearts. Cut out.
  2. Fold white construction paper in half to make a card.
  3. On the front side of the card, glue hearts in a cluster with the bottom ends of the hearts overlapping to create a shamrock. Cut out a stem from the remaining green paper and glue in place.
  4. Use a paintbrush to spread glue over the shamrock leaves and stem. Sprinkle with green glitter and shake off excess. Let dry.
  5. Write “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” on the front cover with a marker. Open the card and include this festive greeting, or create one of your own: “May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.”

TASTY RAINBOW FINGERPAINT

Six zip sandwich bags, Cool Whip whipped topping or vanilla pudding, food coloring, scissors, cookie sheet, camera.

  1. Place one-half cup of whipped topping into each of the six bags.
  2. To create the colors of the rainbow, place the following drops of food coloring into each respective bag: Red bag: 3 drops red; orange bag: 2 drops red, 3 yellow; yellow bag: 3 drops yellow; green bag: 3 drops yellow, 1 blue; blue bag: 3 drops blue; violet bag: 5 drops red, 1 blue.
  3. Remove excess air from each bag before zipping closed.
  4. Mix food coloring with the whipped cream in each bag by pressing it with your fingers until the colors blend.
  5. Use scissors to snip off the bottom corner of each bag.
  6. Squirt whipped cream onto a cookie sheet, and use your fingers to draw a picture. Take a snapshot to remember your masterpiece, then gobble up your creation.

ST. PATTY’S POSIES

Carnations, daisies, or other white flowers, glass with water, green food coloring, green ribbon.

  1. Place five drops of food coloring into the glass of water.
  2. Cut flower stem ends at an angle and place in colored water.
  3. Wait 24 hours. Water will travel through the stalk and turn the white flowers green.
  4. Gather into a bouquet, tie a green ribbon around the stems, and give as a gift.

TATER TOM LEPRECHAUN

Large potato, washed and dried, olive slices (for eyes), carrot rounds (for ears), celery slice (for nose), bell pepper strip (for mouth), toothpick pieces or straight pins, old cookie sheet, styrofoam cup, green acrylic paint, paintbrush, black and yellow construction paper, pencil, ruler, scissors, glue.

  1. Preheat oven to 300ºF.
  2. Slice off the bottom end of the potato so it stands independently on a flat surface.
  3. Use toothpick pieces to affix facial features. Set potato aside.
  4. Place Styrofoam cup, bottom facing up, on old cookie sheet. Bake for two minutes or until it shrinks to resemble a small hat. Cool.
  5. Cover exterior of hat with green paint. Let dry.
  6. Measure and cut a strip of black paper that is ¾-inch thick and long enough to wrap around the lower end of the cup to create a hatband.
  7. Measure and cut a square from yellow paper, then hollow out the center so it resembles a buckle.
  8. Glue the band and buckle in place. Place on top of Tater Tom Leprechaun.  

Denise Morrison Yearian is the former editor of two parenting magazines and the mother of three children.