Scavenger Chic

Build A Snowman Kit diy – Gifts Kids can Make

• By Joan
• December 3, 2015
• 3 Comments

Before I begin, I’d like to take a second to wish my youngest son a very Happy Birthday. I don’t know where the time has gone, but my baby is 17 years old today. That’s him in the picture above. He doesn’t quite look the same as he did 11 years ago, but that snowman kit is still holding up. All except the scarf which got a little stretched out of shape.

I have been busy busy making projects but I can’t share them with you yet.  A couple are Christmas presents, and a couple are just about done, but not quite….so look for some great projects in January but in the meantime and for the next couple of weeks I want to share with you a few gifts that my kids have given over the years. Starting when they were only a couple of years old, I’ve had them make presents for all their Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents.  They know too well the joy of receiving but I’ve always wanted them to know the joy of giving.

They have always relied on me coming up with a project and collecting the supplies and then we have a craft day.  Some of the crafts have been easier than others, and some have taken far longer than anticipated. This diy snowman kit was probably one of the easier ones.

From the fabric store, purchase a piece of fleece.  Allow about 4 to 5 inches for each snowman kit you’ll be making.  There is no shortage of fleece designs out there, just pick one that makes you happy.

And from the hardware store, a tube of strong adhesive.  Both of these will work great.

You’ll also need a box of 4 inch galvanized common nails.

From the garden, you will need a couple of sticks at least an inch in diameter.

My kids were about 13 or 14 when they gave these snowman kits to their younger cousin’s families.  At that time, they could do the cutting themselves.  If your kids are younger, you may want to take over chopping duties.  

Get a decent sized stick and chop into disks.  If your child is old enough, this could be a great project to introduce them to the chop saw.  Goggles are a must as well as a nice long stick so their fingers are nowhere near the blade.

When you have enough disks, at least 5 per kit (more if you want buttons), have your kids start painting them a nice charcoal black.

As these cuts take a little more precision, you may want to take over the cutting for the carrot nose. Start with a stick with no bark and shape into a point.  Sand the remainder of the nose with an electric sander or by hand sanding  until it looks carroty.  

When you’re happy with your nose, have the kids paint it a nice bright orange.

The snowman’s scarf is made by cutting a 4 or 5 inch piece from the length of your fabric.  No sewing necessary since fleece doesn’t fray.

At each end of your scarf, cut a little fringe.

Use the adhesive you bought to glue your nails to both the “carrot” and the “coal”.

Package your kit together and you’re ready to go.  Even though our kit was made about 14 years ago we still get it out every time we want to build a snowman.  The “Charcoal eyes and mouth” are so much easier than digging thru the snow looking for rocks, and now we always have a “carrot” on hand.

Join me next week for a couple more handmade gifts kids can give.

Shared at Think and Make Thursday, Handmade Hangout Party,

Upcycled Link party, DIY Sunday Showcase, Silver Pennies Sundays,

Amaze me Monday, Metamorphosis Monday, Be Inspired Tuesday,

Wow us Wednesdays, Vintage Inspiration Party, Link party Palooza,

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