With Mother's Day fast approaching, here's a fun gift to make for a special Mom. If helping a child with this project, the adult can cut the cardboard pieces and work with the hot glue while the child can decorate the horse and fill the cup with goodies! You will find the materials it takes to make, most likely in your home already so it's a great way to recycle and be creative.
Approximate Time: 1-2 hrs.
Supplies:
- empty plastic cup
- corrugated cardboard
- 4 straws
- foam
- felt
- google eyes
- trim
- hot glue
- hobby knife
- paint
I used a hobby knife to cut the pattern pieces from a discarded Folgers coffee corrugated box. Scissors may cause bends. I also used hot glue to assemble the horse. It made the project go faster and there was no waiting for glue to dry.
- Cut 2 rockers from cardboard. It has to be corrugated because the rockers need the thickness.
- Punch holes in the rockers where indicated, going slowly so you do not bend the cardboard. I used a metal knitting needle. The size of hole will depend on the straw size you use.
- Insert straws, one end at a time and assemble rocker. Do not cut length of straws yet.
- Cut 2 small rectangle pieces from cardboard, about 1/2 x 1 inch.
You will glue these to the inside of the rockers which the cup base will sit on. See picture. They need to be level on both sides so the base sits square. You will glue them on about 1/4" down from each rocker edge.
- Put your cup onto circle in the center of the cup base to make sure your size cup fits. If not, just draw around the base of your cup and cut out hole. I used a cup that grapefruit slices came in, but a yogurt cup would work also. Any cup about that size should do fine. Then cut out the base square. Adjust rocker so base drops in and rests on the 2 small rectangles.
- Take base out and run regular glue down both sides. Put some hot glue on top of each small rectangle and insert base. Hold firmly until glue sets.
- Paint the rocker in your choice of colors and decorations.
- When dry, cut cup base cover from felt and glue on top of base.
- Cut straws so only a small length sticks out from rockers. To hold straws in place, glue a bead on each or insert a pin with a dab of glue on it through the center of the cardboard and each straw. Push in until pin is hidden within the cardboard.
- Measure and cut a strip that fits around the cup, but leave about 1/2 inch of cup exposed at bottom. This will be give it room to drop into the hole in the base. Glue felt on to cup.
- Cut out felt for saddle and glue one to each side.
- Cut out head and use diagram to cut out mane. Just cut out an "L" shape and make slits with scissors all down one edge for mane. Glue mane to one side of head, then glue a straw next to it. You want to sandwich the mane and straw for the neck between the 2 head pieces. Press seams of head firmly together until glue is set.
- Glue straw into cup against one side. Glue on eyes and draw nostrils with marker. I attached some trim for a harness with dabs of glue and added pom poms. You can decorate the horse any way you choose and fill the cup with goodies or flowers.
- If the rockers don't stay balanced once the horse is in it, just add something with some weight to the cup or slice off a small amount from bottom of rockers.
- Make a sign to add to the cup that says, "Mom Rocks!" and you are sure to make her day!
By Mary from Palm Coast, FL
