Craft Simple

Fun Spongebob Finger Puppet Craft!

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

Probably not these Spongebob finger puppets, because they’re made of felt!

They will, however, encourage creativity, character development and active play.

Before you get started, you’ll need a few materials:

Felt Squares (pink, lime green, purple, yellow, dark brown, tan, red, white, light blue, dark blue) I suggest Misscrafts 42 pcs assorted colors
Scissors
Elmers Glue or
Hot glue gun and hot glue (if parents will be assisting)

How to make your Patrick finger puppet…

Step 1

Use a pencil, or marker, and draw/cut out the simple shape of Patrick waiving, twice. Be sure to leave a point at the end of his head, feet and… hands?

Step 2

Use your lime green felt and a trace the bottom half of your Patrick body.

Step 3

Cut Patrick’s shorts, so the bottom of his legs will show when you glue them on.

Step 4

Glue his shorts on both pieces.

Step 5

Use purple felt and cut two half flowers and glue them on the green shorts. Then, using your white felt, cut 4 small ovals and glue them on, close to the top of Patrick’s head.

Step 6

Glue both sides together (leaving space at the bottom that is unglued, where your finger will go). Decide whether you want his arms facing up or down and cut off whichever arm you don’t want.

Step 7

Using a black Sharpie, draw a small dot in the middle of Patrick’s white, oval eyes. Then add a smile and eyebrows.

How to make your Spongebob finger puppet…

Step 1

Cut out two, yellow rectangles of equal size.

Step 2

Cut along the edge, to create a slight wave.

Step 3

Using your brown felt, cut two small rectangles and glue to the bottom of Spongebob’s body.

Step 4

Cut two skinny strips of white felt and glue to the top of his pants.

Step 5

Cut a sliver of black felt and glue under the white part of Spongebob’s shirt.

Step 6

Cut a small, red diamond and glue in the middle of your black sliver.

Step 7

Cut four, white ovals and glue to both pieces.

Step 8

Cut four, light blue ovals (smaller than your white ovals) and glue in the middle of Sponge’s eyes.

Step 9

Using a black Sharpie, draw a dot in the middle of your blue oval. Then add a smile, eye lashes and sponge indentations. If you’d like, add two tiny white squares to the bottom of his mouth, for the teeth.

Step 10

Glue both sides together, leaving the bottom unglued, so there’s space for your finger.

How to make your Mr. Krabs finger puppet…

Step 1

Use a pencil and draw a pear-shape on your red felt. Cut two pieces of equal size.

Step 2

Draw a ‘C’ shape attached to an ‘L’ shape on your red felt, cut out two.

Step 3

Cut a ‘D’ shape in your dark blue felt and a light blue strip. Then glue the light blue strip on top of the blue ‘D’.

Step 4

Use your black felt to cut a sliver. Then ad a small yellow rectangle to the middle.

Step 5

Add two long, white ovals to the top of Mr. Krabs’ head and use your black Sharpie to draw a dot in the middle of the white oval, as well as a smile.

Step 6

Draw a zig-zag on your black felt and add to both pieces of your Mr. Krabs’ puppet, above his mouth. Then glue his claws to the same side of his body, on both pieces.

Step 7

Glue both sides of Mr. Krabs together.

How to make your Squidward finger puppet…

Step 1

Using a pencil, draw and cut out two squidward-shaped pieces.

Step 2

Use your dark brown, felt and draw an upside down ‘U’ shape, then glue it to the botton of Squidward’s neck.

Step 3

Cut four, white ovals from your white felt and glue them on.

Step 4

Use a Sharpie to draw a slightly curved down, line in Squidward’s mouth area.

Step 5

Cut a long teardrop shape from the light blue felt and glue it between the two white ovals.

Step 6

Use your black Sharpie to draw a small line in the middle of Squidward’s eye.

Step 7

Glue both sides together, leaving a small space at the bottom where your finger will go.

The final step!

Sing the Spongebob theme song because you’re finished!

Comment below and be sure to follow for future crafts and DIY projects!

Crafts Shouldn’t Cost an Arm and Leg

Have you ever gone to the internet for a simple DIY or craft, and before you know it, you’re hours deep in a project that’s cost you your whole Saturday, several burnt fingers and most of your sanity?

You begin to think “Maybe I should have just ordered this off the internet” or, what I’ve found myself thinking, countless times, “This looks nothing like the picture”.

Everyone can agree that DIY is a healthy way to escape from the stress of every-day life. And let’s face it, we all feel a little more rewarded when we create something ourselves, without buying it or hiring someone else to do it. But should it cost you more than you spend on groceries in a week?

I’m a big subscriber to spending as little money and time as possible and creating a satisfying, quality project.

One of the first jobs I had, as a young adult, was working in a psychiatric institution for children. The stories and experiences I have could fill a book (in fact, they’ve filled several soon-to-be-published books, already).

Every night, driving home in my car I’d ask myself the same questions: “What would I do if I had children running around my house 24/7? How do you keep children occupied long enough to get anything done? Kids are expensive, how can you even afford anything?!”

I’m not yet a mother, but after working there and later in several schools, I recognized that sometimes, having children is probably like having 20 tabs open in your web browser: 8 are frozen, you have no idea where the music is coming from, you can’t close anything out because you might need it and you want to scream because of the chaos.

To be honest, sometimes my life is chaotic, expensive and downright exhausting, even without children.

I don’t know about you, but I have a constant internal battle going on about whether I should buy that $75 picture from Target to hang on my wall, splurge a little more on groceries or order some stuff I don’t need off Amazon.

After several consecutive months of hiding my shopping bags, from my boyfriend, in the back of my closet (Sorry Honey!), I’ve decided to spend more time on DIY and less time in Target.

Mother or not, Target shopper or not, what are some things we all need more of? Money? Time?

While I wish I could give you both, I am neither the U.S. Treasury nor Father Time. I can, however, offer you simple crafts and DIY projects that won’t break the bank (or your fingers) with multiple ways to complete them (because maybe you don’t have Scottish Sea Glass or 17 yards of silk just lying around your house).

It’s also my hope that anyone seeking modified crafts for children with any special disabilities will seek out my blog, because, let’s be real, all your Pinterest scrolling and spending $500 in the craft store doesn’t really matter if your child isn’t interested in the project you put in front of them.

I hope at this point you’re feeling like it IS possible, through DIY, to create home decor that you actually want to hang up, to keep your kids occupied with a craft they can actually complete by themselves and not to have to purchase 100 sticks of hot glue (Look at you, being all optimistic!).

If you’re anything like me then I promise your DIY, crafting ineptitude won’t stand in the way of you completing quality projects, that will leave you feeling satisfied with your work.

I hope to make all your easy crafting dreams come true, and if I can’t… well, take that up with my 5th grade art teacher (she called me creative once and I ran with it).

Feel free to leave a comment and be sure to look out for future crafting made simple!

I’m Kirsten Rana, Nice to Meet You

Do you like pretty things and money?

What about DIY projects and crafts that cost next to nothing?

Me too!

Phew! Okay, now that we’ve found some common ground I can stop grinding my teeth and biting my fingernails over how to write my introductory blog post.

Well, Hi! My name is Kirsten Rana and my fingers have been hovering over the keyboard for the last two weeks.

I’m not sure which was harder, writing this post, or finally saying the words out loud:

“I’m going to quit my job and start a blog, that will ultimately lead to me owning my own business.”

I think it was a Monday when I uttered those words to my boyfriend, while we ate chicken breast and baked potatoes during my lunch break.

Why would I do something like this?

Because I have a lot of experience doing things that I think I’m supposed to do, but I want to create a life that’s unconventional and full of happiness and dreams!
Because I love art, crafts, projects and any type of therapeutic activities that provides an outlet.
Because I want to help other people express themselves through art (while on a budget!).

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has made many failed attempts to live out their dreams, but something has always made me feel like I’m different: I refuse to give up.

From starting my very first online business at 20, to almost 5 businesses later, I’ve finally decided to focus on what I’m really passionate about: Selling my paintings and eventually helping others to promote their art, creating easy, affordable crafts for children AND adults and helping people manifest their dreams.

No matter how strict your budget is, or how limited your time, I hope to:

Inspire you with my own journey to self discovery
Create projects that will help you bond with those around you
Offer encouragement and insight
Connect with anyone who wants to interact and build a relationship

I want this blog to evolve as I learn what you need from me and hope that the more we interact, the more I can grow and understand myself as well.

200 + paper flowers, 35 hot glue sticks, 5 pots of coffee, 1 burned thumb, 2 crying episodes and 10 spools of yarn and it’s only my first week blogging! But, you know what I’ve learned so far?

I’m passionate about creation! It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do and with the support of my boyfriend and my beautiful sister, I’ve decided that I’m going to blog my heart out and throw my whole self into helping other people create projects that they’re proud of.

I won’t stop for anything; not for my cat (who is currently laying on top of my art supplies starring at me), not when I’m tired or missing a steady paycheck. I’m going to keep at this until I’ve connected with as many people as possible and touched as many lives as I can!

It’s my dream that one day I’ll be able to open my own business, that will benefit the special needs community and afford me the ability to create a public sanctuary where art and creation can touch the lives of many.

I hope you’ll follow me on this journey and I look forward to talking to you all!