The lolliflower

Just in case someone says I don’t give equal time to the boys and girls, here is a great project for Valentine’s day, Birthday favors etc. The lolliflower. Good looking, fun, and easy to do at any skill level. Any excuse to eat lollipops is a good one right?

Supplies you’ll need:

Red and Green construction paper

A third patterned paper for the center of the flower

Lollipops (small)

Tape

Scissors

Small hole punch (or something to push a hole for the “stem”)

1. Cut 3 similar hearts from the red paper

2. Cut  1 leaf ( for the note)

3. Cut a 4 pedaled pattern for the center top

4. Punch a hole for the stem of the lolli in all the pedals and leaf

5. Arrange pedals and leaf with the leaf on the bottom, then the 3 hearts equally fanned out and finally the 4 pedaled pattern on top

6. Push the lolli through the center

7. Tape the lolli in place from the bottom

8. Write your note on the green leaf now or before assembly

Now you’ve done it. Pretty, fun and sweet. Just like you!

Amazing Corks; Magic Trick

Here is a great party trick. I have seen it done many times in my life but only recently learned the trick. We show it here using two corks, but you can easily substitute rolled dollars, marking pen caps, or any two similarly sized and shaped objects.
The way it appears to onlookers is that the magician shows the two corks. She then places them in the crook of the thumbs of each hand. Then, grabbing the ends of the corks with the thumbs and second fingers of each hand, she amazingly separates her two hands passing the corks right through each other. Spectators are then unable to repeat the magic.

The Trick:

1. Hold the corks in the crooks of the thumbs.

2. Twist your hands in opposite directions so you can take the left hand cork with the right thumb at A and right second finger at B, while taking the right hand cork with the left thumb at C and left second finger at D.

3. Done correctly your hands will give the spectators the illusion that your fingers are linked.

4. Twist your hands in opposite directions and pull your hands apart.

5. The corks have magically passed through each other.





It’s a great quick trick. It can be performed once and set aside, or, presented repeatedly to a group until someone catches on and can have fun with you sharing in the trick.

Cork Catapult

The cork catapult can be made in minutes, and be fun for hours. Use it in mini battles or make a game and see who can get the coin (or whatever else you want to launch) into a cup more times. I like this one because everyone has the stuff right now to make it. No corks; go ask a neighbor.

Supplies:
Cork
Plastic spoon
Quarter
Plastic cup
Rubber band or hair tie

Secure the cork and spoon together as shown.

Start launching.

Careful, this will launch much farther than you might suspect so maybe stay away from the windows. You might just as well launch small rubber animals or erasers onto concentric circles for different scores or though hoops!

Aluminum Can Frisbee

You can make an aluminum can frisbee out of any aluminum can. They fly quite far indoors or out with little practice.
Supplies you'll need:
1 Aluminum can
Can opener
Heavy duty scissors or tin snips
pliers

First empty the aluminum can, meaning drink it, or find a used one even better. Then cut off the top using the can opener.
Next using tin snips or heavy scissors poke a hole about 1 inch from the bottom rim of the can and cut the base of the can off. Careful, this edges are now sharp and will cut your fingers easily.

Now using pliers fold the sharp edge over and into the can, then go over it once more and really flatten the fold.

You are done. To throw it hold it with the top of the can facing away from you and throw it like a football; that is, straight and letting it roll off the fingers as you release it. Have contests and see how far you can make it fly!

Potty Mouth Playground

Here lies some of what I can remember of the word play from the playground as a youth. Some of it is probably inappropriate for kids who just learned to read. Sorry, I'm naughty. Some of them are accompanied by my comments, some are left to stand alone. Kids and adults please feel free to add new sayings or offer changes to what is posted here in the comments section at the bottom of this blog.


Remember, No one likes a bully, so only in good fun.

Your mama, your daddy
Your greasy granny
 got a hole in her panty


Got a big behind like Frankenstein


Going beep-beep-beep down Sesame Street


Toot-toot-toot wearing army boots


In your ear with a can of beer
 & Up your butt with a coconut.

I’m rubber you’re glue whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks onto you.

Black Jack no backs. (Said immediately after an insult is delivered to make it permanent)


I know you are but what am I? (can be used again and again for infinity)

Liar Liar pants on fire, nose as long as a telephone wire. (Also remembered as “…hanging from a telephone wire”)


Up your nose with a rubber hose.

See my thumb?

Gee you’re dumb. (what else is there to say about that)

Guess what…

Chicken Butt.

Guess why…

Bird crap pie.

Milk-Milk-Lemonade

Round the corner fudge is made
Stick your finger up the hole
out comes a chocolate Tootsie Roll.

(said while you point first at one nipple then the other, then your groin and finally your butt)

What time is it?

Half Past the monkey’s ass

Quarter to his balls.

What were you eating under there?

Under where?

Ew… You were eating underwear!

How’d you get that updog on your shoe?

What’s updog?

Not much, what’s up with you dawg. (a classic and favorite)

How's Joe or you know Joe?

Joe who?

Joe Mama...then laugh




From England-


Georgie Porgey pudding and pie
kissed the girls and made them cry
when the boys come out to play
Georgie Porgey runs away.

Now you go out and play, but, play nice!

How to make a Blowgun or Blowpipe

Blowguns are tubes for shooting darts by the power of breath. Used all through Southeast Asia with poison tipped darts, they were also employed by the North American Seminole Indians, though, without poison.     
The Seminole and Cherokee used lengths of cane or bamboo. The darts were made from splinters (10 inches by 1/8 inch) of bamboo, or straight grained hard woods like oak, maple, or birch. The fletching was  often done using thistle down. The thistle would be harvested in late fall when the blossoms have turned to seed pods, but before the down and seeds have emerged, and saved for use all year round. An alternate for the fletching might have been animal fur.


Our project today are designs using more modern supplies. We will also discuss a few options for dart making. For aesthetic reasons we will use bamboo for the pipe, though you can easily use a straw or Bic pen.
SUPPLIES:
shoe laces
push pins
length of bamboo




Supplies for variations:
paper
krazy glue
straw or Bic pen
cotton balls




Making the pipe.
Bamboo
If you are lucky and have bamboo near your home cut down a length with a few sections. You want a piece with a hole about 1/4" down its center. Cut the ends off leaving the knot on at least one end. Now drill through the knot down the center of the bamboo. Lastly, file down the inside of the tube. This can be done with a long drill bit, or sand paper glued or taped onto the end of a slender rod. The smoother the inside the easier the dart will travel through. Smooth the ends, and use the larger end to blow from.
Bic Pen
Pull the cap off the pen, pull the ball point and ink reservoir out using pliers, and pull the end cap off. you now have a smooth tube to blow from.
Or use a straw.

Making the Darts-


Shoelace Dart
Cut the hard plastic wrapped end of a shoelace off, leaving about 3/8" of cord (or lace) behind the tip to act as fletching for the dart. Now press a straight pin through the end and down the center of the tip until the pin comes out the tip. You have a finished dart.

Paper cone dart
Roll a 1" tall cone out of paper, Krazy glue it closed (just a little glue), press a straight pin through the open end of the cone. You have a finished dart. These are not as sturdy as the shoelace dart. But work as well


Push pin and Cotton ball dart
Wet the blunt end of a push pin with a small amount of Krazy glue. Tear small amounts of cotton off the ball and twist it lightly around the rear of the pin so that the cotton builds up. You have a finished dart. These work a treat for as long as they last.


Place the dart in the mouth end of the pipe and blow! These darts will stick into cardboard easily and even wood and drywall.


And as always, this is a guide. Make variations to suit the supplies and time you have. That's what the natives did.


RULES AND PRECAUTIONS:


TAKE A BREATH BEFORE YOU PLACE THE PIPE IN YOUR MOUTH.
DO NOT BREATH IN WITH THE PIPE IN YOUR MOUTH, YOU COULD SWALLOW THE DART.


DO NOT SHOOT THE DARTS STRAIGHT UP IN THE AIR. DARTS CAN COME DOWN ON YOUR EYE AND BLIND YOU! YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE DART FALLING BACK TOWARD YOUR EYE. SO DON'T DO IT.


DO NOT SHOOT AT (OR NEAR) OTHER LIVING BEINGS. THEY WON'T LIKE IT OR THINK IT FUNNY.


BE SAFE. HAVE FUN!