DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Ladybug Terra Cotta Wind Chime Craft

Contributed by Leanne Guenther

This is a fun craft that young children can make (most of the features are template pieces that are glued on).  It's also fun for older children or even adults who can use paint techniques for decorating the project instead of the template pieces.

This takes more store bought supplies than most of the projects on my site, but it's a lot of fun to make as a gift.

Materials:

• terra cotta pot (size doesn't matter much if you're painting the details...  But the template pieces are for a 4 1/2 inch pot...  The 4 1/2 inches refers to the diameter across the top of the pot).
• red acrylic paint
• black permanent marker or black acrylic paint
• Paint brush (we used sponge brushes ...  About 25 cents from the craft store or hardware store).
• small piece of black fun foam
• wool or string
• hole punch
• 2 buttons or metal washers that are bigger than the hole in the terra cotta pot -- black or red buttons would be best, but it doesn't really matter.
• a few craft beads or hardware store metal washers (this is what will make the sound).
• If using the template:
  • printer
  • paper
  • mod podge or white glue
• If painting the decorations:
  • black acrylic paint
  • fine paint brush
• If hanging outdoors
  • spray on varnish or acrylic spray (you could use brush on, but the spray on is nice and quick)

Instructions:

I'm assuming you'll be using the template pieces in these directions.  If you aren't, just skip printing and pasting the pieces and paint on the design by hand.

Wipe the terra cotta pot with a rag (just to get any dust off). Paint the outside of the pot completely red and set aside to dry  (takes about 1 hour). Repeat, as necessary (we just did one coat, but you may want to do two). You could do the inside as well, but it isn't necessary Print out the template and cut out the template pieces. Position the pot so it's open side down (upside down) and then design your ladybug face: Glue on the template eyes (you could use large wiggly eyes from the craft store instead) Glue on a number of black dots. Draw on the nose, mouth and eyelashes (if you want) with a permanent black marker.  There are examples on the template but it's best to draw them on yourself.
Cut a piece of string about 2 feet long. Thread the ends through a button Tie a loop in the top...  This will be what you use for hanging the pot.
Slip the ends of the string through the hole in the pot (think of the button as a little hat on top of the ladybug's head). Put the second button onto the string and tie another knot as tight as you can.  (you've made a "sandwich" with the two buttons as the bread and the pot as the filling...  The buttons will hold the pot on the string.
Tie some beads, nuts or washers onto the strings at various spots, so they all fall inside the pot. Trace the feet onto the black craft foam and cut it out. Punch holes in the feet.
Tie the feet onto the bottom of the strings, trimming any excess.  The feet should hang below the pot about 2 to 6 inches. The feet will be what catch in the wind and make the wind chime make noise. Spray the entire project with two or three coats of spray varnish or spray acrylic. Hang outdoors (or indoors) as a cute decoration.

Templates:

• Close the template window after printing to return to this screen.
• Set page margins to zero if you have trouble fitting the template on one page (FILE, PAGE SETUP or FILE, PRINTER SETUP in most browsers).

Template