DIY: goblin garland

by Bar

DIY goblin garland - collage with recycled materials - halloween craft for kids | @smallforbig.com

I get a bit rebellious when it comes to Halloween. I am not a fan of black and orange as a duo and I can’t get excited over decorating my house with these colors. Therefore, every year I try and come up with something that sets the mood but doesn’t conform. Today, I present to you our latest in non-conformity…the goblin garland!

DIY goblin garland - collage with recycled materials - halloween craft for kids | @smallforbig.com

Collage is a great medium to work with because it’s almost impossible to make mistakes. In fact, the messier and sillier, the better! Here’s what you need to make this garland:

Supplies:

~ Cereal boxes

~ Goblin template (download here)

~ Cardstock (that can run through your printer)

~ Black fine tip sharpie + scissors

~ Tempera paint (we mixed blue and yellow) + paintbrush

~ Collage material (scrap papers in the green family)

~ Mini dot stickers (for eyes, or draw them or use googly eyes)

~ White school glue

~ Hole punch

~ Twine, string or ribbon (whatever you have)

DIY goblin garland - collage with recycled materials - halloween craft for kids | @smallforbig.com

To make your Goblin Garland:

~ Print your template out on cardstock. Cut out goblin, including holes for eyes. Trace onto cardboard. You can use old cereal boxes like we did, or anything on hand. (You can even use green construction paper and skip the painting step, but they may be a bit flimsier).

~ Cut and paint your goblins. I traced the eyes, too. Even though they were covered with paint you could still see them after the paint dried, and it helped the kids figure out how far apart to put the eyes.

~ After the paint dries (one hour, or overnight) it is time to collage! I keep a box of scrap paper, old cards, pieces of wrapping paper, and even old carnival tickets. You can use anything you can find, from newspaper to magazines to your kids old art. Cut into tiny pieces of varying shapes (some squares, some strips). Or leave some bigger and let the kids use scissors. I like to separate the pieces in different bowls, or you can put them on a tray.

~ Tip: If the collage bits go way off the sides of the shape and you’ve lost the form on the goblin, you can turn it over and trim along the edge to get the shape back.

~ After your goblins are dry, punch a hole in their ears (close to tip) and string them up. Or another way to display them is to use mini clothespins and hang them on a line.

DIY goblin garland - collage with recycled materials - halloween craft for kids | @smallforbig.com

This project would be fab to make over a weekend with the kids. Choose a table that can stay set up for a few days with all of the collage bits and pieces. You’ll find that your kids will keep getting drawn back into gluing, cutting and creating. When my son saw all of the green goblins cut out, he said “Why are we making Yodas?” They are very Yoda-ish. Is Yoda a goblin? I never really thought about it but he does look like one. I love thinking of these guys as a string of Yoda disciples.

May the force be with you this Halloween!

xo Bar

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Jamie October 9, 2013 at 2:12 am

This is such a cute project to do with kids for Halloween! Thanks for the instructions!

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2 Bar October 17, 2013 at 7:15 pm

Thanks, Jamie…glad you like it. Hope you were able to give it a try! xo Bar

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3 Cassi October 17, 2013 at 10:16 pm

These are so cute and it’s nice to see something a little different too :) I’ll be sharing this on The Crafty Crow soon!

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4 Magic and Mayhem October 23, 2013 at 5:44 pm

I’m in love with these! What fun! These are on this week’s to-do list for sure now. :)

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5 jessica October 24, 2013 at 9:08 am

oh my goodness! these goblin are fantastic, thank you for sharing!

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