Hand Crafts

Create a stamp with apples and kids can begin printing their own designs on everything from wrapping paper to T-shirts.

What you'll need:

• Apples
• Paint
• Paper plate, shallow tray, or wide paint brushes
• Something to print on, like paper
• Newspapers to protect the table
• Knife to cut the apple

How to make it:

1. Apple printing is always fun: there are two very different prints you can get by cutting apples in half through the middle OR from the top to bottom.
2. You can cut them in half through the stem, dip them in red and green paint, and make a very nice-looking collage of apple shapes. Cutting them through the middle makes a circle stamp with a star in the middle. 
3. To paint on a t-shirt or tote, put a thick layer of paper inside the shirt/tote to prevent the paint from bleeding through to the back of the fabric.
4. An easy and very effective project is to decorate a plain tote with apple stamps cut from top to bottom (making an apple shape) in a horizontal line around the tote.
5. You can make a wreath by using two colors of green paint and apples cut through the middle (to make circles with 'star' centers). Then take a sponge, cut a triangle (for 1/2 of the bow) and dip it into red paint - add the bow. To make dark green paint, add a little black paint at a time to some green paint.
6. You can also make a fun gift for a parent, grandparent or caregiver by brushing the paint onto the children's hands and decorating the shirt or tote with those
   special handprints.

Tips:

If you are going to make your prints on paper, use washable poster paint for good results. If you want to decorate fabric - like a t-shirt or tote, make sure to get fabric paints - and the kids need to be dressed in old clothing!

• 
• 
• 
• 
•