Santa with his Elves

Decorate your home this Christmas with some cute crafts. Santa and his elves would look perfect in a kiddy corner in the living room or in a foyer.
 

Materials:

• STYROFOAM* Brand Products:
  • Cone, one 12", 10" or 8"
  • Balls: one 2"; two 1"
  • Disc, 1-1/4" x 6"
• Acrylic spackling compound, small amount
• Acrylic craft paint: white, peach, rose
• Wooden dowel, 1/2" x 12"
• Beads: 5/16" pink (nose); 1/2" pink, two (cheeks); 1/4" black, two (eyes)
• Cardboard, lightweight scrap (ears)
• Doll's hair or yarn (models used mohair yarn, curly yarn and curly doll's hair)
• Felt: 1/2 yd. red; small scrap fuzzy white
• Fabric: assorted scraps for apron, vest, scarf, hat
• Pompom, small white
• Ribbon, 1/4" x 12", red or green
• Teaspoon
• Flat paintbrush
• Serrated knife
• Old candle
• Scissors
• Fine sandpaper
• Wooden skewers
• Straight pins
• Thick, white craft glue
• Low temperature glue gun and glue sticks
• Pattern
   

Instructions:

1. Wax knife blade with old candle for easier cutting. Slice 1" from top of cone. Slice 1/2" from side of ball. The flat side of the ball will be glued to the side of the cone, 1" from the top. For a close fit, use teaspoon to carve a curved area on flat side of ball; rub ball and cone together until they fit snugly. Glue ball on cone, 1" from top.
    
2. Mix 1 tablespoon spackling compound with small amount of water. Brush thin coat of spackling compound on ball. Let dry, sand smooth. Gently push cheek and nose beads into foam; glue in place. Brush on another coat of spackling, covering face, cheeks and nose. Paint face peach; paint cheeks and nose rose. Glue on eyes.
    
3. Using pattern, cut two ears from cardboard; paint peach. Gently bend back edges; glue in place on side of face.
    
4. Insert a wooden skewer in each 1" ball; paint peach for hands.
    
5. Following coat diagram, cut coat from red felt. Pin coat around cone, overlapping edges in back. The bottom of coat should be flush with bottom of cone and the excess felt extends above the cone. Carefully clip felt around face. Remove coat and then glue to cone, trimming coat around face as needed. Glue edges together at top, creating pointy hat.
    
6. Using pattern, cut two sleeves from red felt; fold in half lengthwise, overlap edges 1/4" and glue.
    
7. Add trim:
    

• Cuffs: Fold in half lengthwise, right sides out, a 3-1/2" x 2" strip of fuzzy felt around ends of sleeves for cuffs. Glue hand to each sleeve.
• Coat: Fold in half lengthwise, right sides out, a 2" x 14" strip of fuzzy felt; glue. Glue around bottom of coat, placing seam in back; trim excess.
• Hat: Fold in half lengthwise, right sides out, a 2" x 11" strip of fuzzy felt; glue. Glue trim around hat base. Glue pompom on tip.

1. Cut 2 - 4" lengths of doll's hair or yarn for beard. Glue a row of hair around face; add five to six more rows under first row. Glue additional hair around hairline, if desired. Trim.
    
2. Paint disc green. Cut dowel in half (models shown have legs 6", 5-1/2" and 5" tall); paint white. Glue four pieces of 1/4" ribbons, evenly spaced, around dowels.
    
3. Using pencil, make two, 3/4" holes 1" apart in bottom of cone; glue legs in holes. Make two holes in disc; glue legs in holes.
    
4. Dress your character:

• Apron: See pattern; cut from contrasting fabric. Glue a 1/4" x 13" length of ribbon to each side; tie ribbon in back in shoestring bow. Glue on pocket; stuff with red fabric square.
• Vest: See pattern; place dotted line on fold and cut from contrasting fabric. Thread arms through holes.
• Scarf: Fold in half lengthwise a 2" x 12" strip of fabric; glue. Glue small piece of fringe on each end. Tie around neck.
• Belt: Glue a 12" length of 1/4" - 1/2" black ribbon around cone; add a doll's belt buckle.
• Glasses: Bend two circles in a 6" brass wire; insert and glue ends into foam cone.
• Stocking cap: Fold lengthwise, right sides together, a 13" x 8" piece of fabric. Sew on the diagonal, creating a long triangle. Trim, turn right side out. Cut off existing hat and glue on new hat; trim with cuff and pompom.
• Puffy cap: Cut off existing hat and trim 1" from top of cone. Gather edges of 4" felt circle; pull thread until hat fits around head; glue. Trim with cuff and pompom.
• Buttons: Glue on gold beads.
• Coat: Instead of red felt, elves can be dressed in green felt, red or green velvet, or other holiday fabric.