Choir Boys

Guests will make a joyful noise - of delighted admiration - at first sight of these charming fellows. Let them inspire your next at-home or place-of-worship celebration!

Materials:

• STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam:
  • Balls, 2", two
  • Cones, 6" x 3", two
• Acrylic paint, color(s) of choice for hair
• White air-dry modeling compound
• Felt, 9" x 12" sheets, two each: blue; white
• Blue double-sided satin ribbon, 1/4" x 1/2 yd.
• Black paper
• Light pink powdered blush, or chalk and sandpaper
• Powder puff or cotton ball
• Serrated knife
• Candle stub or paraffin
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Hole punch
• Rolling pin
• Garlic press (optional)
• Straight pins
• Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
• Thick, white craft glue

For pattern, click here.

Steps:

Note: Make each choir boy in same way; variations for skin tone and hairstyle detailed below. Adult supervision is required, and an adult should cut the foam as indicated in Step 2.
 

1. Cut patterns from felt as indicated. Apply very thin bead of white glue along side seams of short, white gown and adhere edges together; let dry.
    
2. Wax serrated knife with candle stub or paraffin. Cut thin slice from one side of foam ball and tip of foam cone. Twist flat side of ball against top of cone until snug; use glue gun to glue pieces together.
    
3. To add color to face, use powder puff to apply blush to surface of foam ball head. For other skin tones, sand colored chalk to release dust; apply chalk dust to face in same way as blush. If skin tone is too deep, rub area with stiff paintbrush to remove excess blush or chalk.
    
4. To create base for hair, roll small ball of modeling compound (clay) to 1/8" thick. Press clay to top of head; remove excess with fingertips.
    
5. For curly hair, use ballpoint pen tip to make indentations in clay. For straight hair, extrude clay through garlic press to create strands; glue and press strands to clay on head and style as desired. Let dry overnight. Paint hair with acrylic paint; let dry.
    
6. Beginning and ending at back, glue blue gown onto body using white glue.
    
7. Cut 3/4"-long vertical slit at back of neck hole of white gown. Pull gown over choir boy's head. Pin underarm of each sleeve tight against body.
    
8. Cut 8" length from ribbon, tie bow, and glue to neck.
    
9. Punch two holes from black paper and cut each in half with slight curve. Glue curved sections to face for eyes. Cut tiny oval from paper for mouth; glue to face. If desired, apply additional blush to cheeks.

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