Tutorial: Make an upcycled memory game

Have you ever thought what to do woth used wrapping paper? I feel terribly guilty when I throw them away, especially when some of them have great pictures on and sometimes the paper is thick and of good quality. Now I have found one use for them: Make a memory game for your kids. If they are babies, then this is a great way of teaching them some words, and they can help, if they are old enough (at least 4, I would think), and get more fun out of it! :)

You will need:
*Used piece of wrapping paper that has pattern with little recurring motives on it. It can be christmas one, or birthday one. You can even use several different ones to get more pairs. Try to choose bits that doesn't have many creases on them, but I don't think most kids care. (If you are planning covering the back as well, get another - different - wrapping paper)
*Scissors
*Some glue, PVA is the best, but some glue sticks work quite well too.
* Bits of light cardboard. I usually keep some empty cereal boxes etc in my kitchen in case I need some.

Let's make it!
*Cut out your motives. You can make as many pairs as you like (or as you can). I made 8 pairs - 16 pieces.


*Take your cardboard and put one of your motives on it, if the motives are of different sizes, then the biggest one. Draw a square round it, cut it out and use it as a template for other ones. My squares came from lasagne pasta and fish cake box.


* Glue your motives on your squares and let them dry. If you want to cover the backs to make a "proper" memory game, then this is the time to do it. Glue your squares loosely on a bit thicker wrapping paper, let it dry and then cut them out. Since my little girl is 20 months old, I didn't bother yet. It is a challenge enough for her to match all the pictures when they are the picture side up.


Your memory game is now ready. Happy playing! :)

kerli,
sincerely

Happy... the thing. Why I haven't blogged more recently.

Actually, I don't have a clue.

I have done a bit of handicrafting, but Christmas was a busy time and as I have explained before, I have a busy time being a mum. Emily has learnt quite a few words now, and is enjoying interacting with us. Also, after the recent holidays she asks tens of times during the day: "Whe's daddy done(gone)?"

To be honest, I don't have an awful lot of interest of having an internet shop at the moment, I would like to do something easy, like designing and printing. I have been known to design some games (or at least redesign) for people's birthdays, and they have loved them. And I would like to continue with jewellery and recycled things. But I also like to knit.... Noooooo! :D

But at the moment I just came here to kill some time until music downloads to my mp3 player. I have wanted to listen to ELP version of Jerusalem for the whole day and I discovered that my cd/mp3 player is dead. Noooooooo! :D Why does it have to be so hard to get to my favourite music? I remember in Uni I had a year after borrowing some cassettes of ELP - and I did discover it then - and giving them back when I couldn't get it anywhere, and buying the stuff wasn't really an option. No credit card, you see. The I found a person with some cds and it was almost orgastic pleasure to listen to it again. It was great, like falling in love. Yes, I do like cd/mp3 players, they are much easier and faster to use than little plugin mp3 players.

And I would like to finish on another note: after watching the news and some other programmes on telly, I think that religion, as in believing in gods in any form should end. I have one argument: wars. All the wars in the world at the moment started because of religions and people disagreeing with others'. And think of all the wars and nastiness people did to each other because of it in the past. Why couldn't we just be humanist and nice to each other? Who is a better person: me, because I am nice to people because I want to or someone who believes it's the rule of some sky fairy and if they don't obey, they'll get punished? I guess may have "religious" beliefs of some kind which I don't think I do, but I won't go blowing someone up if they disagree with me. And to finish, I'd like to quote something I once saw on TV, in "Picket Fences": "Religion is like farts. Your own is all right, but everyone else's stinks."

Oh, I can go off and see whether music is on my player properly now. "And did those feet in ancient time, Walk upon England's mountains green..."

Take care and
"Make love, not war"

kerli,
sincerely