I love crafting projects and when I can get my little guy involved it is even better. He is pretty fascinated with all the creatures that pop out in the summer, especially the toads; so with a few supplies we had on hand, we put together a cozy home for our little friends.
Materials Needed:
Recycled Plastic Container - preferably a tall one
{we used an old bulk Twizzlers container}
A Large Bowl
Craft or Wood Glue
Dirt or Potting Soil
Spray Paint or Acrylic Paints
Clear Spray - Sealant
Scrap Vinyl or Stickers
Tools Needed: Scissors, Foam Brush
Begin by cutting a door into the plastic container - make sure you turn the container upside down so the opening is on the bottom. I used regular scissors and they worked perfectly on the plastic. If there are any sharp edges left behind simply cover them with electrical or masking tape so no one gets scratched - {the little ones or the toads}.
Spray the container with a shade of brown paint. My guy is still quite young so I used spray paint. You could also let the kiddies paint it with acrylics as well. This step is optional, though it makes for a finished looking house in the end.
Working with one side at a time, squirt out a good amount of glue and smooth it out with a foam brush ensuring the entire side is covered.
Sprinkle dirt or potting soil over the glue and shake off any excess.
Once all the sides are covered, let the glue set for a couple of hours and go play!
After it is dry spray a clear coat over the dirt to seal. This will help adhere any loose dirt and protect the house as much as possible from the elements.
While the clear coat is drying, prepare the bowl for the top. Make sure the bowl you are using fits nicely on the top of the container and hangs over the sides - this will aid in protecting the bottom of the container from the elements as well.
Decorate the bowl as you wish. It can be sprayed or if you still have the attention of your little helpers - letting them have free range with a brush and acrylics would work too! {If you do opt to use acrylics make sure you seal them with a clear coat}
Our bowl was already white so I used scrap vinyl to cut out a few circles to place on the surface before I covered it with red spray paint.
I made a little pennant banner for our home - I'll be posting that tutorial on my blog this week. To attach it to the container, I simply poked two holes into the top and fed through the wires to hang.
Place the bowl upside down on top of the container and wait for the toads...of course our toads are camera shy and have been no where to be found for the past couple of days.
Even though I did most of the work on our toad house because my guy is younger, he still had fun helping along and being involved - which is what it is all about.
Hope you are having a wonderful summer ~ Enjoy!
For more creative do-it yourself ideas, visit Stephanie Lynn on her blog,
Under the Table and Dreaming
You can also connect with her on facebook and twitter
