Kids Crafts Grasshopper

• Green chenille stems;                  
• Lt. Green chenille stems;
• 8 green paddle wheel beads 18 mm in size

• Take one 12 inch piece of dark green chenille and make a loop in the center that is approx. 1 inch in diameter.

• Take one of the ends of chenille and bend it toward the loop      starting at the twisted joint.

• Curve it slightly to form a dome over the loop and connect it to the loop.

• Now take the other end of chenille and bend it toward the loop   starting at the twisted joint, only this time, form a dome under loop

• Connect it to the loop. If the two ends that are left are longer than 1 and 1/4 inches, bend the tips to correct the length and wrap them around themselves.

• Take another 12 inch piece of chenille and attach one end of it onto the back of the head (about 1/4 inch to the right of the head dome piece)

• Take the piece of chenille that you just attached to the head and bend it to form a square that is about 1 and 1/2 inches long and wide. (This square forms the thorax-mid section of the bug)

• Attach the chenille to the back of the head again (about 1/4 inch to the left of the head dome piece)

• Create a dome, centered above the square (thorax) of the         grasshopper.

• Attach the chenille on the square directly across from the head and centered. There should be a "tail" left that is approx. 2 inches or more.

• Take the three green chenille stems and twist them together in the middle to form the legs.

• Place the center of the legs on the "tail" about 1/2 inch from the thorax/square connection.

• Twist the  "tail" completely around the legs once.

• Flip the Kids Crafts Grasshopper over to view the bottom.

• Bring the "tail" across the center of the thorax/square along the bottom to the head and twist the end to connect it.

• To form the abdomen, take another 12 inch piece of green chenille and attach it to the thorax/square on the right corner.

• Loop the other end of the stem around to the left corner of the thorax/square and twist to connect as shown.

• Create a gentle point at the end of the abdomen by slightly       bending it.

• Slide 4 paddle wheel beads onto each of the legs closest to the abdomen.

• Bend the legs upward, at the point where they come out from under the thorax/square.

• Then bend the legs downward, 2 inches from your upward bend.

• For the other four legs; Bend each of the legs downward at a point about 1/2" away from the thorax/square.

• Then, starting at that bend, measure approx. 1 and 1/4 inches and trim extra off.

• Direct the front legs toward the head and the middle legs toward the back hopping legs.

• Take a light green 12 inch chenille stem. Bring both ends           together and connect together.

• Make a point in the center of the loop by slightly bending.

• Repeat this step with another stem Connect the ends of the light green wings to the middle of the top stem of the body by twisting them on securely.

• Empty tissue paper roll
• Acrylic paint
• A paint brush
• 2 small gold pompoms
• Plastic craft eyes
• A paper punch
• Craft glue 
• A green chenille stem
• Two 4 1/2 inch craft sticks
• Five 2 1/2 inch craft sticks
• Small hacksaw.

• Begin by cutting out a smiling mouth at the bottom of an empty tissue paper tube.

• Trim the other end to form the tips of folded wings.

• Punch 2 holes approximately one inch back on the top of the head. This is where the feelers will go. Now your tissue paper roll grasshopper is ready to paint and decorate.

• With help from an adult, cut one of the 2-1/2 inch craft sticks    in half. These will be the grasshopper's feet. The remaining craft sticks will be used for the legs.

• Cover your work area, and paint the cardboard body a pretty shade of green.

• Paint on any additional details if you want.

• Paint all of the craft sticks dark gold, and allow the parts plenty of time to dry before going on to the next step.

• Cut the chenille stem to form 2 1/2 inch feelers.

• Push them through the holes in the head, and bend them inside the tube so they remain secure.

• Add a couple of drops of glue to reinforce them.

• Bend the feelers at the ends to give them shape.

• Glue the plastic eyes to the pompoms.

• Allow them to dry, and glue the pompoms to the top of the        cardboard tube, directly in front of the feelers. The cardboard tube should start to resemble a grasshopper.

• All it needs now are the Kids Crafts Grasshopper legs.

• Glue 2 of the 2-1/2 inch craft sticks to the underside of the front of the tube.

• Place them just behind the mouth so they appear to be             outstretched.

• Glue a 2-1/2 inch craft stick to the end of a 4-1/2 inch craft stick.

• Glue it at an angle. This will be one of the grasshopper's back legs.

• Glue on one of the 1-1/4 inch craft sticks to form the foot.

• Set it aside to dry while you make the other back leg.

• Allow plenty of time for the glue to dry before attaching them to the body.

• Apply glue to the top inside of the grasshopper's legs, and hold   them against the body for a few minutes so they will stick.

• Let your tissue paper roll grasshopper dry completely before       handling.

• You can make various sizes of tissue paper roll grasshoppers by cutting a paper toweling or wrapping paper tube to the size you desire.

• Use larger plastic eyes, pompoms, and craft sticks for larger       grasshoppers.

• Paint the body black or brown and you have a cardboard tube    cricket.

• Change the colors of the legs, pompoms, and chenille stem to match the cricket's body.

• You can turn your Kids Crafts Grasshopper or cricket into a cute flowerpot pal.

• Glue a small piece of craft stick to each of the front feet so your creature will hang on the side of an indoor planter.