Fun, inexpensive “spooky” crafts for everyone: Tissue box and TP roll monsters

“Art can permeate the very deepest part of us, where no words exist.” - Eileen Miller, The Girl Who Spoke with Pictures: Autism Through Art

Art therapy can give disabled adults and children a sense of personal accomplishment, whether they have a mental, physical or emotional disability. Art is a great way to voice unexpressed emotions, focus on something positive and to stay entertained. While we are all still practicing COVID-19 guidelines, art is a wonderful outlet for adults and children of all ages and abilities – art is for everyone.

With Fall season in full swing we thought we’d share a few easy-to-make, affordable, seasonal art projects. Tissue box and toilet paper monsters both fit the bill – you can substitute any items under the instructions for things you already have around the house. Plus you get to recycle those old tissue boxes and TP rolls.

Tissue Box Monsters

These festive monsters are a great way to enjoy the Fall/Halloween season.

Supplies:

· An empty tissue box – any size or shape will work

· Paints, glitter glue, and/or magic markers

· Aluminum foil or scrunched up paper or construction paper

· Glue

· Scissors

· Googly eyes or stickers

· Pom-poms or another craft item

Instructions:

First you will want to color the “skin” of the monster which is the entire box. You can use paints, paper or markers to accomplish this. It’s up to you.

Next, you’ll want to give 15-30 minutes for your “skin” to dry. You can start prepping for your next step which will be to give your monster some eyes.

Once your box is completely dry, add some eyes to your monster. They can be googly eyes (which you can get in any craft store) or add eye stickers or paint/draw them on yourself with a magic marker or paint.

Next, you’ll want to let your eyes dry before adding the teeth.

The teeth will go where the box opening is. You can make crazy teeth, wobbly teeth, fangs or maybe make candy corn teeth. You can do this many way. You can use construction paper, popsicle sticks, cardboard – anything you want.

Now you can add some extra items like hair (from a fluffy craft item like pom poms) or arms, antennas or anything else you can find around the house.

Toilet paper monsters

The paper roll monsters can be made similar to the tissue paper monsters. You can use various materials to cover the roll before beginning to add the special decorations to make each monster unique.

Supplies:

· Toilet paper rolls

· Construction paper or colored paper

· Paints, magic markers, crayons or colored pencils

· Scissors

· Glue stick

Instructions:

First you will want to color the paper roll – use the same colors or mix them up for an even sillier monster.

After the roll has dried you can add the eyes, hair, anything you want. If you don’t like drawing, you may always add stickers.

Next you can add eyes, hair, antennas – anything you want to complete the look you want to achieve.

If you want some inspiration, or wish to create more elaborate designs, check out: http://www.ourthriftyideas.com/2014/03/toilet-paper-roll-monsters.html