Day 3 of the 12 Days of Christmas!!

I seem to be concentrating on ornaments this year. I'm not sure why, but this project is another one. Its been around a long time, but I thought we needed to re-visit it. It's a little Lifesaver Man to hang on your tree. I have one that hangs on my tree that my mom made when I was about 12. It's made with a full-size roll of Lifesavers, but I made this one with a little treat-size package. (Sorry about the blurry photo. I think I was too close.) I plan to make these with my grandchildren this year. I know we will have fun!

You will need:

Lifesavers

Yarn

1" or 1 1/2" Styrofoam ball

Felt scrap

Heavy cardboard

Scissors and glue

Tiny googly-eyes

Long yarn needle

First, cut the cardboard into two pieces, one 6"square and one 4" square. Wrap the yarn around the 6" piece 20 times and cut it even with the edge of the cardboard. Don't wrap it too tight, or it will be really hard to get it off. Now, gently slide the wrapped yarn off the cardboard, being careful to keep all the loops together. Take a piece of contrasting-color yarn or little tiny ribbon, and tie the loops on each end about 1/2" from the end. Cut a piece of the contrast yarn 20" long and tie it around the middle of the bunch of loops, keeping the ends even when you tie. Thread those ends into the long yarn needle and use the needle to thread the yarn through the middle of the roll of lifesavers, from the bottom to the top.

Next, wrap the yarn around the 4" piece of cardboard 15 times, and tie the ends like before. Lay the bunch of loops over the top of the lifesavers and tie it in the middle with the yarn that's going through the lifesavers. Be sure to tie it really tight, so the legs will hang down a little and not go straight out.

Now put the needle through the middle of the Styrofoam ball and slide the ball down to the lifesavers. This is the head. Cut a little circle of felt about 1" in diameter and thread it onto the yarn for a hat. Glue the hat to the top of the head. Tie the ends of the yarn in an overhand knot to make a hanger the length you want it, and cut off the excess. Glue on two little googly-eyes and a little circle of felt or a tiny pom-pom for a nose. He's ready to hang on your tree! He also makes a really cute package decoration.

Kids like to make these and give them to their friends, too. If everybody would take just 30 minutes a day to help a child create something, anything, the world would be a much better place when that child grows up.

Agatha Christie said, "One of the luckiest things that can happen to you in life is to have a happy childhood." 'Night, Gramma G.