The Mom I Want to Be

The fifteen-day New Year’s celebration includes praying, paying respect to ancestors, and visiting family and friends. Families decorate their homes with flowers, trays of tangerines and oranges, and circular trays of dried, candied fruit. They also place new money in red envelopes, hang red banners, and buy new orange or red outfits for the children. Many special foods are eaten, each with its own symbolism. For example, uncut noodles are consumed to ensure long life.

The Chinese believe the animal ruling a person’s birth year has a strong influence on personality, saying: “This is the animal that hides in your heart.” This is the year of the Tiger. 

In honor of the year of the Tiger, try making a balloon animal tiger!

Tiger Pencil Cup

Printable pattern

Plastic juice can (washed and dried)

Tiger print Flexi-Foam by Fibre Craft

Black Flexi-Foam by Fibre Craft

White Flexi-Foam by Fibre Craft

3 Black chenille stems

Wire cutters

24 mm Wiggle Eyes

Scissors

Pen

Tacky glue

Rubber bands, optional

 

Cut a piece of Tiger print to fit around the juice can. Glue to the can. Note: You may need to use rubber bands to hold the foam piece around the can. Remove rubber bands after the glue dries.  Print out pattern for the tiger face. Cut out pieces. Trace around the tiger face pattern piece on the white craft foam. Cut out the tiger face. Glue the white piece on the tiger foam. Trace around the nose piece on black craft foam. Glue the nose piece on the white piece. (See photo for placement) Cut one chenille stem in half. Bend for the mouth. Attach with glue at the bend. Cut one chenille stem in half. Bend in half. Repeat for other half of chenille stem.   Glue the whiskers on the frame. (See photo for placement) Repeat for other side of face with last chenille stem. After glue is dry on chenille stems, separate whiskers gently. Cut out 2 circles of white craft foam slightly larger than the wiggle eyes.  Glue the white circles on the Tiger foam. (See photo for placement) Glue the wiggle eyes in the middle of the white circles. Trace around the outer ear pieces on the Tiger print foam. Cut pieces out. Trace around the inner ear piece on white craft foam.  Cut pieces out. Glue white inner ear pieces on the tiger ears. (See photo for placement) Attach the ears to the inside of the can above the eyes with glue.  After everything is dry, add your pencils and display on your desk.