You can make your own stained-glass masterpieces! Following is the first of two stained-glass projects. Check back tomorrow for the second.
Crayons in Many Colors
Heavy Black Paper
Gather your materials and ask a grown-up to help you with your project.
Start by cutting designs out of your black construction paper. You can cut out a shape, like a cat or a leaf, or just make patterns. You will use the outline of the shape or pattern for your stained glass. Make sure to leave enough black paper for a line of glue.
When you are happy with your outline, take a second piece of black paper, the same size as the first, and trace your shape or pattern onto the second piece. Then cut out the shapes. You will be left with two matching outlines.
Note: If you have a grown-up to help you, you can use an exacto-knife to cut the pieces out of your black paper. If not, try folding the paper to cut your shapes out of the middle. This will keep the paper in one piece.
Next, take a sheet of wax paper and glue it to the back of one of the pieces of black paper so that it shows through the openings. Trim the wax paper until it is the same shape and size as the black paper. Take a second sheet of wax paper and glue it to your other piece of black paper. Make sure that when you place the wax paper sides together the black outlines match up.
Choose which colors you’d like for your stained glass and take the wrappers off those colored crayons. Place one of your pages wax paper side up and use your crayon shavings to shave bits of crayons onto it. These colors with show through the black lines and form your stained-glass. Make sure to completely cover the wax paper with crayon shavings or there will be white spaces in your stained-glass.
When your stained-glass is exactly the way you want it, put a line of glue along the outer edge of your page and attach your second sheet. Make sure to line up the patterns you cut out of your paper. The stained glass will look the same on both sides.
Cover your stained-glass with a thin dishtowel. Ask your grown-up helper to iron over the dishtowel. This will melt the crayon shavings, blending the colors and keeping them in place.
Punch a hole near the top of your stained-glass masterpiece and thread a piece of ribbon through the hole. Make the ribbon into a loop and tie a bow at the top. Use this to hang your stained-glass in a window so the light will shine through it.
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