Nothing brings people together like creating something special. At Lionheart Theatre Company, we want to bring you and your family in to experience the fun of cutting and pasting bits and pieces of everyday materials to make works of art. If you’re like us, you’re all about finding new ways to be creative on a budget. Here are five fun and affordable craft ideas for you.

Paper Plate Owl

With just three paper plates, colored construction paper, scissors, markers, glue and a little folding action, you can have yourself a paper owl in no time. For the head, fold one paper plate about a third of the way down, ridges facing towards you. Cut two slits on either side for the owl’s feather tufts and glue the center section down. Silly googly eyes are recommended. Glue these on the part you just folded.

Next, cut your brown construction paper into a cone and glue or staple on the owl’s new beak. Glue one paper plate beneath the head for the body. Cut the last plate in half and glue each half on either side. Cut out two feet for your owl from the construction paper. Once assembled, grab some markers or colored pencils and give your beautiful bird some feathers worth preening.

The Family Tree

Time to celebrate the people you love most. Grab a Styrofoam cup and pack it with clay. Go out on an adventure to find a big twig with lots of branches. Cut out leaves from some green construction paper and write the names of siblings, parents, grandparents and maybe even great-grandparents on each leaf. Starting from top or bottom, work your way along, tying each leaf to the “tree” with yarn. You could also cut out pictures of your family and glue them onto the leaves.

2-Liter Bottle Fish

The bottle fish is a rare and mysterious creature, and so fun to create. Fill your two-liter soda bottle with hot water to help peel off labels. Cut off the bottom, leaving enough plastic to squeeze and glue together to form the tail. Make sure you’ve covered your workspace with newspaper to avoid a mess. For the last and best step, pick your favorite paint colors and spray away, or use a brush. Glitter or stickers will make your project come to life. Mix and match to make your marvelous mackerel.

Maybe you’ve been inspired to give one (or all!) of these fun and affordable ideas a try. If so, why not explore Lionheart Theatre’s Wednesday Art Class? For just $200, eight weeks of discovery await. Ages 10 and up will learn still life drawing, portrait drawing, acrylic painting basics and more. Selected masterpieces will be shown off at the gala at the end of the course.

Our Saturday craft mornings, 10 to 11 a.m., make for a great environment for kids to learn and form new friendships. Girl or Boy Scout troops, homeschoolers, friends and family, the whole neighborhood is welcome. Together, let’s craft something new and special each week.