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Kids' Krafts: Celebrate reading in a colorful way

By Kathy Antoniotti, Akron Beacon Journal, Source: MCT News Service

Newspapers in the United States have a long-standing tradition of supporting education.

To commemorate Newspapers in Education Week March 1-5, I made colorful, eye-catching, Sunday comics-covered balls. I decoupaged them onto plastic foam balls using instructions I found at http://www.favecrafts.com/Easy-Kids-Crafts/Comic-WrappedDecorative-Balls on the Web.

Supplies you will need:

Styrofoam Brand plastic foam balls 5 or 6 inches in diameter.

Sunday comics section of newspaper.

	Small disposable container.
	1-inch foam brush.
	Heavyweight glass quart jar.
	Gloss decoupage medium.
	White craft glue.

1 wooden skewer for each ball.

Scissors.

Cut comics into assorted small shapes such as rectangles and squares. Pick a few of your favorite individual characters and interesting word balloons. Set aside.

Insert a skewer into a foam ball to use as a handle while you are working.

Place some glue into a container and thin with water. Brush the mixture onto the ball, then place the cutout in the glue. Press the cutout onto the ball and smooth out any wrinkles and bubbles. Brush some of the mixture over the top of the image, making sure it is secure on all the edges.

Continue in this fashion, overlapping some of the edges until the entire ball is covered. Add any word balloons last so messages are easy to read.

Apply a coat of decoupage medium over the entire ball to produce a glossy finish.

Stand it in a glass jar to dry thoroughly. Remove skewer.

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(If you have a craft idea or question, contact Kathy Antoniotti, Akron Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640; 330-996-3565; or via e-mail at kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.)

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(c) 2010, Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio).

Visit Akron Beacon Journal Online at http://www.ohio.com/.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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PHOTO (from MCT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): kidskrafts