PROJECTS FOR KIDS Fun things for the family

GOURD CANDLES (FAMILY PROJECT)
Candles can be made at home quite easily, and using small winter squash as molds creates graceful shapes. This makes a great family project with kids choosing the colors and shapes of the gourds. Because this project calls for working with hot wax, adult supervision is strongly recommended.
Start by cutting the tops off of the chosen hubbard or acorn squash and hollow out the insides. (For hubbard squash, scrape out the seeds with a large spoon. For acorn squash, use a melon baller to scoop out the flesh, following the natural grooves of the squash, making the grooves as deep as possible, and smoothing them with the back of a spoon.) Then melt the paraffin wax in the top part of a double boiler over -- not in -- boiling water. Use approximately 1/2 pound of wax per candle. As the wax melts, add color tablets. Yellow, orange, coral and purple wax color tablets evoke fall themes. If you want to make different colored candles, melt the wax in batches, adding different color tablets each time. Meanwhile, cut lengths of candlewick a few inches longer than the squash are tall. Attach wick tabs to the wicks. When the wax is completely melted, carefully pour into a squash. Drop in one wick tab, with the wick attached, and let it settle to the bottom. Lay a pencil across the top of the squash and drape the end of the wick over it so it is as centered as possible. Repeat in batches to make more candles. Let the candles harden completely, 5 to 6 hours, then peel the outside of the squash away from the wax.
DRYER-LINT CLAY
This easy-to-make clay is one way to use dryer lint. Begin by getting a large pot and stirring 3 cups of dryer lint, 2 cups of water and 2/3 cup of wheat flour together over low heat. Once the mixture becomes gooey, it can be pressed onto practically anything, such as a beverage bottle. The clay will go on gooey but it will dry to a neat, hard finish. Use beads, jewels or other decorations with the clay.
Source: Scripps Howard