King for a Day

Treat Dad like a King this Father’s Day with a clever figurine made from playing cards!

Supplies:
Three playing cards (two Kings and one other)
Two 12” pipe cleaners
Photo of Dad
Two plastic bottle caps
Scrap of corrugated cardboard
Clear tape
Double-sided tape
Ice pick or drill
Scissors
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Here’s How:

1.) To create the legs, bend one of the pipe cleaners into a U shape and tape it upside down to the back of one of the King cards.
2.) Next, cut a 5” piece from the other pipe cleaner and tape it across the back of the card to make arms.
3.) Then, cut four small pieces of corrugated cardboard and use double-sided tape to adhere them to the four corners on the back of the card.
4.) Place double-sided tape on top of each piece of cardboard and adhere a playing card facedown to create the back of the figure.
5.) Use scissors to trim Dad’s face from a photo and to cut a crown from the 2nd King card.
6.) Turn the figure face up and use double sided tape to attach the face and crown to the King card.
7.) To make the feet, poke holes in the centers of both bottle caps with an ice pick or a drill (a parent’s job). Then, push the ends of the pipe cleaner legs into each hole about 2”. Wind the extra pipe cleaner into the bottom of the bottle caps.
8.) Now balance the King on his feet for a fun Father’s Day gift!

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More ideas:
• If needed, add some sculpting clay to the inside of the bottle caps to weight the feet and help the figure to stand.
• Glue magnets to the feet and/or hands to craft a King that will stick to a fridge or filing cabinet.
• Cut a crown from a scrap of shiny or glittered paper instead of a playing card.
• Use a permanent marker to write a message to Dad on the front or back of the figure: “You’re the King!” or “You’re a card!”
• Make a Queen card with a photo of Mom, or a figure for each family member.
• Use a Joker instead of a King to make a funny figure.
• Try making card and pipe cleaner animals too.
• Leave the bottle caps and back playing card off of the figure and attach him to the front of a blank greeting card.

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Pamela Frye Hauer is an artist, author and mother of two busy little boys. Her craft and scrapbooking projects have appeared in numerous books and magazines. Her most recent book is “Memories in Miniature.” Photo by Pamela Frye Hauer.