Aloha Hula Girls

Whether it's summer or you'd like it to be, the Aloha Hula Girls will get you in the spirit. These tropical beauties are so much fun to make, and the result is just darling. Learn how to make a doll from items that you have around the house with this fun tutorial, and you'll have toys to play with in no time. Summer crafts for kids are wonderful post-camp boredom busters or weekend activities. If it's snowing outside and you want to pretend you're somewhere warm, craft these dolls and be transported to paradise.

This fabulous tutorial is an excerpt from Big Blast of Kid Crafts: Fun in the Sun

Materials:

• 1 wooden doll clothespin
• 2 green rhinestones, 2mm
• 1 magenta self-adhesive flower gem, 1/2”
• 5 pink and purple self-adhesive flower gems, 5/8”
• Natural raffia
• Brown satin ribbon, 1/8” wide
• Turquoise satin ribbon, 3/8” wide
• Tan craft paint
• Pink paint pen
• White craft glue
• Foam paintbrush
• Toothpick
• Scissors
• Ruler

Instructions:

1. Paint the clothespin tan. Let it dry.

2. To make the grass skirt, cut a 6” piece of tan ribbon. Cut 20 pieces of raffia 10” long. Fold a piece of raffia in half. Pinch a U-shape at the folded end. Bend the U-shape over the ribbon and slide the other ends through the U. Pull tight.Tie the grass skirt ribbon around the waist of the clothespin.





3. For the hula girl’s top, wrap a piece of turquoise ribbon around the body and glue in the back.

4. To add the hair, cut 6 pieces of brown ribbon. Glue the ribbons onto the head to make the hair in the back. Cut longer pieces of ribbon and glue across the top of the head to make the top and sides of the hair. Trim the ends.

5. Glue 2 rhinestone eyes on the face (use a tiny bit of glue on a toothpick!). For the lips, draw a little heart on the face with the paint pen.

6. Create a flower necklace lei by sticking on the small flower gems. Finish the hula girl by sticking the large flower gem onto one side of her head, like a flower over her ear. Now she’s ready to dance the hula!