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I taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School in my Church for a number of years and I always like to include a craft time where the children could do a hands on craft item. Working with wood seemed to be one that the boys were more interested in so I did try to include a number of projects along this line. I would set up stations that they could visit once they were at that stage in the project. I put together a packet of the pieces they would need.

Example: Ledge Setting Duck with burned accents
Pack contents- instruction sheet
1 larger odd piece of wood
2 smaller pieces of wood but about
the same size
2 very small pieces of wood but
they do not need to be the same size
2 pieces of sand paper
2 small soft clean cloths
1 sheet of news paper
2 peel and stick labels
1 shoe box or a box comparable in size

^Note I visited the local saw mill and asked for odd pieces of wood.
I went to the redemption center for news paper and I asked around
town for small boxes and put out the word to the auxiliaries for
the cloth, sand paper and labels.

I prepared a sample of the project at each stage and at the beginning I demonstrated the whole project step by step, showing them the different stations they could visit and safety measures they would need to observe.

Instructions: 1) Spread the news paper out at your work area. Write your name on both of the labels. Remove the backing of one label and place it on the side of the box. This box is where you will put your project and materials you use every day at the end of craft time.

2) Take your pieces of wood out of the bag and lay them out in front of you. Your have a big piece of wood...find that one, this is the body of your duck. Turn it and find the best angle for your ducks body the way you want it to set. Now I want you to look at the two pieces that are a little smaller then the body, these are the ducks wings. Move them around and see which way looks best for wings. Now the last two little pieces are the beck and the tail, go ahead and do the same with them. If you need help trying to visualize the pieces as a duck please let me know.

3) All the pieces of wood have to be sanded smooth. The sides and all the edges...the tops and the bottoms. We want to make sure there are no slivers or rough spots. Once that is all done then you will come to station one, two, or three.

4) Station 1-2-3 Wood Burning (supper vised) put on eyewear provided
Burn nostrils on one of the smallest pieces
Burn tail feathers on the other smallest piece
Burn wing feathers along bottom of next size
pieces of wood
Burn ducks eyes and a few feathers on the top
of its' head

5) Station 4 Gluing Attach wings to the sides of the body
Attach tail to the back of the body
Attach beck to the head of the duck

6) Station 5 Staining put gloves on, eyewear and clothes protector
(Supervised)'
With paint brush paint one half of your duck.
Once dry you will paint the other half.

7) Finishing Station 6 (I prepared stained bases)
Place the 2nd name label on the bottom of a base
Carefully glue your duck to the base.

You may now gift wrap your duck once it is completely dry. You have a wonderful, creative gift of art for mom or grandmother if you wish or keep it for yourself.

Learn more about this author, Debra Collins.
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