How to Make a Leprechaun

Leprechaun decor enhances a St. Patrick's Day party.

Leprechauns are tiny, mischievous fairies that come around on St. Patrick's Day. It is part of the St. Patrick's Day holiday to decorate with these mythical figures, along with wearing green apparel and shamrocks. According to the Fox News website, spotting a leprechaun is supposed to bring the viewer good luck. Make your own leprechaun to add decor to a St. Patrick's Day party or to celebrate an Irish heritage.

Things You'll Need

• Newspapers
• Empty toilet paper roll
• Sheet of green craft foam
• Sharpened pencil
• Compass
• Scissors
• Green, beige and pink acrylic paints
• Craft paintbrush
• Black and brown permanent markers
• Brown pipe cleaners
• Craft, tacky or school glue
• Measuring tape
• Round plastic or disposable bowl
• Black ribbon (approximately 2 inches wide)
• Double-sided tape
• Yellow construction paper
• Piece of lumber or flat wood stake
• Shamrock sticker (optional)
• Green permanent marker (optional)

Instructions

Paper Leprechaun

1. Cover your tabletop with old newspapers.

2. Stand an empty toilet paper roll onto a sheet of green craft foam.

3. Trace around the end of the toilet paper roll with a sharpened pencil to form a circle.

4. Draw a larger circle, approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter, around the smaller circle. Use a compass if you have one.

5. Cut out both circles with your scissors. This forms the brim and top of the leprechaun's hat.

6. Paint the empty toilet paper roll with green acrylic paint and a craft paintbrush. Stand on end to allow the paper tube to dry.

7. Add a face to the paper tube approximately one inch down from the top of the paper tube. Paint a beige circle for a face and allow it to dry. Use pink paint to create rosy cheeks and allow it to dry.

8. Draw eyes, a nose and a mouth on the face with black permanent marker.

9. Cut two brown pipe cleaners in half.

10. Wrap the pipe cleaner snugly around the pencil to form a coil. Slide it off the pencil once the entire length is in a coil shape. Repeat this with two other half lengths of a brown pipe cleaner.

11. Bend one of the coiled pipe cleaners in a "U" shape and glue it around the chin area on the face. This forms the leprechaun's beard.

12. Add the other two pipe cleaners to the back of the tube to form the leprechaun's hair.

13. Bend the fourth pipe cleaner in half. Twist the bottom ends into a circle shape to form the feet of the leprechaun.

14. Insert the folded section of the bent pipe cleaner into the inside of the tube and glue it into place. Bend the feet at a right angle once the glue dries so that the tube will stand up.

15. Add a stream of glue to the top rim of the paper tube. Set the smallest circle of green craft foam on top to form the hat top. Put glue on the inner rim of the largest circle and slide it over the tube above the face. Hold it in place for a minute or two to allow it to dry. This forms the brim of the hat.

16. Cut a strip out of the green craft foam that is 5 1/2 by 1/2 inches.

17. Glue the strip around the back of the leprechaun's body. Bring the strip ends around to the front of the body. Do not glue them anywhere except the tip ends of the strip. This causes the strip to form elbows.

18. Paint beige hands at the ends of the green foam strip.

Lawn Leprechaun

1. Paint a plastic round bowl with green acrylic paint and a paintbrush. It may require two or three coats of paint. Allow the paint to dry between coats.

2. Add a black band near the bottom section of the hat by wrapping a black ribbon around the rim and cutting it where the two ends meet.

3. Stick the black ribbon onto the outside of the upside-down bowl with double-sided tape or glue.

4. Cut a square shape out of yellow construction paper and glue it onto the black ribbon to form a buckle on the front of the hat.

5. Glue the hat onto the end of a 2 by 4 or another type of flat wood stake.

6. Draw a whimsical leprechaun's face beneath the hat with a black permanent marker.

7. Add a curly brown beard and hair to the wood with a brown permanent marker.

8. Push the stake into the soil of your flower garden or in a planter filled with soil to greet any guests to your home.

Tips & Warnings

• Add a shamrock sticker to the hat of the paper tube leprechaun, if you desire.

• Draw a pair of hands holding a bouquet of shamrocks on the wood stake with the brown marker and a green permanent marker, if you are artistic.

References

• Disney Family Fun: Wee Lepreuchan

Resources

• Fox News.com; The History Behind...Mischief-Makers; March 2010