Scissors & Stuff|Mr. Mark's Classroom

This is a charming little cottage that we can see the outside of the house while working in the craft area. These plans will help with making the decorations compact but if your classroom is small and your decorations need to be flat, you can simply make the front of this cottage and tape it to the wall. The first priority is having the tables and chairs needed for teaching this class effectively.

Items Needed:

Three sheets of blue construction foam board (4 by 8 feet and one inch thick),
Velcro self-adhesive tape,
two one by four boards eight feet in length,
fun patterned fabric to match the light blue walls (4 yards),
white foam board or poster board,
silk flowers,
American flag,
aerosol can lid,
utility knife or hot knife.

Storefront– Stand two sheets of the blue construction foam vertically against the wall side by side. Measure from the top two feet and draw a line across both pieces. Remove that amount by cutting with a utility knife or hot knife. Now take the third piece of foam board and cut or break it down the center vertically. *Note the foam will break if slits have already be made from the factory. Hold the two pieces back to back (writing against writing) with the blank sides out. Measure down one side and mark two feet. Now draw a line from the top opposite corner down to the mark. It will look like a steep slope but this is the roof angle on the store front. Cut along the lines and remove this triangle. Pay close attention that the writing is on the inside and the plain blue side is facing out. Now, cut two inch strips of velcro and fold together. Remove the backing and stick down the edge of the foam spacing each one about one foot apart. Slide front sheets’ edge together against the exposed velcro to adhere and join the two pieces together side by side. The velcro will allow the structure to be disassembled and reassembled later. Pull the two apart and press each velcro firmly to the foam. Reassemble the two parts and repeat this on the side pieces. Use a yard stick to draw the straight sides of a square to become the window in the center of the left panel. Using a hot knife or sharp utility knife, remove the square portion by carefully following your lines. Clear plastic like cling wrap or laminating film can be taped to the back of the panel to become the glass. Add window pane lines with thin strips of white poster board taped in a grid pattern to the back side of the panel. Fabric can be added to the inside of the window as curtains so they can be seen from the outside. Next, draw a door from the seam of the two panels and over two and half feet then straight down. Paint the door a color that matches the fabric you have chosen. Use a lid from and aerosol can to be the door knob by pressing it into the foam or sliding a skewer through the foam to hang the lid on. Tape can help hold it in place. If you prefer a window in the door, simply cut the opening in the foam and tape clear plastic behind. Trim for the window and door can be cut from white poster board in one inch strips and attached around both to frame.

Roof– use the velcro tape to secure the board across the front of the building with the flat part laying on the roof slope. Add the second board to the highest peak with velcro on each side piece. Use the velcro to secure the large sheet of cardboard to the top board. If the cardboard hangs over the porch more than you desire, trim it down with a utility knife. Add the fabric using the velcro along the top peak of the roof and flowing down. The fabric should hang slightly over the side edges and like an awning for the front porch. Fabric trim can be added or a scalloped edge could be cut if desired. Other details- Add a flower box by cutting four inch width strips from scrap foam and velcro the edges together and on the panel. The window box should be the width of the window and silk flowers can be placed in it. Add a small white picket fence made from poster board or foam board across the bottom of the cottage. A small American flag can be added by poking the dowel rod pole at an angle through the foam wall.

Signage-Consider hanging a foam board sign above the roof since the roof is unable to hold much weight. Use open paper clips and fishing line if the ceiling is tall. Glue the Scissors and Stuff sign to the foam board sign. Other signs include an OPEN sign and some large scissors attached to the wall near the door of the cottage. Large wooden scissors are available at hobby store and can be spray painted silver or whatever color you prefer.

Inside Scissors and Stuff– Another idea is to decorate the room like the inside of the store. This would conserve the space of the classroom since kids will be working at tables and floor space might be a premium.

Windows- Create windows on both sides of the classroom door. These are windows that see out into the amusement park and the name “Scissors and Stuff” are written backwards. Attach each window to the wall. Next, create a simple curtain from a yard of fabric by hanging the top over the window with two Command Strips (one ion each corner). Split the fabric up the middle without cutting through the top. Open and tie back. Remove fabric from the middle if needed.

Table Top Shelves– This “fold flat” shelf can display the daily crafts. Use a three-fold project board and three toppers (sold with the project boards). Lay a closed project board on the table. Lay a topper on top and trace a straight line across the front measuring the width of a topper. Move that down the draw another line the width of the topper. Now extend the line on the flap that was covered. Use a craft knife a cut the lines on the flaps only. Open the project board and stand it on the table. Slide a topper into the cut flaps to create the shelves and place one topper on the top for the Scissors & Stuff sign to support. *Note- if the flaps are too tight for the shelves, simply cut another line widening the space for the shelf.