Roll up, roll up! Celebrate the arrival of a new tot with a selection of painted nursery makes

What you need...

• Card: white, A3; red
  
• Paints: Artiste Acrylic, sand; white; black; navy; Crown,
  
• English Fire; Habitat, Mustard; Dulux, Blue Reflection
  
• ProMarkers: Cool Aqua, Yellow, Warm Grey, Burnt Orange, Berry Red, Indigo, Dusky Pink
  
• Ink-pads: blue, red, yellow
  
• Stamps, Papermania, Carnival Alphabet
  
• Cord: black, red
  
• Paintbrushes, various
  
• Money box, wooden

instructions

1. Circus Card - 1. Copy or print a tent image from the downloadable templates onto white card and colour using ProMarkers. Score and fold white, A3, at 12.7cm intervals to create a tri-fold card. Stick the tent to the front and cut out a curved roof, making sure the panels behind are also shaped. Print or write a ‘Roll Up Roll Up’ sentiment onto a hoop, then trim and fix to the front of the tent using 3-D foam pads. Copy and enlarge a trapeze artist, colour, then trim out and fold at the legs.
   
   2. Tie red cord to black card, 0.5cm x 7cm, to make a mini trapeze and fix the artist on. Attach to the inside of the card using foam pads. Write or print off a sentiment related to a new baby and glue to the circus hoop centre. Stick red card strips vertically inside the card. Create two ‘congratulations’ panels and adhere
   to the sides, then fix yellow stars to the middle section.
   
   3. Create and colour seal, horse and elephant characters. Make triangle stands by cutting card, 3cm x 13cm, then score and crease at 4cm, 2cm, 2cm and 4cm intervals. Make a valley fold on the 2cm lines, then adhere behind each animal at the base. Include these animals in the envelope, so that they can be used for extra decorations.

2. Money Box - 1. Mix sand paint with white and apply a coat to a wooden money box. Leave to dry, then paint another layer. Once fully dry, trace the templates onto the surface and paint using bright colours. You should have one side with only bunting at the top.
   
   2. Draw fine details onto the animals using a very small brush. Paint random stripes to the top, leave to dry, then add. To create shadows, mix a little black paint to the shade you’re using and apply where needed. Once dry, spray with varnish.

3. Bunting - 1. Print out as many trapeze characters as you need to spell a name onto white, then colour. Stamp letters from the name onto white, cut out, then stick to the middle of the circus hoops.
   
   2. Score and fold the legs of the figures, then cut each one. Hang on a length of black cord to finish. CB.