Simple programs to share with other Boston Public Library locations that serve teenagers. This tumblr is maintained by Laura Koenig, Grove Hall teen librarian

28

Dec. '12

Monster Page Corner Bookmarks

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Monster Page Corner Bookmarks

Materials in the box:

  • card stock paper
  • rulers
  • design scissors
  • glue sticks
  • mechanical pencils


Librarian Must Provide:

  • regular scissors
  • scrap paper
  • patterned paper or magazine scraps (optional)

Instructions

  • You can either print out a template for these bookmarks here at Tally’s Treasury or draw your own with the following steps.
  • On a piece of scrap paper, draw a square 2.5” x 2.5”. Draw a second square, same size, on the right of the first square, so that they’re side by side. Draw a third square, same size on top of the first. You should have three squares, same size, in an L shape.
  • Draw a diagonal across the top square from the right uppermost corner to the left bottom corner. Scribble the top left half. Draw another diagonal across the bottom right square, same direction, and scribble out the bottom right half. These are parts of the square that will be cut off.
  • Cut out the entire shape, besides the edges that were scribbled out. This is the page corner bookmark template. 4) Trace this template onto your cardstock.
  • Making an indent with the mechanical pencil and ruler, make two lines coming from the middle of the new shape to create a square and two triangles.
  • Cut out a square of patterned paper or magazine scrap slightly smaller than the square of this shape and glue onto the square.
  • Fold in the triangles, one over the other, and glue the top triangle onto the bottom triangle. This forms a pocket
  • Cut out a triangle of pattenered paper or magazine scrap slightly smaller than the triangle you’ve made and glue it on.
  • There are templates for these shapes at Tally’s Treasury, but you can cut out circles for eyes and small triangles for teeth out of your scrap paper. Glue the eyes on top of the triangle and the teeth on the under side of the triangle.
  • Options to customize your project:You can cut the basic shape right onto your cardstock.You can use the design scissors to create teeth.If you don’t want a monster, you can use the design scissors to make fancy edges to the bookmark and just decorate the bookmark with patterened paper.

Availability

This box is at the Dudley branch - please check availability here and contact Laura and Akunna if you would like to borrow it.

14

May. '12

Quote Relief Poster Materials in the Box: colorful magazine and comic book pages acrylic letter stickers paintbrushes Librarian Must Provide: acrylic paint cardboard or posterboard (optional, but recommended) glue (optional, but recommended) Instructions Choose a short quote or phrase. Find the acrylic letters that will spell out the phrase. Find a few magazine pages that will make your background. It is best to choose pages that are similar colors and mostly dark or mostly light. Make sure you have enough pages to fit your whole phrase. Arrange your magazine pages on a piece of cardboard and lightly glue them down. Glue sticks work much better than white glue for this—white glue will make the magazine pages rip.  Stick the vinyl letters to your poster to make your quote. Choose a paint color that contrasts with your magazine pages. Paint a thin layer of paint over your poster. Be careful—too much paint may rip the magazines! It’s better to do several thin layers than one thick layer. Give the paint some time to dry. Once it’s dry, slowly and carefully peel the acrylic letters off to show the colors of the magazine pages. Stick the letters back on the sticker pages so they can be   re-used. Decorate or make a frame if you wish! This project come from A Beautiful Mess - take a look over there for more pictures. You can also see pictures of some Grove Hall Teens creating these posters here! Availability This box is at the Grove Hall branch - please check availability here and contact Laura and Akunna if you would like to borrow it.

Quote Relief Poster

Materials in the Box:

  • colorful magazine and comic book pages
  • acrylic letter stickers
  • paintbrushes

Librarian Must Provide:

  • acrylic paint
  • cardboard or posterboard (optional, but recommended)
  • glue (optional, but recommended)

Instructions

  • Choose a short quote or phrase. Find the acrylic letters that will spell out the phrase.
  • Find a few magazine pages that will make your background. It is best to choose pages that are similar colors and mostly dark or mostly light. Make sure you have enough pages to fit your whole phrase.
  • Arrange your magazine pages on a piece of cardboard and lightly glue them down. Glue sticks work much better than white glue for this—white glue will make the magazine pages rip. 
  • Stick the vinyl letters to your poster to make your quote.
  • Choose a paint color that contrasts with your magazine pages. Paint a thin layer of paint over your poster. Be careful—too much paint may rip the magazines! It’s better to do several thin layers than one thick layer.
  • Give the paint some time to dry. Once it’s dry, slowly and carefully peel the acrylic letters off to show the colors of the magazine pages. Stick the letters back on the sticker pages so they can be   re-used.
  • Decorate or make a frame if you wish!
  • This project come from A Beautiful Mess - take a look over there for more pictures. You can also see pictures of some Grove Hall Teens creating these posters here!

Availability

This box is at the Grove Hall branch - please check availability here and contact Laura and Akunna if you would like to borrow it.

14

May. '12

Comic Book Wallet Materials in the Box: comic books magazines clear packing tape scrap paper examples finished wallet examples Librarian Must Provide: scissors rulers additional clear packing tape as needed Instructions Using the example scrap paper or a ruler, cut out a scrap paper rectangle that is at least 7x6 inches. Choose a few comic book pages or panels—larger ones to make the main wallet and smaller pieces to make pockets or to use as decoration. Look at the example wallet to help you choose—some pieces will be mostly hidden in the final project. Glue the first large piece to your scrap paper with the good side facing out. Trim off any excess. Repeat on the other side of the scrap paper Cover the rectangle in packing tape on both sides, overlapping the tape. Fold the tape over all edges and make sure that no paper is left exposed. Fold the 6-inch side of the wallet up to make the bill pocket. The scrap paper examples show how it should be folded. Tape the short sides closed. To make pockets, cut small pieces of comic to the size you would like the pocket to be. Cover it in tape on both sides. Tape it to the wallet on three sides, leaving one edge free of tape to make the pocket’s opening. Fold the wallet in half. You may need to keep it under something heavy for a few days to keep the fold. For a good visual explanation of how to fold the wallets, take a look at this tutorial by Keri Smith. You can see pictures from one of the times we’ve made these wallets at Grove Hall here! Availability This box is at the Grove Hall branch - please check availability here and contact Laura and Akunna if you would like to borrow it!

Comic Book Wallet

Materials in the Box:

  • comic books
  • magazines
  • clear packing tape
  • scrap paper examples
  • finished wallet examples

Librarian Must Provide:

  • scissors
  • rulers
  • additional clear packing tape as needed

Instructions

  • Using the example scrap paper or a ruler, cut out a scrap paper rectangle that is at least 7x6 inches.
  • Choose a few comic book pages or panels—larger ones to make the main wallet and smaller pieces to make pockets or to use as decoration. Look at the example wallet to help you choose—some pieces will be mostly hidden in the final project.
  • Glue the first large piece to your scrap paper with the good side facing out. Trim off any excess. Repeat on the other side of the scrap paper
  • Cover the rectangle in packing tape on both sides, overlapping the tape. Fold the tape over all edges and make sure that no paper is left exposed.
  • Fold the 6-inch side of the wallet up to make the bill pocket. The scrap paper examples show how it should be folded. Tape the short sides closed.
  • To make pockets, cut small pieces of comic to the size you would like the pocket to be. Cover it in tape on both sides. Tape it to the wallet on three sides, leaving one edge free of tape to make the pocket’s opening.
  • Fold the wallet in half. You may need to keep it under something heavy for a few days to keep the fold.
  • For a good visual explanation of how to fold the wallets, take a look at this tutorial by Keri Smith. You can see pictures from one of the times we’ve made these wallets at Grove Hall here!

Availability

This box is at the Grove Hall branch - please check availability here and contact Laura and Akunna if you would like to borrow it!

14

May. '12

Sharpie Tie-Dye Materials in the box: plastic cups sharpies rubbing alcohol liquid droppers Librarian Must Provide: white or light t-shirts or other fabric (you can ask teens to bring their own, but it’s good to have a few available for teens who forget or drop in) rubber bands cardboard if possible, an iron and ironing board Instructions If you are using new shirts, wash them before the program. Give each teen a piece of cardboard, a plastic cup, and a rubber band. Put the cardboard in the middle of the shirt to prevent colors bleeding through.  Have the teens place the cup inside the shirt, stretch the shirt tight, and use the rubber band to secure the shirt in place. (If any of these instructions are hard to picture, please take a look at the tutorial with pictures at The Art Girl Jackie.) Using the sharpies, teens should create a small design (about the size of a quarter) in the middle of the circle that is created by the cup. Use the dropper to drip about ten drops of rubbing alcohol in the middle of the circle and wait for the colors to spread. Repeat this process until they are happy with their shirt! If you were able to bring an iron, use the iron to heat-set the colors into the shirt. If you couldn’t, tell teens to iron the shirt at home or put it in the dryer by itself for a little while before wearing or washing. Availability This box is at the Dudley branch - please check availability here and contact Laura and Akunna if you would like to borrow it!

Sharpie Tie-Dye


Materials in the box:

  • plastic cups
  • sharpies
  • rubbing alcohol
  • liquid droppers

Librarian Must Provide:

  • white or light t-shirts or other fabric (you can ask teens to bring their own, but it’s good to have a few available for teens who forget or drop in)
  • rubber bands
  • cardboard
  • if possible, an iron and ironing board

Instructions

  • If you are using new shirts, wash them before the program.
  • Give each teen a piece of cardboard, a plastic cup, and a rubber band. Put the cardboard in the middle of the shirt to prevent colors bleeding through.
  •  Have the teens place the cup inside the shirt, stretch the shirt tight, and use the rubber band to secure the shirt in place. (If any of these instructions are hard to picture, please take a look at the tutorial with pictures at The Art Girl Jackie.)
  • Using the sharpies, teens should create a small design (about the size of a quarter) in the middle of the circle that is created by the cup.
  • Use the dropper to drip about ten drops of rubbing alcohol in the middle of the circle and wait for the colors to spread. Repeat this process until they are happy with their shirt!
  • If you were able to bring an iron, use the iron to heat-set the colors into the shirt. If you couldn’t, tell teens to iron the shirt at home or put it in the dryer by itself for a little while before wearing or washing.

Availability

This box is at the Dudley branch - please check availability here and contact Laura and Akunna if you would like to borrow it!

14

May. '12

Foil Embossing Materials in the Box: sharpies yarn foil Librarian Must Provide: paper glue sticks scissors Instructions Cover one side of your paper in a layer of glue. Cut a few pieces of yarn. Arrange them on your  paper to create a pattern. You can use them to make a picture, or make abstract shapes. Tear off a piece of foil that is longer than  your paper and place it over your paper. Starting in the middle and moving out to the edges, carefully press the foil down so that it is flat on the page and the yarn leaves a raised pattern on the foil. Fold the edges of the foil over the sides of the page and glue them down. Use the sharpies to color in your foil design. If teens are looking for inspiration, check out these finished projects at We Heart Art. These look amazing tiled together on the wall! Availability This box is at the Grove Hall branch - please check availability here and contact Laura if you would like to borrow it!

Foil Embossing


Materials in the Box:

  • sharpies
  • yarn
  • foil

Librarian Must Provide:

  • paper
  • glue sticks
  • scissors

Instructions

  • Cover one side of your paper in a layer of glue.
  • Cut a few pieces of yarn. Arrange them on your  paper to create a pattern. You can use them to make a picture, or make abstract shapes.
  • Tear off a piece of foil that is longer than  your paper and place it over your paper. Starting in the middle and moving out to the edges, carefully press the foil down so that it is flat on the page and the yarn leaves a raised pattern on the foil. Fold the edges of the foil over the sides of the page and glue them down.
  • Use the sharpies to color in your foil design.
  • If teens are looking for inspiration, check out these finished projects at We Heart Art. These look amazing tiled together on the wall!

Availability

This box is at the Grove Hall branch - please check availability here and contact Laura if you would like to borrow it!

14

May. '12

Photo Booth Program


Materials in the box:

  • photo props

Librarian Must provide:

  • a camera
  • paper and printing (optional)

Instructions

  • This one’s super simple! In the box you will find a bunch of goofy photo props, including hats, glasses, bunny ears and more. Set up a space for teens to try on the props.
  • The librarian can take pictures and share them with teens by email, or teens can take their own pictures with cell phone cameras.
  • The pictures can make a fun display when the program is over! You can also use sites like Photoboother or  Big Huge Labs Photo Tools to make the pictures look like they were taken in a photo booth, as I’ve done above - click on the pictures to get a better look!
  • This can also be an opportunity to teach teens how to use those tools or online photo editing tools as a teen laptop class.

Availability

This box is at the Grove Hall branch - please check availability here and contact Laura if you would like to borrow it!

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Designed by Ian Mintz

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