Straw Fish

Supplies

1/2" Sheet of Styrofoam
Serrated Plastic Knife
Paper Plate
Newsoaoer
Tissue Paper in Lime Green and Blue
Clear Glue
Small Foam Brush
Scissors
Wiggle Eye
Hole punch
12 Bendable Straws in blues and Greens
White Pony Beads
Blue Pipe Cleaner
Stylus
Cord

Instructions

Cover your work surface with newspaper to protect it. Then start by creating a pattern for the head and tail of the fish.

Lay the pattern for the head on the styrofoam with the straight edge lined up with the edge of the foam. Cut out using the serrated knife. Rub the cut edges with scrap foam to smooth it.

Cut 1" circles of tissue paper with a circle punch or free hand with your scissors.

Put a small pile of clear glue on one side of the paper plate.

Brush a small area of the fish head with glue. Then take the same wet brush  and gently tap it on one green circle of tissue so that it lifts it and place it on the head, brushing the circle with more glue. Continue doing this overlapping the circles so they create a faint impression of fish scales.  Cover the sides and the back of the foam with the same method.

Using the picture as a reference, glue down a blue circle for the fish eye and then glue the wiggle eye in the middle of it.

Do the same with the blue tissue paper circles on the tail of the fish.

Next prepare your straws by cutting off the bendy end. Then use your hole punch to cut a hole in the middle of the  straw. Continue for all 12 straws.

Now create the body of the fish by stringing a pony bead onto the pipe cleaner. Then string one of the straws through the hole that was puched and continue alternating beads and straws until all 12 straws are strung on the pipe cleaner, ending with a bead.

Using your stylus create a hole in the middle of the straight edge of the fish head. Put a drop of glue in the hole and insert one end of the pipe cleaner. Gently slide the beads and straws up to the head to form the basis for the body.

Shorten the other end of the pipe cleaner to the proper length. Leaving just enough length to insert into the tail.  Again use the stylus to punch a hole in the tail the same way you did to the head. Put glue in the hole and insert the pipe cleaner.

Using the pictures as a reference, lay the project flat and cut the straws from the head to the tail in a curved line representing the  shape of a fish body. Turn the fish over and do the same for the other side.

Tie a knot in the middle of your cord. Glue one end to the head and the other to the tail and it is ready to hang. Of course give it a little time for the glue to dry.