How To Make A Stand-Up Paper Doll Clown Chain Craft

It is true, Purim is now officially over but this post that teaches you how to make a stand-up paper doll clown chain is great for any party! Use this general idea for a birthday party, a welcome home party, a graduation party, or even for other Jewish holidays but with different characters! Or quite simply save this idea for next Purim? Everyone loves paper doll chains, so make them a part of your life and spread the joy! And truly they are so fun to decorate, so give it a try. I just remembered that a few years ago I made some large paper doll chains for a community Purim party, and actually used them for several years!

Supplies For Stand-up Paper Doll Clowns:

• check out the tutorial for how to make paper doll clown chain

• colored cardstock, one sheet of A4 paper per chain, paper scraps for details

• circular stickers for faces (optional, I just happened to have them!)

• corrugated cardboard strips for base, can also use foam core if you have some

• toothpicks

• glue stick and hot glue (for adult use)

Instructions For Stand-Up Paper Doll Chain Clowns:

1. Make chain of paper doll clowns (or any theme that suits your occasion) according to link in supplies list above.
2. Cut a long and fairly narrow piece of corrugated cardboard to use as base. If I make this craft again with kids I will use a double layer of cardboard as the base, so I recommend at least two layers, even three.
3. Decorate the base with glitter craft foam, paper, or anything festive. A collage of some kind could be great, or keep it simple. I do recommend decorating the base in some way though, it adds that extra touch.
4. Using hot glue, attach toothpicks to the back of the paper doll chain where the hands meet, every two dolls. If your chain is taller, and your paper is thick enough you may need fewer support toothpicks, which of course would need to be skewers, but that could be great!
5. Stick the toothpicks into the cardboard. No need to affix with glue, and I honestly ran out of time. This meant that walking home with this craft the kids were able to remove the clowns from the base, (as they reported to me) which may or may not be desirable, you decide!
6. Many of the kid’s projects ended up looking like the clowns were catching air, meaning no feet on the ground, but that is perfect for party decor!

Ideas For How To Use This Stand-Up Paper Doll Clown Craft:

• Make fun cake toppers, especially great for a round cake. Make one version for top of cake and one version to put around base, not touching the cake. Meaning make a round cardboard base at least an inch all around larger than the cake, place cake on cardboard base and then insert clowns into that base.

• Make fun centerpieces, maybe even clowns dancing around a central pot of flowers? Make as described above for cake, or make the base a doughnut shape.

• Make fun table runner style centerpieces! A long row of clowns or characters of any kind dancing down the table would be so much fun. For this idea either decorate both sides or decorate every other figure and then turn over and decorate every other figure, a good compromise!

• Paper doll chains look great hung overhead with clothespins on string tied between columns.

• Paper doll chains can be very easily pinned to closed fabric curtains, or put under clear plastic tablecloths for party decor.

So many ways to go with this one, get creative and enjoy. And of course to store for the next party, just fold them up!