Teen Research: Japanese Teens and Their Bedrooms

What? Japanese teens are messy and addicted to energy drinks too? Damn Cool Pics has posted an interesting selection of pictures of Japanese teenager's bedrooms. Their rooms are full of mess, energy drinks, manga books, unmade beds, and gadgets. Just like the teenagers here! (and probably the world over) This might be an interesting conversation starter for your next Anime Manga club or just an insightful look for teens into the worlds of youth on the other side of the world.

Inside the private world of messy Japanese teenagers

Twilight Fun When You Can't Show The Film

As reported on the YALSA librarian programming listserv,  Summit Entertainment has pulled the rights to public showings of the Twilight film for the months of November and December. Boo hoo. The reason behind this? According to Entertainment Weekly, Summit will be showing Twilight in over 2,000 theaters  the night before New Moon's big release.  If you were planning on showing Twilight at your organization and need to replace this activity, try out these ideas recommended by the ever so clever YALSA  YA-YAAC  members.

* Host a Twilight t-shirt decorating event (Tulip paint is great for this)
* Make Twilight 1" buttons and badges (With a button maker)
* Play Twilight Scene-It?
* Show other vampire/werewolf movies:
- Lost Boys
- Van Helsing
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Vampire Knight
- Teen Wolf

Teen Research: How Teens Use Media

Nielsen has just released (okay, it was this past June) a worldwide study, titled How Teens Use Media. Surveying the the media consumption of teens in over 50 different countries, this report covers subjects from mobile use, television, video games, the Internet, and social networks.  Featuring a ton of insightful info on Generation Y, this is a must read for anyone working with youth. Some of their findings really surprised me as well. Teens are online less than their parents? What? Teens and their parents are viewing surprisingly similar media? (well that explains why family time equals watching Dancing With the Stars :))

Nielsen's report on How Teens Use Media can be found here (.pdf)

A Look Into the World Of Designer Vinyl Toys

No one is too old for toys. Collectible designer toys by companies such as Kidrobot, ToyQube, Toy2R, and Medicom are growing massively popular with teens today. The blank customizable toys of these famous designs/ characters also make for a great program for teens. For more information about designer vinyl and how to host a designer toy workshop, check out the 4YA article Custom Designer Toys 

Teen Librarian October E-Newsletter Now Available

Our favorite Yoof Librarian, Matthew is back with  another great issue of the hilarious and informative Teen Librarian monthly newsletter. This month features an article about haunted UK libraries, YA book reviews, an awesome librarian mask tutorial, and an interview with author Becca Fitzpatrick.

October issue:
Past issues:

Teen Craft Projects: Star Wars Craft Bonaza

The coolest science fiction series, just has to have the coolest crafts. Bonnie Burton of Lucas Films has been posting some awesomely creative and easy to make Star Wars projects on the Official Star Wars Blog and I just had to highlight all these amazing ideas.  Featuring all the rad characters and spacecrafts from the Star Wars universe, these thematic crafts are perfect for your sci-fi fans, Teen Tech Week participants and your bored after school bunch.  The materials for all of these crafts (paper, CD jewel cases, glass flat marbles, felt fabric) are all really affordable (you probably have most of this in your craft closet), which makes these projects super budget friendly as well.  Just remind your teens that markers are for drawing, and not lightsaber reenactments ;)

For great Star Wars project ideas check out:
Bonnie Burton's craft posts on the official Star Wars blog
The StarWars.com craft archive 

Here are some of my favorite Star Wars project ideas:
Star Wars Felt Puppets at Make and Takes
Origami Star Wars X-Wing from Imperial Origami
Star Wars Text Book Covers from starwars.com
Flashy Star Wars Marble Rings from starwars.com
Star Wars Recycle Glitter Globe from starwars.com
Awesome Nintendo Wii wand lightsaber cozy from starwars.com
Star Wars photo frames (CD jewel cases!) from starwars.com
C3P0 paper craft toy from Toy-A-Day
R2D2 Christmas ball ornament from Craftster

For more info into the world of Star Wars crafting check out CRAFT's interview with the wonderfully talented Bonnie Burton:

Teen Craft Idea: Make a Hello Kitty Paper Lantern

Celebrating her 35th year, there is no doubt that Hello Kitty is still the coolest cat around. Massively popular, her face can be found on millions of different objects from toasters to toilet seats, and now... lanterns.  To make your own Hello Kitty paper lantern follow the directions below:





Materials:
* White 3.5" paper lanterns available at the Paper Lantern Store
* Color printer(or print it out in B+W and color with markers)
* Scissors
* Aleene's Tacky glue

Directions:

1. Find a nice basic Hello Kitty head online (here's one ) and open it up in Word, or any graphics program. Resize the Hello Kitty image so that the details fit the size of your lantern.




  
2. Open up the paper lantern and insert the metal support. This can be tricky for younger teens so you may want to open up the lanterns before your teens arrive.

3. Cut out pieces like this and set them aside. You'll want to play around with the arrangement of the face pieces before you glue them on the lantern.

4. Bend the ears and create a crease right across the middle of the bow. This will allow them to pop up and create a more 3D effect.

5. Glue on your face pieces like so-- using Aleene's Tacky glue or any other long lasting glue. For a glossy effect you can cover the face pieces with a thin layer of Mod Podge decoupage. Let dry and your done. Too cute right? ;)





For more on Hello Kitty check out these excellent Hello Kitty blogs and sites:
Sanrio the home of Hello Kitty and friends
House of Kitty
Hello Kitty Junkie
The Hello Kitty Blog

Teen Craft Idea: LEGO Fun for the Holidays

You may remember that I posted a link earlier this month about making LEGO snowmen. I actually have this activity planned for December for my library, but was planning everything from scratch. Using only a flickr photo as a guide. I figured out and counted the necessary LEGO pieces over a period of an hour, while looking at LEGO's Pick A Brick online shop. You can imagine my surprise last night when I saw that LEGO has just announced on their holiday shop, that these snowmen are now available as pre-package kits! Very cool indeed. Makes everything easier.

LEGO is cool for all ages and makes for some really cool programs. Why not let your teens revisit their favorite childhood toy and let them build something rad this holiday season.

Visit LEGO's holiday shop to purchase snowmen, Santa and Christmas tree LEGO Kits

Great Crafting Site: Disney Family Fun

Tired of the same all old crafts? Why not check out Disney's Family Fun website at http://familyfun.go.com/. Featuring craft ideas, recipes, printables and tutorial videos, there is a bunch of great ideas to be found here. Although the majority of the crafts are for the little ones, there are some real gems here for the tween to teen set.


Here are some of my favorites:



Boa Bats: Puffy fluffy bats made from boa puffs and paper
Doughnut Snowmen: Stack powdered donuts and decorate
Clay Critters: Learn how to make polymer clay animals
Rock Candy: Turn a candy box into a rockin' gift with candy earbuds
Rainbow Flier: It's like a ninja star, but cuter and whole lot safer!
Circle of Pins: Make a rad bracelet from baby pins and beads
Make Hula Hoop: Help them get their wiggles out after school and make a hula hoop
Ghostwriter: Learn how to zombiefie a pen out of clay and fake nails.
Hard-wear Bracelets: Grab some metal and make a rad bracelet. Great for the techies and metal fans

New Super Mario Bros. Wii: A Must Buy For Teen Gaming Events

Mark your calendars everyone! Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. Wii will be released this holiday season in the US on November 15.  The buzz from video game journalists and experts is that this game, is the multi-player game to have for 2009. Featuring a fully functioning four player mode, and classic side scrolling mario action, you will want to make to order this game for your gaming events. For those concerned about large groups and fair playing time, you can always set up Mario teams (one team for Mario, Luigi and the Toad fellas), where each team player plays through one board and passes the controller to their team mate for the next level. Looks like some crazy fun eh?

Project Idea: Make Your Own Felt Gadget Case

Since gadgets are on the top of every teen's holiday wish lists, and my January/ February programs are due soon, I thought I would post this tutorial on how to make a felt mp3/ iPod/ gadget covers.  These gadget cases are certainly not a new project idea for most of us, but it is a solid program that teens request quite often. Best yet-- it's a super budget project, costing less than .50 cents per student.

Materials:
* Good quality felt in fun colors (so that the needle holes do not weaken the fabric)
* Embroidery thread
* Embroidery needles (so easy to thread!)
* Bright plastic sewing buttons (for the closure)
* Aleene's Tacky glue (to glue on any extra styling bits)
* Beads, pin back buttons, plastic bits to decorate (optional)

Tutorials:
Crafty Daisy's iPod cozy tutorial
The Crafty Cafe's iPod tutorial with step-by-step photos (no cover flap)
Free Christmas' green/ re-claimed scarf mp3 case
Craftster's Make a Domo Kun iPod case (a bit more advanced)

Visual Inspiration:
Sydney Angel's adorable and geeky iPod cases on Etsy
Etsy search for felt gadget covers
NormaAndLou's Etsy ipod covers. Colorful and fun

This is Social Media Magic

Japanese music group Sour has just released this music video for their Hibi no Neiro track. What a fine example of social media magic. Very cool.

Quick Links 10-14-09

Now is the time to try out video blogging: Check out Mashable's fantastic article The Complete Guide to Video Blogging to get started. (via iLibrarian )

New Moon soundtrack to be released early: JSYK reports that due to the huge demand, Summit is releasing the indie soundtrack to New Moon on Friday, October 16th. With all the buzz for this CD you might as well alert your tech department.

Breaking Dawn is a "Go": JSYK reports that Summit has received the green light for the Breaking Dawn film. To be released early 2011.

Twilight is now officially on Twitter: From Gossip Teen. Teens are not on Twitter? They will be now.

What 'Uglies' Teaches About Buying Into Pretty: Ypulse revisits Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series and explores the long lasting effects of beauty standards and plastic surgery among youth.

Roar! the Wild Things are here: Rotten Tomatoes rounds up all the Where the Wild Things Are film reviews. Can't wait to see this one.

Encourage Those Budding Artists and Writers

12-year-old author and cartoonist Alexa Kitchen, is celebrating her second published book Parents are Dumb (No Offense). Yep, that's right folks, it's her second book. Pretty cool. Go teens.
(video via Boing Boing )

Program/ Contest Idea: Wild and Wacky Wheels

Looking for a creative contest/ program idea? Why not set up a wild and wacky wheels customized diecast car contest? Similar to the MTV show "Pimp My Ride", teens can compete in customizing a Matchbox type diecast car, and make it as wacky and wild as they want. The photo above is from my custom, which I titled Mizz Madonnaronna. This budget friendly project will appeal to teens of all ages, and is also a great family project.

To set up a Wild Wheels mini custom car contest/ program you will need:
* Mini Diecast cars: Can be found at dollar stores/ toy stores
* Random bit of plastic findings and beads (or encourage teens to bring stuff from home)
* A good strong glue like Aleene's tacky glue
* Paint pens

Encourage your teens customize their cars in any way they want. You can also award them for different themes such as, funny foods, best paint job, wackiest wheels etc.

***For an extra writing element you can have your teens submit a short paragraph about their car concept and what they would do to their interior.

Ask Andrea: October 13, 2009

Hi Andrea! Just wanted to say that I'm really digging 4YA, and that I love your project ideas, which leads me to my question. Where do you find all your cool ideas? How do you know your teens will like it?

-Oh-Hi-Oh Librarian

Hello Ohio librarians! Thanks for the great question! For me, finding inspiration for cool teen projects comes from just about everything. I'm always keeping a list of neat things that I find (I use the note feature on my phone since it's always on me), whether I'm watching TV, reading interesting blogs, checking out teen-centric shops, or reading video game magazines.

The recipe to successful and exciting teen programs has two ingredients: one- listening to what your teens would like to do, and two- finding *new* and cool things they don't know about yet. The second part is the hardest because it takes a lot of investigative work, but if you give yourself plenty of time, finding neat project ideas can be a ton of fun.

The best and easiest way to find great project ideas is to read a diverse selection of blogs. If you are a professional who works with teens, you should be reading daily, at least two blogs from the following categories: technology, video games, teen celebrity news, manga and graphic novels (that includes comic books too), music, digital content creation, and crafts. To save time, set up a blog reader such as a Google Reader account, to browse through your favorite blogs.

For a list of the blogs that I read click here

My selection/ approval process usually goes something like this: I find something cool, I write it down, search for more info on the net, come up with a basic program idea, and then I run it by my teens. If the teens seem to think that it's something they would be interested in, (sometimes they will have no idea what I'm talking about-- and I will have them look at an example online with me) I build a workshop around that topic/ project and submit it to our newsletter for publication.

Hope this helps and keep on sending in your questions!

Have a question for me? I'd love to hear from you! Email me at 4yastaff@gmail.com

20 Blogs Youth Advocates Should Be Reading:

The best and easiest way to keep on top of youth culture, is to read a diverse selection of blogs. If you are a professional who works with teens, you should be reading daily, at least two blogs from the following categories: technology, YA lit, video games, teen media news, manga and graphic novels (that includes comic books too), music, digital content creation, and DIY crafts. I know this may seem like a ton of reading, but you can save a lot of time by setting up a blog reader, such as a Google Reader account, to browse through your favorite blogs. Here is my personal must-read blog list:

Technology:
Wired Blogs: www.wired.com/blogs/
Wired Magazine's blog directory of tech stuff. Games, gadgets, science, media-everything

Mashable: mashable.com/
Social media news, and info on new web apps.

Boing Boing: boingboing.net/
All sorts of techie, nerdy, sci-fi goodness.

Video Games:
IGN: www.ign.com
Video game news and streaming video previews/ reviews

Joystiq: www.joystiq.com
Streamlined game reviews

Game Life: www.wired.com/gamelife
Wired's all-in-one gaming blog

Celebrity/ Media News:
Gossip Teen: http://gossipteen.com/
Teen celebrities, movie news and pop culture

JSYK: www.jsyk.com/
Teen celebrity news, game and film reviews, and fun stuff for tweens

Manga/ Anime/ Graphic Novels:
Anime News Network: www.animenewsnetwork.com/
Anime and Manga news, updated constantly

Wizard's Comics Blog: www.wizarduniverse.com/comics.html
Comic news from the popular magazine. A bit messy to read on their site, better on a blog reader

Digital Content Creation:
Smashing Magazine: www.smashingmagazine.com/
Digital media tutorials and social media news. Great for anyone looking to develop their photoshop/ illustrator skills.

Blog Spoon Graphics: www.blog.spoongraphics.co.uk/
Great resource for funking up your website/ promotional posters. Free vectors, icons, and easy tutorials.

Crafts/ DIY:
Etsy Storque: www.etsy.com/storque/
The one and only Etsy blog, interviews and highlighted items

Craft Mag Blog: craftzine.com/
Great crafting tutorials and links to great craft project sites

Instructables: www.instructables.com/
All kinds of neat how-to articles submitted by the instructables community

Music:
MTV's Buzzworthy: buzzworthy.mtv.com/
All the new buzz worthy artists and music

Rolling Stone Magazine's Rock Daily: www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/
All the music artists you need to know about, check the names, order the CDs

YA Books:
GreenBeanTeenQueen: www.greenbeanteenqueen.com/
Great book reviews from a teen services librarian. Also check out her YA movie reviews.

Many other fantastic YA lit blogs.  I like GreenBeanTeenQueen's YA Lit blog list:
www.blogger.com/profile/08708155058381407531

Youth Culture:
Ypulse: www.ypulse.com
Everything teen from book reviews, social media, youth research and marketing

Program Idea: Dinosaurs At Your Library! Ahhh!

Found this video on Gizmodo this morning, and was completely blown over. Look at these dinosaurs! They are a combination of puppetry and animatronics, but they look so realistic. What a perfect program idea eh? I think I'm going to hire these big lizards for my libraries 2011 Summer Reading Club theme "Take A Bite Out Of Your Books". Dinosaurs roaming around the stacks and roaring at the children? I'm sure my director will be cool with it. Who doesn't love dinosaurs? LOL.

Project Idea: Goblin Gourds

When it comes to Halloween, goblins are sadly and dangerously overlooked. We make such a big deal about vampires, monsters, zombies and ghosts that one of the most devious and impish creatures goes completely unnoticed. To celebrate these naughty little minions, why not pass on the pumpkin carving, and try your hand (be careful goblins love to bite off hands) at decorating your own goblin gourd? It's simple and easy and maybe, just maybe, if you pay your respects to the goblins this year, your socks will be stolen less and they won't get into your garbage half as much (oh, you thought that was raccoons?)

To make your own goblin gourds follow these easy instructions:

***update*** I have removed the air-dry clay from this project as polymer clay works better, as it adheres to the gourd quite easily and does not require painting.

Materials:

Small bumpy gourds
Container of White Crayola air-dry clay. Available online at Amazon 
Polymer clay (such as Sculpey or Fimo)
Sharpie poster paint markers (fine or medium tip) or acrylic paint. Available online at Dick Blick

Directions:
1. Pick out a little bumpy gourd, or let the gourd pick you.
2. Using the Crayola air-dry clay, colored polymer clay shape out big long goblin ears, a nose, sharp teeth, etc. that you would like to add to your goblin gourd. Try them on the gourd first, and press each piece on, so that it creates little impressions on the clay.
***polymer clay does not have to be baked and adheres to the gourd quite easily without glue
3. Paint on the eyes and mouth with your Sharpie Poster Paint markers or paint.
4. Display your goblin gourds outside and enjoy the benefits of pleasing the goblin spirits.

***Relief from garbage ransacking and sock stealing not guaranteed***

Quick Links 10-10-09

Developing a video game collection?
Check out Common Sense Media's fall game reviews. Content overviews, age recommendations, and kid's reviews-- found here


Gnarly shrunken apple heads 
Learn how to make shrunken apple heads for Halloween (gross and funny!) at Floral Showers

Oreo Truffles
Here's a great one for the holiday season: Learn how to make deelish Oreo truffle balls in this no bake recipe at College Candy

Scrabble piece pendants
Here's one for all those incomplete Scrabble sets. Make cool pendants out of the left over letter pieces. Tutorial at Marcia Furman's blog

Awesome Halloween-esque Ceri Frost music video
Love this song, and love the inspired Edward Gorey style animation. See it here at Boing Boing

Teens love them some Halo, grab their interest with Halo books
If you have Halo fans at your library, these books are a must buy. Article found at USA Today

Project Idea: Make Your Own Furry Monsters

While poking around on deviantART recently, I came across the cutest little monster plushies by the very talented artist Chelsea Bloxsom . Chelsea has developed a toy line of whimsical plushie monsters that feature wild manes and adorable fangs.  This photo is from Chelsea's monster babies line which features bright colored long piled faux fur and felt mouths. Being that it's October, and the perfect time for monster making, ( I created a monster!!!) I thought Chelsea's monsters would be a wonderful inspiration for your young mad scientists and crafty critters.

If you would like to develop a sewing and plushie workshop for your teens, and create furry monsters like Chelsea's monster babies,  check out the links below for materials, instructions, and further reading on plushie making. To purchase one of Chelsea's super cute monsters visit her Etsy store.

Materials:
Faux Fur: can be purchased online from Distinctive Fabric.
Craft felt: available at most craft stores
Fluffy white poly-fil
Sewing needles
Scissors
Thread
Tacky glue

Plushie making tutorials and monstrous inspiration:
Fantastic furry monster plush tutorial from craftblog
Instructibles tutorial by chirp-o-tron
Chelsea Bloxsom's DeviantArt gallery
To purchase your own little monster, check out Chelsea's Etsy store

Great books on plushie making:
Invasion of the Plush Monsters!: Wickedly Weird Creatures You Just Gotta Sew
Softies: Simple Instructions for 25 Plush Pals
Plush-o-Rama: Curious Creatures for Immature Adults
Aranzi Aronzo Cute Dolls
Plush You!: Lovable Misfit Toys to Sew and Stuff

Project Idea: Clay Snowmen

I am a humongous fan of Crayola's Model Magic Clay, and use it almost every month in my programming. It's easy to use, clean, and unlike polymer clay, you don't have to bake it. Extra bonus? It's super affordable too. With so many colors available, teens can make virtually anything from Model Magic Clay, such as little characters, beads, charms, game pieces, magnets, gift boxes, pencil toppers, and my favorite, hand made ornaments. Last winter my teens and I made little snowmen, that were inspired by the amazing clay model artist, Ibenia Carbajal. Ibenia's clay sculptures are the perfect combination of sweet and impishness, and inspired my teens to make their own little snowguys.

To make your own polymer clay snowman/ snowwoman you will need:
Crayola Model Magic clay in white, and color multipack
Small black glass seed beads
Small black glass beads
A large glass marble (to help shape the little hats)

To make a little snowman:
1. Break white clay into small chunks and soften with your hands by rolling.
2. Roll two pieces of white clay into two small balls, one being smaller for the head.
3. Stack the white balls on top of each other.
4. Pick a color for the snowman's hat and soften the clay in your hands.
5. Wrap the ball of colored clay around the marble to create a domed hat shape. Add a border around the hat and a little ball on top if you like.
6. Create accessories for your snowman, scarves, pipe, stick hands if you like. Attach these to your snowman
7. Make a little carrot nose out of orange polymer clay and put aside for now.
8. Take larger black glass beads (or small bits of black clay) and insert into the smaller white ball to make eyes.
9. Take the smaller black glass seed beads (or small bits of black clay) and make a smile on his face and buttons along his chest if you like.
10. Add the little orange nose.
10 1/2. You can add a metal wire loop on top of his hat if you want to hang him.

11. Name him and show 'em off. So cute!

Here are some great resources for clay ideas:
Artist Ibenia Carbajal's website with tutorials
Etsy listing of the little snowman that inspired us
Clay snowmen on flickr

Other snowman crafts:
Lego snowman
Snowman milkshakes
Martha Stewart's snowman cupcakes

Fantastic Finds: Manga Studio and Wacom's Bamboo Drawing Tablet

Last summer marked the first time I offered a raffle prize system to my library's summer reading club. Instead of small prizes, I put together four different prize packages that included software, a accompanying book and a accessory.  Of the four packages (music producer, novel writer, designer toy maker and manga illustrator), the manga illustrator kit was overwhelmingly the most popular prize. In this package I included a copy of the Manga Studio software, a Wacom Bamboo drawing tablet (small)  and Manga Studio for Dummies . I knew the manga illustration kit would be popular as many of my teens are artists, but I had no clue on just how massively popular this prize would be.

Drawing tablets are a must have for all serious digital artists. One only has to look at the sheer number of deviantART fans to understand that young people love to draw, and they love to share their art work. Having a decent digital illustration program and a digital drawing board makes this process much easier, and allows students to take their digital art to the next level.

Unfortunately, most drawing programs and drawing tablets are out of reach for teens, as they're a costly investment (software and a tablets will run you at least $100 usd).  Due to the fact that there were so many teens interested in this prize (and therefore many bummed out teens who didn't win), I have decided to purchase a Wacom Bamboo drawing tablet and the Manga Studio software for my teen computers. Hopefully, by December I will have a dedicated teen computer that will have the software installed, and a Bamboo tablet that teens can reserve inside the library, so they can work on their digital projects.

How do I know this will all work out? I don't really, but I do have my teens massive enthusiasm to support my hunch. The teen who won the manga illustrator prize, is a very happy gal as well. She has brought in a lot of her digital work, and it's really good.  Best yet, she's already agreed to help me teach the teens how to use the software.  I think this is all key to providing outstanding service to youth. By acknowledging their interests, and incorporating it into our services, we as youth advocates can provide the tools to help teens realize their creative goals.

If you would like to set up a digital art station at your youth organization, you can find Manga Studio, the Wacom Bamboo drawing tablet, and Manga Studio for Dummies online at Amazon.com and Office Depot Online.

Manga Studio software

Wacom's Small Bamboo digital drawing tablet

Manga Studio for Dummies book

Anime Clubs: Totoro Fest

My anime club has gone through it's share of ups and downs. There have certainly been times when I’ve sat through a anime film alone with only Pocky to keep me company. After a few of these no-shows, I realized that our teen anime club needed to be re-vamped. No longer could the appeal of the anime club be supported by Japanese snacks and a random anime film. What I realized was that my teens didn’t want to “just watch a movie”, they wanted to do something.

With a little bit of research and a lot of teen input, I relaunched our anime club as a special monthly event that celebrated the best anime films and series. Not only would we watch the film we would do some fun related activities such as a craftaku project, a game and a maybe even a contest. The relaunch worked and once again our anime club became one of our most popular programs. The following program “Totoro Fest”, is a sample event you could host at your library. Follow this guide to build your own Totoro festival.

Totoro Fest article can be downloaded here: (.pdf file)

Quick Links: 10-04-09

Flash Magic Dots: (via Neatorama )
Super addicting and inspiring! Click on the dots and they multiply. The color scheme also makes for a great color palette for teen websites/ flyers. Found here: http://www.cesmes.fi/

Learn how to make pumpkin snowflakes crafts (via Craft)
Great for dressing up your windows or for listless teens. Found here: Mermag

Google Docs to become more student friendly (via ypulse )
This a is a great development for families and their teens. Found here: Washington Post

Domo Kun's official website
Get to know more about the brown furry monster Domo Kun. Found here: Domo Nation

Domo Kun at 7-11 (via ypulse )
7-11 is teaming up with Domo Kun for the month of October. Special Slurpees and Domo merchandise will be available. According to my sources, some 7-11s are giving out free Domo Slurpee gift cards. Makes a great Teen Read Week giveaway. News release from News Wire

CDC: Just 1 in 10 high schoolers eating enough fruits and veggies (via CPYU)
Maybe we should start serving our pizza with veggies on it? From the Baltimore Sun

Hugging and Teens: Hugging is the new 'Hello' (via CPYU)
Teens hugging-- I see this all the time. What to do? Article via Parent Central 

Video Game Design Degrees Offered By Record Number of U.S. Colleges (via cpyu)
Video games as a popular career path for Generation Y. Makes sense doesn't it? From Industry Gamers 

Program Idea: Felt Plushie Workshop

Plushie workshops are a great way to teach basic sewing skills to teens. If they have already taken a home and careers class, or know how to sew, you can teach them more advanced skills, like pattern making or embroidery. The stuffed toys pictured here are basic plushies made from craft quality felt. I came up with these simple designs (except for the white Yogurt Kun fella) drew them out on old folders to make basic patterns and then cut them out.  Here is my quick over view of how I put these together, there are more thorough tutorials below:

Materials: an old folder (or sturdy card stock), quality felt, fine tip felt maker, embroidery needle and thread, scissors, Tacky glue (gold bottle), and poly-fill fiber

Instructions:
1. Draw out a simple shape about the size of the palm of your hand on an old folder. Shapes like stars, fruits, and clouds work best for those new to sewing.

2. Using a fine point felt marker, trace the pattern on to a piece of felt twice (there is no need to turn them inside out)

3. Cut out the two shapes and thread your embroidery needle with matching thread, and sew both felt pieces together, leaving a 1" opening for stuffing.

4. Cut out any other pieces of felt for decorating (ie: eyes, mouth, hair) and glue these on the plushie with Tacky glue.

5. Stuff plushie with fiber fill and sew closed.

6. Name your plushie and love it forever.

Tutorials:
HGTV plushie tutorial
http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/felt-plush-creatures/index.html
Cut out and Keep Owl tutorial
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/super_cute_owl_pin_cushion

Inspiration for designs from C.O.+K:
A cute cloud

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/cloudy

A simple star

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/star_lavender

A little octopus
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/silly_octopus_plushie
Ugly Doll like monster
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/cute_plushie