A Leprechaun Hat

1. Trace around the bottom of the ice cream container on the green felt with the black marker.
2. Cut out the circle.
3. Glue the circle to the bottom of the ice cream container.
4. Cut a piece of green felt to go around the container. You may need two pieces of felt.
5. Glue the felt around the container.
6. Punch a hole right below the lip of the container. Repeat on the opposite side. (You may need to use the scissors if the hole punch has troubles.)
7. Trace around a large circular object that is as big around as a piece of felt is wide.
8. Cut out the circle. This will be the floppy part (brim) of the hat.
9. Sit the ice cream container, open side down, on the middle of the felt circle. Trace around the container.
10. Cut a circle out of the middle of the felt large circle about 2" inside the lines. Discard this inner circle.
11. Make snips in the felt from the cutout area to the drawn lines to create "tabs". This will allow you to push the "tabs" up inside the hat and glue in place.
12. Turn the ice cream container/hat on the flat end. Lay the circle with the snips on top of the open end of the container. Run a bead of glue around the inside of the container near the rim.
13. Push the tabs up into the container and against the glue. (Note: This is where the hot glue comes in handy as it sets up quickly. If using hot glue, only run about a 3" length of glue at a time.)
14. Once the glue has set up, punch a hole in the felt on the brim of the hat next to the hole on the ice cream container. Repeat for other side.
15. Cut a strip about 2" wide out of the black felt.
16. Cut a 4" square out of the gray felt.
17. Cut a rectangle in the middle of the gray felt about 1 1/4" x 2". Discard the little piece of felt.
18. Check positioning of the black band by laying it around the hat about an inch above the brim. Cut off any excess felt where it meets in the back.
19. Lay the gray (buckle) over the black band as shown in the photograph. Once the layout is satisfactory, glue in place.
20. Cut the piece of ribbon in half.
21. Thread one piece of ribbon from the inside of the hat to the outside. Tie a double or triple knot on the inside of the hat with one end of the ribbon. Take the piece of ribbon on the outside and push down through the hole in the brim.
22. Repeat with the other piece of ribbon.
23. Place the hat on your head and tie the ribbon in a bow under your chin.
24. Have fun with your new Leprechaun hat!

. A Bedtime Story: The Princess & The Frog .

Once upon a time, in a land far away, a beautiful, independent, self-assured princess happened upon a frog as she sat, contemplating ecological issues on the shores of an unpolluted pond in a verdant meadow, near her castle. The frog hopped into the princess' lap and said: "Elegant Lady, I was once a handsome prince, until an evil wizard cast a spell upon me. One kiss from you, however, and I will turn back into the dapper, young prince that I am and then, my sweet, we can marry and set up housekeeping in your castle with my mother, where you can prepare my meals, clean my clothes, bear my children, and forever feel grateful and happy doing so."  . That night, as the princess dined sumptuously on lightly sautéed frog legs seasoned in a white wine and shallot cream sauce, she chuckled and thought to herself: " I don't freakin' think so!"

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