'Sesame Street' characters help bring on sunny days

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), May 31, 2009 | by Kathy Antoniotti Akron Beacon Journal

First lady Michelle Obama paid a visit to Sesame Street earlier this month to discuss nutrition and exercise with Elmo. She said it's the best thing she's done since her arrival in the White House.

While some adults may not share her enthusiasm for the famous, furry muppets, children certainly understand the "thrill" the first lady said she felt when she met one of the most-loved characters ever to appear on television.

To mark the occasion, I made some muppet character pins with directions I found at www.makingfriends.com/jewelry/sesamepins.htm on the Web. You can glue on a pin back or magnet to the back of the faces.

Use the photo for placement before you glue the ears, eyes, nose and hair on the Woodsies.

Supplies you will need for Cookie Monster:

1 large circle Woodsie.

1 medium circle Woodsie.

2 (10 mm) wiggle eyes.

Blue and black paint or markers.

Tacky glue.

Paint or color the large circle blue. Draw black dots on the smaller circle to make it look like a chocolate chip cookie.

Glue the wiggle eyes on the top of the circle, the mouth under the eyes and the cookie under the mouth.

For Elmo you need:

1 large circle Woodsie.

1 small circle Woodsie.

2 (10 mm) wiggle eyes.

Red and orange paint or markers.

Tacky glue.

Paint the large circle red and the small circle orange.

When dry, glue on the eyes, and nose and draw on the mouth.

For Bert you need:

1 large oval Woodsie.

3 small circle Woodsies.

2 (8 mm) wiggle eyes.

Yellow and orange paint or markers.

Black fine marker.

Black yarn.

Tacky glue.

Paint the large oval and two small circles yellow. Paint one circle orange for a nose.

When dry, glue on the eyes, nose and ears.

Cut the black yarn into small sections and glue vertically to the top of the oval for hair. Glue on the wiggle eyes and add a small section of yarn above to make one long eyebrow.

Draw a mouth under the nose with a black marker.

For Ernie you need:

1 large oval Woodsie.

3 small circle Woodsies.

2 (8 mm) wiggle eyes.

Yellow and orange paint or markers.

Black yarn.

Tacky glue.

Paint the large oval and two circles orange. Paint the other circle red.

When dry, glue the nose, eyes and ears to the circle.

Cut yarn into small sections and glue vertically to the top of the head.

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Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.