Ultimate Leprechaun Trap

It's Leprechaun Trap time! 

I don't know when this became a thing. But I can assume that soon our kids will have to make Santa Marie replicas on Columbus Day and paper mache W2 forms for Tax Day.

But, let's focus on this project.  I really needed to actually. Last year I forgot about this and Collin ended up taking a birthday hat I had propped up with a stick. It was sad.

Now, all those crafty Leprechaun traps with sequins and colorful paper and pipe cleaners are fine. But they all have the fatal flaw. Preparation. I prefer not to have to actually plan my child's project ahead of time. No. I like to wing it the day before it's due. That's when the fear gets you. And fear can lead to birthday hat traps. Or pure genius.

Hence we have this.....

It was pretty easy, fun, and free. 

Get a nice glass jar. This one originally contained overpriced lemonade from Whole Foods.

Break up a branch, make a ladder using a glue gun.

Head outside for a nature hunt with the kids. Sticks, feathers, shells, leaves. Fake flowers from the tacky neighbors lawn.

Kids instruct while mom wields the glue gun.

A little sign with burned edges stuck on a stick. Stuck in some moss.

The kids were close to tears that I had fire in the house. Over the sink. 

Put in a few gold(ish) beads that were hanging around the junk drawer.

Naughty Leprechaun sees gold, scales the ladder. No colorful paper to say "Hey! This is a preschool project!" Jumps in the jar to retrieve the gold.

Guess who can't get out of the jar.

This Leprechaun doesn't stand a change. 

And mommy redeemed herself! 

Happy St. Patricks Day! (Wearing green should be the only thing we do.)