HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• Quilting or large embroidery hoop
• Plain fabric, large enough to fit hoop
• String elastic
• Scissors
• Styrofoam (or paper) egg carton

LET'S GET STARTED:

1. Set fabric over the bottom hoop.
2. Cut 2 lengths of string elastic long enough to extend across the hoop and over the edges.   Place them on the fabric to form a "+" sign, dividing the circle into fourths. Add another length to divide the circle into sixths and a final length to divide the circle into eighths.
3. Carefully secure the top hoop, securing the fabric and the string elastic.
4. Trim excess elastic and fabric to give the message center a finished look.
5. Tie and knot additional string elastic in two concentric circles onto the "web," knotting elastic strips as you go.
6. To make the spider, cut away a section of 4 eggcups from the bottom of the egg carton. One cup will be spider's abdomen and the other three cups will be leg sections.
7. Cut away excess carton around the abdomen eggcup.
8. Each leg cup will have three legs for a total of nine legs. To create legs, start with one cup, cut out a leg shape, cut away a space, cut a second leg, a second space and a third leg. Repeat with other two cups.
9. Paint and decorate spider if desired. Poke pen through both sides of abdomen section.
10. Poke a small hole in spider and attach a length of elastic string. Tie elastic onto web.
11. Tuck messages, notes and photos under webbing.

OTHER ACTIVITIES FROM THIS EPISODE:

Classic Books
Magnetic Shoebox Story Stage
Family Message Centers
Cardboard Fence Message Center
Homemade Gelatins
Homemade Gelatins
Gelatin Citrus Slices
Cool Kid's Cookbook
Kids Become Writers/Publishers
Masked Word Poetry
Night Night Book