Donna's Day: Creative Family Fun
Giant Mix 'n' Match Photo Cubes
BYDONNAERICKSON

If your pre-teen or teen is planning a get-together, make super memories when you snap photos of your guests in these stacked mix 'n' match cardboard-box photo cubes. Pop your head through the top box designed as a robot. The middle box might give you the torso of a mermaid, and the bottom might be bird legs. Take a picture, and let the next guest step inside of a new mixed-up creation!

Here's how to set it up:

1. Find three square cardboard boxes that are approximately 20 to 24 inches square, which eventually will be stacked upright like a tower, tall enough for a person to stand inside. Tape all box flaps closed.

2. Choose one of the boxes for the head section (Box A). To allow it to be set over a person, cut out the bottom taped end of the box, leaving 3 inches around all edges. (This lip helps stabilize the box.)

3. Find the center point on each of the four smooth sides of Box A. Cut out a hole on each side large enough for a person's face to poke through.

4. The next two boxes will be the torso (Box B) and the legs (Box C). Cut out the flap ends on both boxes -- top and bottom -- leaving the 3-inch lip in place.

5. Stack the boxes into a tower with Box A on top, Box B in the middle and Box C on the bottom. On each stacked side, sketch a large character from Box Adown to Box C. Be sure that the body parts can line up when you eventually shift the boxes around on the stack; you don't want a break in the bodyline when you mix and match.

6. At the party, supply poster paint and brushes, and let guests paint and decorate over the sketches of the characters, such as an astronaut, robot or mermaid. Let dry.

To use, stack the three boxes over someone from head to toe, and turn them to create funny combinations. For extra laughs, make three giant dice with small boxes to match the photo cubes. Roll to determine the combination.

Take a photo of each guest for a party favor or to add to your scrapbook.

Donna Erickson's new award-winning television series "Donna's Day" is airing on public television nationwide. Visit www.donnasday.com to find out when it airs on your local PBS station and to sign up for Donna's e-newsletter.

(c) 2007 Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd.