Seuss-inspired Daisy Gear

You've read 'Green Eggs and Ham' and 'The Cat in the Hat', but can you name another even rarer than that?

We are certainly BIG fans of Dr. Seuss in this household,

but we share a special fondness for this little-known work written by Theodor Seuss Geisel: 

Daisy-Head Mayzie was written by Dr. Seuss in the 1960s, yet it was published posthumously. It was made into an animated special for Hanna Barbera cartoons back in 1995, and as I just discovered on Wikipedia, is being made into a Disney/Pixar film in 3D. Wow!

So, how would you like to be just like Mayzie and have your very own daisy sprouting up from your noggin?

It's simple! Gather a sheet of white poster board, some yellow cardstock, a green foam sheet, popsicle sticks, and white daisy-shaped die cuts. (I used a set of daisy paper coasters from the Martha Stewart collection.) Other necessary tools: scissors, scallop paper punch, packing tape, double sided tape, tacky glue, exacto knife, stapler.

1. Start by cutting bands from the narrow end of the poster board, close to 2" tall. This band should be wide enough to encircle the head of any child.

2. Use the scallop punch to cut two yellow card stock centers of the daisy, one for each side of the daisy. Use a thin strip of packing tape to attach the popsicle stick to the daisy base, then use double-sided tape to adhere the centers, with one center covering the top of the popsicle stick.

3. Cut a leaf shape for each daisy from the green foam. Use the exacto knife to cut a slit in the widest part of the leaf. Slide the leaf onto the popsicle.

4. Put a few drops of tacky glue at the base of the popsicle stick and press onto the poster board band. Reinforce with packing tape.

5. When all the daisy "stems" are attached to the bands, the bands can be sized and stapled around the heads of the children you are going to read Daisy-Head Mayzie to. Take a photo of their happy faces, then send it to me!

I hope you have an opportuny to pick up your favorite Dr. Seuss book and participate in Read Across America Day on March 2nd.