Cinco de Mayo, the Mexican Day of Independence, is right around the corner. The holiday recognizes the day when Mexico’s army defeated Napoleon III and the French forces on the battlefield in 1862. Despite the holiday’s history, it is celebrated more so in America than in Mexico. To help you get in the festive spirit, we’ve put together a few simple DIY crafts you can complete over the next few days. Hot Chili Pepper Beaded Magnets A major aspect of any culture is food. Mexican cuisine is one of the most popular options for parties and gatherings, especially on Cinco de Mayo. It’s known for being on the spicier side, making these cute hot chili pepper beaded magnets perfect for this fun holiday! What You Will Need Steps
  1. Cut three inches three of red pipe cleaner.
  2. Slide one red pony bead onto a red pipe cleaner and position it in the middle.
  3. Twist the pipe cleaner around the bead so that it stays in place.
  4. Thread seven beads onto each side of the pipe cleaner that is twisted around the first bead.
  5. Take a green pipe cleaner and cut it into three even pieces.
  6. Take one of the three pieces of green pipe cleaner and fold it in half with the ends pointing up.
  7. Line the green pipe cleaner up with the ends of the red pipe cleaner and twist them both together to connect the two pieces.
  8. Trim the excess red pipe cleaner and wrap the remainder of the green pipe cleaner around what is left of the red one.
  9. Bend the remaining two pieces of green pipe cleaner into two stems.
  10. Use the glue gun to add a small dab of glue onto the back of the magnet. Press the magnet to middle of the pepper where the red and green pipe cleaners are connected. Hold for a few moments to ensure the glue adheres.
  11. Place your new chili pepper magnet onto your refrigerator or other magnetic surface and get to celebrating!
Magnetic Dancing Peg Dolls You’ll be feeling the beat and moving your feet in no time with these fun magnetic dancing peg dolls! Get in the Cinco de Mayo spirit with these fun and unique crafts that you can completely customize to your creative tastes. Let’s get moving! What You Will Need
  • Wooden doll-peg clothespins
  • Wooden doll-pin stands
  • Markers
  • Colored pencils
  • Bright-colored mini doilies
  • Glue gun and hot glue
  • Craft sticks
  • Scissors
  • 7mm x 1mm Disc Magnets
Instructions
  1. Use the markers to color the body of the peg doll in whichever color or with whichever patterns you like.
  2. Use the colored pencils to create the face and facial features on the peg doll (the markers tend to bleed with the wood grain, so use the pencils for more precise lines).
  3. Take your colored doilies and fold them in half. You can use anywhere from 3-5 doilies per doll.
  4. Use the scissors to cut a half circle in the middle of the folded doilies and slide them over the head of your doll.
  5. Use the glue gun and hot glue to secure the doilies around the waist of the doll. Once the glue has dried, fluff the “skirts” to give them a little extra volume.
  6. Hot glue the peg doll to one of the peg doll stands. Once the glue dries, apply more glue to the magnet and attach it to the bottom of the stand with the peg doll. Let dry.
  7. Take one of the craft sticks and use the hot glue to attach another magnet onto one of the ends. Let dry.
  8. Stand the peg doll in the stand upright on a cardboard, poster board, or other thin, hard surface. Place the craft stick with the attached magnet underneath, or on the other side of the surface, until the magnets find each other and take hold.
  9. Move the craft stick around underneath the hard surface to make the dolls move and dance around!
Stone Cactus Magnets When in the southwestern region of the United States, you will find cacti almost everywhere you look. This is also the part of the U.S. that celebrates Cinco de Mayo the most, due to the heavy population of Americans of Mexican descent. This fun and easy craft is brings together the aesthetic of the desert and the vibrancy of the holiday! What You Will Need
  1. Small rocks (preferably smooth river rocks)
  2. Newspaper
  3. Large, thick paint brush
  4. Small, thin paint brush
  5. Paper plate
  6. Green acrylic craft paint
  7. White Permanent Paint Pen
  8. Sealant
  9. Glue gun and hot glue
  10. Magnets
Instructions
  1. Wash and dry your rocks completely so that the paint adheres better. Spread the newspaper over the table and lay the rocks on top of it.
  2. Squeeze a small amount of the green acrylic craft onto the paper plate and use the larger, thicker paint brush to paint the rocks green. Let dry.
  3. Use the white paint pen to draw the lines and bristles of a cactus on each of the rocks, mixing up the designs to make them all look different. Let dry.
  4. Use the glue gun and hot glue to add a small dab to the magnets and attach them to the backs of the rocks. Hold in place for a few seconds to make sure the glue adheres.
  5. Place the rocks on your refrigerator or other magnetic surface in a cluster to create your own Cinco de Mayo cactus garden!
Brighten up your Cinco de Mayo holiday with these fun, easy, and inexpensive crafts that will have you wanting to celebrate all summer long! For more magnetic craft ideas, be sure to follow along with our DIY blog!