Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Craft Doll Camp Kazoos

These doll sized camp kazoos are very tiny, see photo
on the right to get the idea of size compared with the
doll's hand. 
       The kazoo was invented in 1840, it was most likely based upon a modern interpretation of an African instrument called a mirliton.
       Real kazoos are played by humming into the wider end of it. The sound of the humming vibrates off of a thin membrane stretched over the larger internal hole.

Supply List:
  • light weight cardboard
  • colorful paper to cover the kazoo body
  • pencil to wrap the kazoo turret around
  • masking tape - for resonating membrane
  • tacky white craft glue

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Cut the tiny kazoo tube from light weight cardboard. It should be no larger than an inch long for your 18'' American Girl Dolls. The lengths should be cut in a slight ''V'' shape sot that when the tube is rolled, one end is slightly narrower than the other.
  2. Glue the long ends together using tacky craft glue when shaping the instrument. You can stick a bit of masking tape around the tube to make sure it drys in place correctly.
  3. Cover the kazoo with colorful paper. Tuck in any paper that is too long into either end of the tube using a tiny tool like a toothpick.
  4. Cut long narrow lengths of the same decorative paper into a thin strip.
  5. Squeeze a little white glue down the length of this strip of paper and smooth it out.
  6. Carefully wrap the strip of paper around the end of a pencil on top of it's self to form the turret. Gently remove this little piece from the pencil and press it on top of a piece of masking tape. 
  7. The masking tape imitates the membrane part of the kazoo. Cut off the tape outside of the turret so that you only see it on the inside. Let dry.
  8. Attach the tiny turret to the top of the kazoo, closer to the end of the wider opening, using hot glue. See photos below for this position.

Far left, the cut cardboard piece for the body of the kazoo. Next, the tubes covered in colorful papers
of red, blue and yellow. Center the turret part of the kazoo pressed into masking tape. Trim off
the outsides. Right, the turrets are glued in place. The 'decorative' marks for tiny holed beneath
may be made with a black marker. These hold are not real in an actual kazoo, but sometimes
they are implied to give the tiny instrument more interest on it's surface.

More Kazoo Music Video:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thanks for your thoughts. All comments are moderated. Spam is not published. Have a good day!