A Crafty Way to Stay Warm

The temperatures sure are dropping.  You definitely do not want them dropping in your home, but you also do not want to pay absurd heating bills.  Using draft blockers or stoppers can save your home from cold blasts of winter air, while also saving you some money on your bills (and that’s just what you want around Christmas time).  You can purchase a draft blocker, or I suppose you could even use an old pillow or position your dog  right next to the door, but if you don’t want to spend a ton of money and your dog likes to get up and move every now and then, there is another option!

Make your own!  This is a fun craft to do, especially with young kids!  Here are some instructions from Disney Family Fun that tell you how!

1. HEAT-SAVING SNAKE: Cut off one leg from a pair of striped women’s tights and fill it with rice (ours took a full 5-pound bag). An easy, spillproof method is to use a plastic cup with the bottom cut out for a funnel.
2. Pinch the open end of the leg into itself to form a tapered snake tail and stitch it closed.
3. Glue on googly eyes. Lastly, sew on a felt tongue, using the same technique described for attaching the dog’s ears (see step 7 for Doggy in the Window, below).
4. DOGGY IN THE WINDOW: Cut one leg from a pair of women’s tights and fill it with rice. Leave enough room to tie the open end into a tight knot.
5. For a tail, apply fabric glue across the base of a felt triangle (ours was about 2 1/2 inches wide and 7 inches tall) and sandwich it around the knot.
6. Apply more glue to the sides and then fold the felt in half. Secure the tail with paper clips until the glue dries.
7. Glue on googly eyes. Attach felt ears by draping each one over the head, as shown, and then sewing the base in place. This way, when you flop the ear down, the stitching won’t show.
8. For the finishing touches, sew on felt feet and a button nose (we used a triangular shank button). Then use your hands to shape the nose and body. Don’t forget a collar: an old belt trimmed to fit, or even a bracelet.

This was found at

Disney Family Fun “Critters That Keep Out the Cold”

If you want more information about keeping your home sealed and energy efficient, Contact FLAME to learn about our energy efficiency evaluation!