HOW TO MAKE JIGSAW PUZZLES

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1- How to Make a Jigsaw Puzzle
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Jigsaw puzzles are almost as much fun for adults to make as they are for kids to play with. Choose your subject and cut the pieces to match the user's skill.
Tools:
Sharp craft knife
Fretsaw or power jigsaw
Fine-toothed flat file
Materials:
Picture (cartoon, photograph, magazine picture, or other illustration)
1/8-inch or 1/4-inch hardboard or plywood
Newspaper
Spray white shellac or polyurethane varnish
Time: About 1/2 to 1 hour for a simple puzzle
Attaching the Picture
Any picture you like can be turned into a jigsaw puzzle -- a cartoon, a photograph, a magazine picture, or any illustration. Use a piece of 1/8-inch or 1/4-inch hardboard or plywood to back the picture. Trim the picture and cut the backing hardboard or plywood to the desired size, so that the picture and the backing are the same size.
Spread newspaper to protect your work surface. Place the hardboard or plywood face up on the newspapers, and the picture face down. With a spray can of white shellac or polyurethane varnish, apply a thin coat of shellac or varnish to the back of the picture and the front of the board.
Let the varnish get slightly tacky. Then, working quickly, carefully align the picture on the board, and press the two together. Smooth the picture onto the board, removing all air bubbles. Spray another coat of white shellac or varnish onto the bonded picture. Let the shellac or varnish dry completely, following the manufacturer's instructions.
Cutting the Puzzle
The maximum size of the puzzle depends on the capacity, or throat, of the saw you use to cut it; use a fretsaw for simple puzzles, a power jigsaw for more complicated ones. Use the thinnest saw blade, with the greatest number of teeth per inch, you can find; the finer the blade, the smoother the edges on the puzzle pieces.
Cut the puzzle into interlocking pieces, keeping in mind the ability of its intended user. To make large puzzles easier to handle, cut them into quarters before cutting the puzzle pieces. After cutting, check the pieces for rough edges; file any rough edges smooth with a fine-toothed flat file.
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How to Make Play Dough

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2-How To Make Play Dough

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What child doesn't enjoy modeling? This smooth-textured, easy-to-shape dough is far superior to the expensive brand-name variety. It's simple enough to let the kids help with the "cooking."
Equipment:
Large mixing bowl
Fork
Measuring cup
Measuring spoons
2-quart saucepan
Locking plastic bag or air-tight container
Ingredients:
Flour
Salad oil
Alum
Water
Salt
Food coloring as desired
Yield: 3 cups
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, 2 tablespoons of salad oil, and 2 tablespoons of alum; stir with a fork to moisten the dry ingredients evenly. Set aside. Measure 2 cups of water into a 2-quart saucepan; add 1/2 cup salt and food coloring as desired. Heat to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the salt dissolves.
Add the hot water solution to the flour mixture in the bowl and stir to blend thoroughly. Let cool slightly; then knead the dough until it's soft and pliable. Store dough between uses in a locking plastic bag or an air-tight container.