Eucalyptus Rolls

Euc Rolls: DIY project

Supplies: eucalyptus, poking device (in this case a "cake tester" that began its life as the innards of a corkscrew my parents got as a wedding present in 1971), scissors, towel

1. Cut off a leaf leaving the stem attached. Large, banana-shaped euc leaves work best for these rolls.

2. Bend several inches at the tip of the leaf at a 90 degree angle to form the tail.

3. Roll toward the stem, encapsulating the bend.

4. Place the roll on the towel and poke a hole through all layers of the leaf. You may need to widen the hole with scissors if it isn't big enough.

5. Push the stem through the hole. Try to get the stem to come out the other side of the roll.

6. Pull the stem fully through the hole. (If you can't get the stem through to the other side of the roll, just make sure it's pushed tightly into the layers to hold it all together.)

I make these rolls in large batches during playtime since the gliders love to "help" while I'm working on any kind of toy for them. I toss them in a ziplock baggie but leave is open so they can air dry. It's fine to give them to your pet right away but I prefer to let them dry for at least 24 hours because it helps them hold their rolled shape even while being ripped apart.

-Mom