Showing posts with label crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crafts. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Repurposed Baby Food Jars

We're going through lots of baby food jars over here and I hate to just recycle such nice glass jars. I've been hanging on to them for a few months now, debating what to use them for.

When I hosted a baby shower in February I thought it would be cute to use them as vases and line a few down the middle of my table with a gerbera daisy in each one. (Whoops, I forgot to do that!)

Anyway, I've decided to use them for end-of-the-year teacher gifts. But, first, I wanted to pretty them up.

What you'll need:

glass jars and lids
Goo Gone
decorative paper
ribbon in a coordinating color
scissors
multipurpose craft glue (I like Aleene's Tacky glue)
thin paintbrush, for applying the glue
decoupage sealer (I used Aleene's Collage Pauge--Glossy)
foam brush, for applying the decoupage

What to do:

1. Wash jars and lids, removing any labels or stickers
2. If necessary, use Goo Gone to remove adhesive residue
3. With a pencil, trace the lid on the back of your decorative paper
4. Cut out
5. Apply thin layer of glue to top of lid and spread evenly with paintbrush; press and hold paper to lid for a few seconds
6. Cut length of ribbon to fit around side of lid; apply glue to lid; press and hold
7. Let glue set for at least several hours or overnight
8. Apply decoupage sealer with foam brush, lightly coating the edges and top of lid
9. Let dry overnight



And now to fill them!

J and I had fun making a homemade sugar scrub for his teachers. Here's the recipe we used:

1 c. sugar
5 T. olive oil
Squirt clear dishsoap
6 drops favorite essential oil

Once the ingredients were combined, I found that I needed to add another tablespoon or two of olive oil to get a moist enough consistency. I tripled the recipe and it filled 4 baby food jars.

Then I created a label in Word and printed it out on clear adhesive-backed paper. Without the label, I think these would look cute with a piece of twine tied around the neck and a gift tag dangling down.


For the teacher gifts, I'm pairing this with another little gift, which I'll try to post about later. For now, enjoy these last few days of school!

Friday, April 15, 2011

Mad About Making Tees with Etsy Iron-ons

A couple of years ago my friend Margaret turned me on to this Etsy shop: Ella Ba' Della's Handmade Appliques.

Lately, I can't stay away from it. Her designs are adorable, the fabric selection is fantastic, and the prices are very reasonable.

You can purchase appliques as pictured in her shop, or browse her extensive fabric selection and come up with your own combinations. I think I really love these because I don't just feel like I'm making a purchase, I also feel a part of the creative and crafty process.



Love these sweet spring designs. I also have some on tap to make for summer: a shark for J and bright red cherries for N.

This is as easy as you can get, people. Peel the backing off and press and hold with your iron for 10 seconds. Voila!

They wash up pretty well, too. I've used Liquid Stitch to touch up a couple whose edges peeled up a bit. Washing inside-out helps too.

I also bought some Fray Block for another project and have been swiping that around the edges of the appliques once I've ironed them on. Not sure if it's necessary, but I figure it can't hurt.

Those of you who are handier with a needle and thread--or better yet, a sewing machine--could also stitch the edges for stronger bonding and a cute embellishment.

And, of course, they aren't just for clothes. Onesies, baby blankets, bibs, tote bags...lots of possibilities. I purchased these love birds because I thought they would look perfect on a throw pillow.

Last share: doesn't my guy look so dapper in his iron-on Irish tie?!!


Do you have any crafts or projects to share?

Any new favorite Etsy shops that you're stalking?

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Green Reads

March came in like a lamb and went out like a lion, and now the April showers are here. Time to start thinking about Earth Day, Easter Eggs, and gardening. Who's got Spring Fever?

If you're looking for ideas or inspiration to get outside or to make some greener changes in your life this spring, look no further. Here are some new books we've been enjoying.

First up, a fantastic book that celebrates Earth Day as well as National Poetry Month:

The Green Mother Goose: Saving the World One Rhyme At a Time by Jan Peck

All of your favorite nursery rhymes have gone green! Clever twists on Jack & Jill, Humpty Dumpty, and Yankee Doodle will have you rhyming and recycling in no time! My favorite is This Little Piggy, in which the littlest piggy cries "Re-re-recycle all the way home".

Think Mother Goose is just for babies? C is reading these aloud to his class of 5th graders and they are enjoying them too. Maybe they'll be inspired to write their own. Check out poetry.org for more ideas on how to celebrate poetry this month.

Next up, one for curious kids who wonder how things work or are always asking "Why?":

How Things Work in the Yard by Lisa Campbell Ernst

Concepts of science, simple machines, and biology found in your own backyard are illustrated and explained in a non-textbook way. Simple enough for preschoolers but also interesting and humorous so that elementary school-age kids will enjoy. The book is bound and illustrated in a sort of field guide-notebook sort of way. Would make a nice gift for a budding naturalist or scientist.


And, for the crafters:

ReMake It! Recycling Projects From the Stuff You Usually Scrap by Tiffany Threadgould

Cool projects; varying skill levels. Bottlecap Checker game, tissue box photo frame, cargo pants yoga mat bag, iPod case, and more. I like the magazine page envelopes and the newspaper gift bag myself!





Lastly, my friend Cheryl shared this link with me for an Easter Egg garland--an adorable and virtually free craft using paint chips and string. I am making one (or more!) today.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

P O M P O M S !

Hi there friends! We are making tissue paper pom poms today, in preparation for a baby shower I'm hosting this weekend. I love these as bright, fluffy party decor. The instructions and video tutorials that I found online still left me to do a bit of trial and error, so I thought I'd share what ended up working for me.

Most of the blogs and web sites I came across all referenced Martha Stewart's instructions.

I started out as they suggest, with 8 sheets of tissue paper, sized 20 x 30. Accordion fold to a width of about 1- to 1 1/2 inches, so it looks something like this:
I wanted small pom poms so at this point, I cut the folded tissue paper in half. If you want large pom poms, don't halve it. Next, secure the tissue paper in the center, as pictured below. I used a chenille stem (any color; it doesn't show when finished). Other tutorials suggest using a staple or a piece of floral wire. If you plan to hang your pom pom, now is the time to attach string or fishing wire to the chenille stem. 

Then shape the two ends of the tissue paper. I rounded mine:

Flip your bundle of tissue and fan out one half, like this:


Now, pull one layer of tissue up, towards yourself, as pictured below.

Do this with 4 layers of tissue. Then, flip it over and pull the remaining 4 layers. As you pull these 4 layers towards yourself, you'll be pulling them away from the first set of layers, forming a half circle.

Halfway finished, your pom pom looks like a tree! Swivel it around and do the same thing to the other side. (Note: Pull gently. I found that Hallmark tissue paper was more durable during this process. When I used Target brand tissue paper for another set, it kept tearing. You couldn't tell once it was all finished, but it stressed me out. :) )

Once you've pulled apart all the layers, you have a nice full pom pom, that looks like a flower (or if you're using green, it looks like a head of cabbage!) It may need a little tweaking and fluffing to get it filled out evenly.


A variation on this process makes your pom pom more appropriate as a centerpiece. Instead of pulling 4 layers of tissue up and 4 down, you could pull all 8 up on both sides, forming a half circle. This pom pom will be very full, and will lay nicely on your table since it's flat on the bottom.

My coworker has a favorite saying: Clear as mud? If this seems that way to you, you may want to check out some YouTube videos that demonstrate the process. This one was helpful, although the people talking and shouting in the background were quite distracting.

OK, that wraps up my first ever tutorial post! The combination of these scattered around my kitchen and the 60 degree temperatures we're having is making me think SPRING!!!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

MOO!

For my birthday last year my parents got me the coolest gift. A mosaic photo frame from moo.com. It's hard to believe almost a year has gone by and I've not posted about it.

MOO is a site that takes your photos/designs and prints them on a variety of products, one of which are the mini-cards. These cards are approximately 1 inch by 3 inches and are the perfect size for storing in your bag (inside the handy MOO holder) and whipping out to share when asked for recent pics of your kids. But, they also fit into a mosaic-style picture frame to make really cool, interchangeable wall art.

Right now I'm having trouble deciding which of my cards I want displayed, so I've been playing around with different themes and layouts... I could go with calming scenery stills:


...or showcase the many {silly} faces of my kiddos:


I also think it could be fun to scan in J's artwork and create a mini-card mosaic of his masterpieces! Like these watercolors he painted this week:


I really like that idea, actually! Arranging the tiles would seem to him like putting together a puzzle, only there is no "right way" to do it, so the process would be completely open-ended and creative. Then, there's the added bonus that the images he's manipulating are his own creations. And, once he's older he would have ownership over swapping new images in and out of the frame--creating sort of a fluid, fluctuating portfolio!

What do you think? How would you MOO?

{And, whether you're new to MOO or not, check out their blog for inspiration!}

Saturday, February 6, 2010

No-Sew Fabric Crafts




Maybe I'm nesting, because I've been feeling crafty lately. Either that, or my subconscious knows I won't have any craft time for awhile!! I've been making some more flannel pieces for J's board and also for a friend's birthday gift.

I was really surprised to see what flannel board sets are going for on Etsy. Some seemed kinda pricey!

I want to keep making some more flannels, particularly the train pieces from Donald Crews' Freight Train, and also some firemen and firetrucks. Maybe some seasonal stuff too, like shamrocks and leprechauns and Easter eggs.

I'm thinking my next no-sew crafts will come from this book I found at the library: 100+ No-Sew Fabric Crafts for Kids. It has the cutest things in it--and all the templates to make them. All the projects are meant to be done using Fast2Fuse fabric. Does anyone have any experience with this stuff? I've never heard of it, but apparently it's very simple to use.

Suggestions? Inspirations?

Monday, September 7, 2009

painting!

If he could, I think J would LOVE to reenact the story of I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! He's been painting up a storm during the last few weeks, a real flurry of watercolor artwork that in the past he hadn't been so interested in. I'm content to watch him mix colors and experiment with the different brushes...

but, he prefers Daddy and me not to be just bystanders. Which is fun, but I am not much of an illustrator. Rainbows and flowers and shapes and then I'm pretty much out of material. C is good, though. He makes these cute cartoon-y characters and animals.


I think J's watercolors look so pretty, almost like suncatchers, hanging on our sliding glass door.




C and J dove right in when I suggested we try the salty watercolor project I saw on The Artful Parent. It was very cool!

J's creation:

And, C's creation:


And, now for a confession. Am I a bad mother because just this week I *allowed* J to finger paint for the first time? He's 2 and a half! How could I have denied him this classic toddlerhood fun all this time?! Well, I just expected it to be such an ordeal. Long, involved set-up. A big mess. Paint flying onto the walls and into my hair and onto the dog. A big cleanup. A bath. Another load of laundry.


But...(oh, you knew it was coming)

It was FUN! At one point, J stopped, looked over at me and said, "Isn't this crazy?! No brushes!!!" The poor guy. Look what he's been missing. I did cheat a little and had J use his watercolor paint set. We didn't go all out with the big bottles of tempera I have downstairs. I had to ease into this, mamas!



Anyone else want to enlighten us with some fun easy kiddo crafts? Or, do you have a crafty confession--something you've not yet attempted with your kids even though you know they'd probably love it? Don't worry--no judgement! Maybe just some encouragement.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

kiddie art

I love easy crafts! And, I love to find tons of easy crafts all in one place! The Artful Parent turned me on to the fantastic books of MaryAnn Kohl awhile ago. We've done some of her projects and had a lot of fun.

But, check out this great website I found a couple weeks ago. First Palette provides tips and ideas to get those creative juices flowing and inspire kids (and adults) to create artwork together! A few were familiar but there are lots of ideas that are new and unique. They look interesting and fun without a huge mess or hassle. The crafts are broken down by age or by theme: nature, food art, alphabet/numbers, world and travel, etc. Each craft also includes a link to an Earth-friendly tip.

The site includes instructions on some "classic" art projects: like dioramas, leaf prints and rubbings, and vegetable prints. And lots of funky ones like a Sand Cake, Seed Mosaic, and Jingle Bell Painting! Two crafts really jumped out at the librarian in me. They'd be perfect activities to follow up on a couple of J's favorite books.

First, the Alphabet Coconut Tree looks like lots of fun to make. And, could there be a better story extender for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom?!! Read it and try it. Cement that Letter Knowledge into your kiddos' brains! "A told B, and B told C, I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree"


This other craft looks silly and fun, just like the book I'd pair it with. I think J will get a total kick out of coloring and illustrating a Body Flip Book. (Actually, I think my husband and I will have just as much fun with it.) Design a book filled with wacky wardrobes, cut your pages into thirds, and flip to see the crazy combinations. When we try this one, I might use a photo of J's face on each page to add to the silliness.

Doesn't it remind you of that book Ribbit! which could hardly be found on bookshelves last year? J got an autographed copy for Christmas and at first I don't think he quite got it... I think he thought, "where is the story in this book?" But, soon he started to see the hilarity in the way this poor frog (or frogs?) is costumed.


Oh, I almost forgot. Another great thing about First Palette is that they love to see what their crafts have inspired your kids to make. So, if you give one a try, you can also upload a photo of your work to be displayed on the site! Please stop back here too, and let me know to look for it.

Do you have any great arts and crafts resources to share?

Sunday, May 31, 2009

gadgety cuteness

Did you notice the cute new gadgets in the sidebar? Aren't they fun? Don't you want them too?

The Twitter badge is from the very talented Julie Green of up up. Grab one for yourself--there are four adorable color palettes. Also, stop by her Etsy shop. She has all kinds of papery goodness.

Cathe Holden's blog, Just Something I Made, has gobs of free blog gadgets, like the Comments Make Me Smile one I just added.

Don't you love when crafty people are also generous people? :)

Now, don't ignore the gadgety cuteness! Follow me on Twitter, leave me a comment, grab yourself a gadget, and leave the other gals a comment too!

Friday, May 8, 2009

:: connect the dots ::

Here's a fun random post with a kind of connect-the-dots logic to it.

Last week, C and I celebrated our ninth (!) wedding anniversary and spent a fun and casual night out in Short North Columbus. We had dinner at Marcella's, which I had been dying to try, and is absolutely positively my new favorite restaurant. Italian tapas, great wines, and a killer dessert menu!

After a nice leisurely meal that did not involve me rummaging through my bag to find a toy or a crayon or a sticker or a lollipop, we strolled the Short North checking out the shops and the galleries. At one of the galleries, and I hate to say that I forget which one it was, we came across some wooden carpets, like this one. Apparently, they are made in Israel. They're vinyl-backed and fold up accordion-style. Several coats of a laquer are applied so that the design is protected and it can be easily cleaned. Beautiful, don't you think?


Next, we stumbled upon this really cool boutique called Tigertree. Wow, I seriously coveted just about every item in there. Particularly, the gorgeous Orla Kiely wallets and totes in this fabric.



Also, the shop had tons of little trinkets, bags, notecards, and accessories done by an artist named Shinzi Katoh. The shopkeeper told us he's a Japanese picture book artist. C and I loved his style and have since been scrolling through his online shop. I want to get some of this tape and do something crafty with it. Take a look at his shop--it's endless!


While obsessing over this new-to-me artist, I read that he's one of the premiere Zakka artists. What is Zakka? Maybe some of you hipsters already know, but the word was new to me. I Googled it and found this helpful page on Squidoo:

In Japan, all the 'small, various products used in everyday life' are commonly called 'zakka,' a term which encompasses household goods, daily necessities and sundries. However, zakka has also come to represent a style of art and craft that is simple, charming, and of Japanese esthetic. Most items in the zakka style are handmade, but there are commercial companies that mass produce items using the style. The Japanese dictionary describes zakka as "general merchandise", "miscellaneous goods", "sundries", "sundry goods" including interior goods, kitchen goods or even cosmetic product.

I think that's such a cool concept. And, it's the concept that is the basis for an amazing blog I discovered this week. Zakka Life features a craft project of the week, as well as helpful book reviews of fun and crafty new books. Several crafts have been posted recently with Mother's Day being the theme. I liked this tea cup card. It could be a gift card holder. It could adorn a breakfast-in-bed serving tray. Use it as a place card if you're hosting a Mother's Day brunch.


My best friend's mom has been like a second mother to me all my life and she is soooo into tea! I think I'll be making one of these this weekend to send to her as just a cute "thinking of you on Mother's Day" token.


And, Happy Mother's Day to all of you mamas and mamas-to-be out there. I hope you get a chance to enjoy some of your favorite things and reflect on the amazing things that being a mother brings.

XOXO

Monday, February 16, 2009

A Faux February?

Doesn't February suck? It's the shortest month of the year, but never feels like it.

Cold.

Gray.
Snow, or worse, melting dirty slush.

Flus and viruses abound. (Is SAD contagious too?)

Cabin fever.

Continuous snacking and drinking hot cocoa like it's water.

Grumpy, bordering on depressed.

Long days of boringness,

begging for Spring,

cursing Punxsutawney Phil for consistently seeing his shadow.

Well, this February is shaping up quite differently, and not too shabby. A huge snow at the end of January hit Columbus and a week later bursts of warmer air and bright sunshine. My little guy's been seeing a lot of his shadow, too. Which seems counter-intuitive to me... why does seeing your shadow imply that more winter weather is ahead, when clearly bright sunshiney days do nothing but instill hope and excitement that the longer days of Spring and Summer are quickly approaching?
Regardless, we've been enjoying daily walks around the neighborhood, even a hike at a local metro park where J proudly spotted ducks and geese perched on the iced-over pond.

Then, a crazy fall-like windstorm sweeps in complete with rain and hail and tornado watches.

Add to this mix my absolute giddiness for Valentine's Day, some fun crafty playdates, a new energizing and exciting diet (which C. is teaming up with me on), and these 28 days are whipping by in a whirl of busy-ness and (gasp!) happy-ness! Is this really February?
How's February been treating you? Love it or leave it?

Friday, January 23, 2009

Flannel Making Frenzy!

Here's a peek at the flannel board pieces I've been working on for the last week or so. These little guys were so much fun to make! I used Clip Art to print out templates in order to get the basic shapes down since I am so NOT able to draw freehand. I enjoyed embellishing them a bit to make them more colorful and expressive. I ran out of blue and green felt awhile ago and finally got around to getting some more at JoAnn's last week. This time I was so excited to find the eco felt (I think that's what it's called.) It's made from recycled plastic bottles. It's a little stiffer than the felt I'm used to using, but for this purpose stiffer is better. I used Tacky glue to bond the pieces together, but I've just discovered Felt glue (also at JoAnn's) and think I may need to give that a try. It looks less messy and it also dries clear.
We've since been reenacting a lot of Brown Bear, Brown Bear (but morphed into our own version based on the animals we have). J also plays with the pieces away from the flannel board -- driving the car on the floor, zooming the airplane through the air, and (my favorite) tucking an animal into his chest so that he can pet it, talk to it, and feed it. Fun fun!
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Sunday, November 30, 2008

Finished Flannel Board

Wow! I started this project over a month ago, and here it is, finally completed! We've been playing with our flannel board since day 1, but just today got around to mounting it to the wall. As soon as it was up, J dropped his tractors and trucks and came over to give it a try. He's multi-purposing those black blobs in the upper right corner; they were jack o'lantern eyes, but as of today they are balloons.
I have the day off tomorrow and I'm hoping to add a few more flannel creations to our bin. We need some more vibrant colors up there! Stay tuned...



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Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow is Turkey Day! I wanted to have a little something to give to the grandparents and great-grandparents, so tonight J and I made hand turkeys. He loves to color right now and also likes for us to trace his hand, so this seemed the perfect *easy* Thanksgiving craft, since it combines both worlds.

Once I scanned the image, I inserted it into a Word document, shrunk it down a little bit, and added the text, "Happy Thanksgiving!" below it. Copy and Paste a couple times, and voila! Adorable (if I may say so) 4x6 handmade turkey cards to print and sign.

~Wishes for a happy, thankful, and yummy Thanksgiving!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Creative Living

Tonight I dipped into my new stash of library books and read Amanda Blake Soule's book The Creative Family. Soule writes a blog that I've been following, which is how I discovered her book. She is absolutely inspiring. Incredibly creative, mindful, reflective and insightful, inventive, and real. I read straight through the entire book furiously jotting down quotes, reflections, projects, resources, and came straight here to blog about it. Each section of the book opens with a motivating or inspiring quote. Here are a few that really spoke to me:
"Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere."
- Albert Einstein

"The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things."
- Plato

"Every child is an artist. The problems is how to remain an artist once we grow up."
- Pablo Picasso
Soule, herself, is author to some very inspiring words as well. Reading The Creative Family, I felt I was reading part art book, part parenting book, part "green living" book, and part meditation book. Here are some of her gems:
"A large part of nurturing a spirit of creativity comes from being mindful, slowing down, observings, and looking around you at the beauty and inspiration all around. We are blessed as parents to have the best teachers for this - our children." (p. 5)
"Think about letting your child be the guide, director, and teacher, while you try to be the student. Your role is to provide the environment and to watch and learn." (p. 13)
"Practice gratitude - when we feel grateful, we feel full - full of love, full of inspiration, full of ideas, and full of creative spirit." (p. 15)
"Living the creative life is made all the more fulfilling and rewarding when we are creating with, for, or because of others." (p. 191)
Beautiful, no? I am really looking forward to attempting some of her projects and ideas with J this winter. I think they will be excellent learning opportunities as well as creative experiences. And many of the finished products would make excellent gifts.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Library Jackpot

I had to work today and while there I finally picked up the huge stack of reserves that have been patiently waiting for me all week. I am excited to take a look at all of them. There's lots of non-fiction in this to-read stack, and a couple of teen books, including the Printz Award candidate, Paper Towns by John Green.

The complete list of what I picked up today:
Beyond Time Out: From Chaos to Calm - Beth Grosshans
The 10-Day Glycemic Diet - Azmina Govindji
Reading Magic - Mem Fox
The Creative Family - Amanda Blake Soule
Let it Snow: Three Holiday Romances - John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle
Paper Towns - John Green
Creative Play for Your Toddler: Steiner Waldorf Expertise and Toy Projects for 2-4s - Christopher Clouder
My Stroke of Insight - Jill Bolte Taylor
Apples for Jam: A Colorful Cookbook - Tessa Kiros
Stay tuned to my Goodreads account for my reviews on these. (Assuming I get to all of them, which I highly and unfortunately doubt.)
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