Kids' Crafts to Shoo Boredom Away

When it is raining outside and your kids do not have something to do at home, they will become bored. However, do not worry because you can transform this boring day into a fun-filled and interesting day. Bust boredom by providing your kids with crafts materials and a little help along the way.

When doing kids’ crafts, you should first prepare the basic things such as paper, crayons, safe scissors, and glue. You may provide them with different types of paper materials such as construction paper, plain typing paper, cardstock of various colors and other kinds of papers and boards. If you are in a tight budget, you may use junk mails and old magazines to come up with interesting art projects. Crayons will be nice for smaller children. However, the stores give more options to choose from such as washable dry-erase markers, watercolor pencils, and gel pens. Kids’ craft supplies may cost you, but even on a budget, you can find alternatives and other possibilities.

You may also use recycled junk and found objects as craft materials. I am referring to junks such as empty cereal boxes, toothpaste boxes, cardboard from packaging, plastic containers, and even tin cans. If your kids will be using tin cans, make sure that there will be no sharp edges, because they might get hurt. To be safe, file the edges off or squeeze them flat with a pair of pliers.

Found objects include dried leaves, twigs, rocks, snakeskin and other natural items that your child may found. If you are living near a sheep farm, you can get wool scraps often found stuck onto barbed wires. Almost any items can be used in kid crafts; you just need keen eyes and creativity.

Collage making is one of the most fun and popular kid crafts of all times. Kids can glue down almost anything that they can think of. For this project, use a sturdy paper for the canvass, and let your children do their masterpiece. For an added twist, a collage can be made around a theme, like food, animals, or landscapes. You may use old magazines as source of related images, which can be cut out and glued to a background. For older children, they might wish to cut out details from magazine pictures and reassemble them in new and interesting ways. On the other hand, they can cut out interesting words and phrases from the magazines and incorporate them as well in the collage.

For smaller children, it will be fun for them to play with textures and dimension. They might enjoy gluing down pastas, beans, Popsicle sticks, leaves, and many other materials. Do not forget to give them glitters and sequins. It will be more interesting for them to work with shiny materials especially the girls.


LESSON IN LIFE:
“We already have the things that may excite us; do not let any setback pull you down.”

Get a Hobby Kit and Learn Something New

If you are tired of the ho-hum of life and would like to do something new that will save your from boredom, maybe you should try to get a hobby kit. Various hobby kits are available and are easy to learn and to do especially for beginners. With hobby kits, hobbies that are difficult to learn will be learned easily.

For example, if you want to try doing a needlecraft, say cross stitching or crewel embroidery, it is best to start with hobby kits. These kinds of hobby kits contain a piece of cloth with the design already stamped on, yarn or floss in the proper colors and required length, and a needle. You may even get an embroidery hoop inside the kit. When buying a hobby kit, make sure to read the packaging to see if you will need to buy additional materials or tools to finish the project.

There are also hobby kits for boys, like model car making. In a model car kit, you will be working on small pieces needed to construct the car and you will be dealing with detailed instructions so patience is a must. In some kits, you might also get paint, a brush, and some glue. However, be sure also to read the label, other materials, such as batteries, may not be included so you have to buy them separately.

Hobby kits such as a candle-making kit or a rock tumbling kit are also nice gift ideas for young people during Christmas. There are many kits to choose from like a small weaving loom kits, glycerin soap making kits, bead crafts kits, wood-burning kits, and art kits. You may also consider reading hobby workbooks that contain easy to follow instructions and have a packet of materials to be used for the project. These books cover some topics about polymer clay modeling, hair styling, pompom creations, and many others.

There are also gardening hobby kits for those who want to start with the basics of gardening. A seed starting kit typically contains a pot, a small trowel, seeds, fertilizer, and a greenhouse dome or cover. You may need to buy potting soil separately. You may also improvise if some materials are not available in the kit. Say if pot is not available, you may use empty biscuit can or broken buckets as substitutes.

When choosing a hobby kit, be sure that it will be appropriate and interesting. Sometimes, hobby kits are quite challenging. For example, it is not a good idea give a radio electronics kit to grade-schoolers. More often than not, they will just throw it away and or leave it undone. Consider getting a smaller project that you can finish in a short time so you can get a feel for the hobby. The next hobby kit you buy may be harder. After a while, you will realize that you are already learning a skill not simply a hobby.


LESSON IN LIFE:
“Big thing come from small beginnings; so if you want something big, be careful with how you start to reach your dreams.”

Paper Crafts: Scrapbook for Beginners

Doing paper crafts is becoming a popular pastime for arts enthusiasts nowadays. Scrapbooking is a paper craft project, which is fun to do. It can also be one of the best ways to display pictures and to chronicle family history. Other paper crafts include making greeting cards and even making hand-made papers.

If you are still an amateur in making paper crafts, go easy at first until you determine what sort of paper craft materials you will want to work on. For instance, you might like using stickers more rather than using rubber stamps. If that will be the case, you be better off spending more on stickers and less on rubber stamps for your project.

Most probably, you have old photos collecting dust somewhere. Starting a scrapbook for those photos is a great and nice way to preserve and organize them artistically so many people can enjoy seeing them. You will need a loose-leaf binder, some plastic page protectors, and some colored cardstock for starters. If you want your scrapbook to last long, I recommend using only archival quality materials. For best results, use paper products, which are acid-free to prevent your photos from fading and deterioration. Your materials must also withstand sunlight because your scrapbook will bleach easily if it is exposed to direct sunlight.

To start with your scrapbook project, select photos that all relate to one event, such as a trip or your child’s graduation day. In addition, have a complementing theme in mind for your set of photos. This will make your scrapbooking easier because your idea will only revolve on a single theme. But if in case your photos are not related to each other, you may organize them into general theme for each page or if possible make a story to make them seem to be in unison.

Attach your photos on your cardstock using double-sided tape squares or glue stick. Decorate the page with stickers, paper cut-outs, or rubber stamp designs. You may also use colored gel pens to write captions or titles to your photos. However, always remember that everything that you will put on your page must be cohesive with the theme that you are working on. You can make it as simple as you want and in any way that pleases you. After all, we all have different artistic taste.

There is a wide array of scrapbooking materials available in bookstores or paper crafts specialty stores. This includes die cuts, which are pre-cut pieces of colored papers into different shapes and objects. You may also find special pair of scissors that will allow you to cut paper with an interesting edge design. Moreover, you may use a deckle or old pinking shears to make elegant looking scrapbook pages. There are also scrapbooking kits available with various designs and themes.


LESSON IN LIFE:
“Memories and old photographs are treasures, handles them with care.”

Clay Pot Crafts: Make a Bell for the Porch

Clay pot crafts are simple and yet nice home decors you can do yourself. In clay pot crafts, you can transform simple clay flowerpots into a beautiful piece of art. Plain new pots are usually used for this project. You may decorate the pots with paint or tie them up together with ropes to create different figures you desire.

Clay pots are available in different sizes, from small ones not more than two inches in diameter, to huge ones over a foot across. For your first project, try to start with small pots and start with a simple design. After you have accomplished your first project, you may now jump on to designs that are more elaborate if you wish.

An example of a simple craft to start with is to make a bell design from two clay pots. You will need a bigger pot about 5 or 6 inches in diameter and a very small one. The smaller pot will serve as the clapper for your bell. Prepare also some decorative cords, two large wooden beads, and painting materials to add color to your work. You may also put on some glue-on jewels to add shimmer to your bell. This project will be a nice decoration for your front porch.

Cut a cord two feet (60 cm) long. Fold end over three inches (8 cm) and make a loop by doing an overhand knot. This loop is for hanging the bell on a hook or a nail. Pass the loose end of the cord on the hole at the bottom of the pot. Make sure that the pot is turned upside down to resemble a bell. Lay the pot on its side and string one of the wooden beads to cord until it is about ten inches from the loose end. The wooden beads must be larger than the hole of the pot because this will serve as the stopper so the pot will not slide down.

On the loose end of the chord, repeat the same procedure. Use the smaller pot for the clapper of your bell this time. Now when you lift the entire arrangement by the loop, the clapper must hang freely inside the larger pot, making a pleasant sound when it claps against the larger pot.

It is now time to jazz up your project. If you have a theme in mind, say a Holstein cow theme, paint your pots with black and white patches to mimic a cow skin. You may also put a silk ribbon, dried flowers, and greenery if you desire. Let your imagination play and express yourself.

For a variation, you may make several bells of different sizes and hang them horizontally on a wooden pole or a branch of a tree. You may hang the bells on different levels so they will not strike each other.

Once you are done with the project you may now make some elaborate designs such as a large doll or a scarecrow of nested pots strung together and painted. The doll can sit on a chair or a step of the front porch. You may paint his face to look like a scarecrow, a jack-o-lantern, a gnome, or a child. These clay pot crafts are best displayed outside and display them as garden decorations.


LESSON IN LIFE:
“Like these bells, people around us may differ in sizes, but it does not mean they differ in significance.”

Making Mural: Group Craft Idea for Children

Most craft projects were meant to be done individually. However, it is also a brilliant idea to think of a crafts that works for a group of kids working together. Making a mural craft is a good craft for engaging a group of kids to work on. By working as a group, you will be able to introduce the sense of camaraderie and cooperation among the children participating in this project. The kids will be able to share their ideas with each other and may somehow lead to good friendships.

The basic material for this group project is a freezer paper. This will serve as the huge canvass for the kids to work on. Freezer paper is about 18 inches wide, and it is very tough. One of its sides is plastic coated where foods are usually placed. However, you will be working on the other side so you can easily draw or glue something on it. Group murals can feature a number of different design elements.

You may ask the children to put their handprints or footprints on it, this might sounds good to children coz it will be a lot of fun. You can also allow them to cut out some pictures from magazines and glue it on the paper. They can also incorporate some scribbles, designs, signatures, slogans, or pictures using markers, crayons, or gel pens. You may also allow them to add some stickers. This project can be very flexible so you may put on everything you want.

When making the mural, it will be easier for the participants to stick on a single theme. The theme must be related to the interests of the young artists. For an instance, if the participants are girl scouts, you may ask them to feature pictures of camping materials. If you are teaching about dinosaurs, a dinosaur themed mural will be fine.

If you want a messy yet cute theme for fall, why not ask the kids to use their body parts to draw trees. The kids may start by using their forearms as the tree trunks. Put brown paint on their arms and ask them to lay their arms on the paper gently. Then use their hands to draw branches and their finger prints as the leaves. Try adding a few drops of dishwashing detergents to the paints so it will be easier for cleaning afterwards. In addition, ask the children to wear old clothes or smocks when making this project.

An animal theme will be quite more interesting for preschoolers. You would probably provide them with pre cutout pictures of animals and let them pick the ones they like to glue on to the mural. It is advisable to use glue sticks with small kids so it will not be too much messy. Let the children place their pictures on whatever position they want. After all, it is the process that is important in this craft. You may also tell them to use animal cookie cutters dipped in paint to stamp animal figures on the mural. Moreover, they can tape the paper on a table or on a wall so it does not move while the children work.

This craft idea is designed to build camaraderie and teamwork among participating artist. It is a good way to build a strong bonds of friendship.


LESSON IN LIFE:
“No one lives and die for his own self only; we need others to live happily.”

Apron: A Timely Handicraft Gift Idea

It is Christmas time and you may be wondering what to give your friends and loved ones that is cool aside from being useful. This gift idea, an apron, can be one of the best ideas you may consider doing this holiday season.

Apron is a useful and a simple handicraft gift idea to do for your friends and your family. You can give it to mommies and grandmas to use when cooking or doing other kitchen works. You can also give it to daddies because they can also wear this while barbecuing sometimes. In addition, it can be used in their workshops. Kids also need aprons when they are dong arts and crafts to protect their clothes from stains and paints. If you wish to make one, here are the simple instructions for making apron handicrafts.

Start with a sturdy piece of cloth suitable for the individual who will use the apron afterwards. The fabric’s width must be enough to wrap ½ to ¾ of the model’s body and long enough to cover the body from collar bone to just above the knee. For a large adult, 25-30 inches wide by 36-40 inches long will be just enough. For children aged 15 years and below, you will need at least a piece of fabric 18 inches wide by 25-30 inches long..

Also, use sturdy cotton fabrics such as medium weight denims or twill. Soft cottons such as broadcloth or muslin may be good enough for kitchen works, but it will not last long and will not work well in the gardens and workshops. You will also need a sewing machine and some threads. You will also need extra length of fabric to make straps to go around the neck, ties for the back, and pockets.

In designing your handicraft, it is best to combine beauty and functionality. Add pockets so the user will have some place to put their things while working. The first step is to fold the fabric lengthwise. This will you help you cut symmetrical shapes with just one cut. What you will be shaping when you make the cut will be the bib section of the apron. The bib for an adult sized apron will need to be about 9 inches wide.

Take a measurement from the fold of about 5-1/2 inches. This is half the width of the bib plus an inch to fold under twice to form a hem. The piece you will cut off the side to shape the bib will be a half bullet shape with the tip of the bullet being where the ties will be attached. The length of the half bullet shape should be about a foot, and the width will be from the spot you marked 5-1/2 inches from the fold to the outside edge of the fabric. After cutting these pieces you must come up with somewhat like of an apron shape.

You may now decorate the body of the apron with pockets and any other decorations you desire such as patches and appliqué. Afterwards, fold under the edges all around, and stitch it down using a sewing machine. Make sure to keep the stitches sturdy to make a nice hem around the apron. After sewing the body of the apron, it is now time to make the straps. Cut a pair of fabric a yard long and two inches wide to make the ties. Fold lengthwise and fold raw edges to the inside. Press and sew along the length to form the ties. Attach each tie on the sides of the apron’s waist.

Cut another piece, 18-20 inch-long by 5 inch-wide fold in half lengthwise and press. Repeat the procedures you did for the ties, and then attach both ends to the topsides of the bib. This will serve as the strap to hang the apron on the user’s neck. Be careful not to twist it when you attach it. After putting all the pieces together, you now have a beautiful and functional handicraft product. If you will use this as a gift for someone, surely, he or she will appreciate it very much.


LESSON IN LIFE:
“When giving gifts, it’s the thought that counts; so think carefully what you are going to give.”

Environment Friendly Craft: Potholders from Scrap Fabrics

Doing crafts is therapeutic and can relieve stress and tensions. It is also a perfect way to unwind and make something useful and creative. Every one of us has creative potentials and with modern easy to do kits and patterns, doing crafts does not have to end in frustration.

If you have a sewing machine at home, you can do many creative handicrafts. To start with, a potholder project can be an easy project to do. Potholders can be made from scrap materials or unwanted clothing and a bit of double-fold bias tape. Here are the simple step-by-step procedures in making your potholders.

Cut a pair of 8-inch (21 cm) squares of fabric for the faces of the potholders. Use coordinating fabrics so it would be appealing to the eyes. If you prefer, you can make a cardboard pattern so it will be easier for you to cut the other pieces. Now cut more 8-inches square pieces from any old fabric to stack for the filling. The filling must be thick enough to protect you from heat but thin enough so it would be so manageable and can be sewn through easily.

Arrange all layers so the outer layers are facing the outside and the filler layers are inside. You can put a couple of large straight pins through the assembly to fasten them together temporarily. Then start to sew right across the middle of the stack. Sew across the middle again, perpendicular to the first stitching. Make stitches across opposite corners and do it on the other corners. If you wish, you may repeat each stitch to make a strong bond. The layers must be strong and sturdy at this stage.

To bind off the raw edges of the assembly, trim first the excess parts to smoothen and even out the edges. Open out one folded edge of the bias tape. The wider bias tape can be easier to use, but the narrow type makes a neat finish product. Start with one side, line up the edges of the tape with the edges of the potholder. You may now start stitching through all layers along the first fold line. The stitch must be a quarter inch from the edge. Repeat same procedure with the remaining three sides until you reach the starting corner of the potholder. Cut the bias tape off and leave three inches (7 cm) to form a hanging loop.

Fold the bias tape over the raw edge so that the middle fold lines up with the outside of the potholder and the other fold is hiding the raw edge of the bias tape. Now, for best results, manually hand-sew the binding down, forming a loop on your creative handicraft when you get to the end.

This potholder project is very easy to do. You can also try do some other shapes if you want; say, a circular or an oval potholder or even fruits and veggies shapes will also do. This crafts idea is very cheap and would not cost too much. You will only need pieces of recyclable fabrics and your creativity. Your finished product will be very useful for your own kitchen or you might do it in batches and give it off to your friends.

The Right Craft Ideas for Kids

You may be a camp director, a teacher, or a mother looking for craft ideas designed for kids’ enrichment. Maybe you are not very creative, and you are having hard times conceptualizing craft ideas. But you don’t have to worry; your creativity can still be improved, because there are certain ways to make it easier for you to find nice craft ideas for kids.

First, forget perfectionism. Think outside the box. If you will confine yourself on focusing only on a single right way to do something, you will only make your every decision harder. Regardless of the kid program you are into, there are always many suitable craft ideas to do. Do not hesitate because you might pick the wrong one. Just consider the age and skill levels of the kids involved and your choice will be right craft.

Second, consider your budget. Most kid’s craft ideas are not expensive. Prepackaged kits for making a fun foam picture frame or a craft stick cross are still affordable for few kids. However, if more kids will be doing this project, these kits may cost much. You may also consider doing almost exactly the same projects by just looking for the same craft kits components and buying the same materials in volume at discount stores. With this, you may have to do some preparations ahead of time like cutting out shapes or at least making cardboard patterns for the kids to use to cut their materials themselves. This will save you a lot of money.

Third, consider their gender. Boys are different from girls and vice versa. Do not expect boys to enjoy a girly craft. For boys, ask them to do lace-up leather billfolds, Indian artifacts, dinosaur art, and similar projects. Girls will love to do beadworks and anything that is pink or purple. For a craft idea that will perfectly suit both sexes, keep it on the boyish side. However, provide some girly materials to keep the girls enjoying, too.

Fourth, modify some ideas. You must remember that ideas spring from other ideas. You may look over some magazines or websites to get inspirations. You may reinvent some craft ideas to suit your preferences and needs. It is well said that you do not need to reinvent the wheel always. All you have to do is modify and enhance.

Fifth, stick with the basics. You do not have to change every details or instructions or create something new to make a good kid’s craft idea to be pleasing and interesting. Do not be so stiff with following instructions. Let the children express their creativity, instead of teaching them what to do. Do what they seem to be fun and appropriate. After doing so, you will gain experience every time you are doing crafts with kids. Do not be afraid to take risk in choosing the right project, after all the essence of doing crafts is simply to have fun.


LESSON IN LIFE:
“If you want to make a loved one happy, consider his qualities.”

Christmas Craft: Bead and Pipe Cleaner Ornaments

You can make beautiful Christmas decors out of ordinary pipe cleaners and some inexpensive acrylic beads. You only need a bit of imagination and creativity to come up with something useful and adorable. Anyone, even small children, can enjoy doing this project and have fun making one. With some variations, you may also come up with different sparkling ornaments for your Christmas tree.

To start off the project, you will need common pipe cleaners in desired colors and some acrylic beads. You may use two types of beads for this project. One type is called sunburst beads, also known as paddlewheel beads, snowflakes beads, or starburst beads. These kinds of beads have six faceted paddles spaced equally around a center that contains the hole for stringing. When strung consecutively, these beads will tend to lock to adjacent beads and will create an interlocking pattern.

The other type of bead is called a tri bead or propeller bead. It has three rounded bumps arranged around the stringing hole. Like the sunburst beads, the tri beads also interlock when strung consecutively. To fit in with the yuletide season feel, it is recommended to use festive colors of beads like red and green, you may also opt to use clear ones. Tri beads in metallic gold and silver finishes are also perfect for this Christmas crafts.

Pipe cleaners are available is silver and gold tinsel as well as chenille of all colors. For this project, it is best to use metallic and Christmas colors. The beads would cover the pipe cleaners, but the ends will be twisted together and made into hangers, so they show.

Anyone, even small children, can string beads onto pipe cleaners. You should bend up one end of the pipe cleaner so the beads will not fall off. The pipe cleaner is somewhat stiff so it will be easier to string each beads into it. For best results, try to do color patterns when stringing. After you strung enough beads, it is now time for your creativity to play. You may bend the pipe cleaners according to your preferred shapes or Christmas icons.

You may come up with a candy cane by using red and white beads strung alternately or a Christmas wreath made from green and red beads and add some details such a bow or a Christmas bell. You now have enough decorative ideas to dress up your Christmas tree. Moreover, with further experimentations, you may use clear beads and silver pipe cleaners to make some shiny snowflake or star ornaments. This will surely be a simple and yet extra ordinary decors on top of your tree.
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Bead and pipe cleaner ornaments are a Christmas craft you would find yourself looking forward to make every year. Children and parents will definitely have quality bonding time together making this amazing Christmas decors.


LESSON IN LIFE:
"Various events in our lives are like beads, they mean nothing unless they are strung together."

Arts and Crafts Idea: Foam Sheet Glasses or Cell Phone Case

I am now presenting a new hobby on this blog – crafts. Crafts are good hobbies because they can be a source of additional income aside from giving enjoyment and satisfaction. Teachers can also use this idea to stir creativity among his students. You can also give this as a Christmas gift to your relatives and friends. For my first post on this topic, I will discuss foam sheet glasses case.

Here are the things that you will need for the project: a square craft foam, a plastic or a large blunt needles, and lanyard lace or thick yarn. First, cut two rectangles from the foam, each 3-1/2 inches (9 cm) by 6 inches (15 cm). With a hole puncher, make holes on three sides leaving one short end unpunched. Make each hole half an inch apart and at least quarter inch away from the edge of the craft foam. Repeat the same procedure with the other foam. The holes on both foams must be identical in position because that is where you will lace the two parts together. For small children crafters, you may ask help from adults to do the punching of holes.

You may now start to cut decorative shapes from other colors of craft foams; there are also available pre-cut foam designs in the market that you can readily use. If you have a theme in mind, say a cowboy theme, find shapes that fit well, such as a boots, cowboy hats, and stars. Let the little crafters choose what they want to put on their cases. You may also put on some beads or sequins on your project to add character and glitter.

The next step is to thread the plastic needle with a yarn or lanyard lace. Yarns can be a little easier to work with, but lanyards are shiny and attractive. You may also use a bobby pin as a safer alternative for needles. You may now start to lace the front and back of the glasses case together.

You can also turn this craft into a necklace purse. Simply attach a length of lanyard lace to each corner making a long strap. Kids will enjoy using these cases as a place to store secret notes and small objects. If they want to, they can give the glasses case to someone who wears glasses. Either way, this art project will surely be fun and enjoyable for everyone to do.


LESSON IN LIFE:
"The best gifts are those made by the giver's hands, because with the gift, the giver give a part of himself."