Spotlight Crafts - Piggy Bank, Graduation Caps, More
This week you can learn how to make a piggy bank, a teepee in your garden, a photo magnet, and much more. Which craft will you try first?- How to Make a Piggy Bank - This craft how-to video will show how you and your child can make an adorable piggy bank that will dazzle the change right out of your pocket.
- String Bean Teepee - Sheila Ellison explains how to create a teepee in your garden using string beans. What better place to hide from the summer sun and imagine lands unknown than inside a teepee covered with green vines?
- Printmaking with Cardboard - Find out how you can use cardboard to make fun prints. Use these ideas to make gifts, t-shirts, wrapping paper, and more.
- Wearable Graduation Cap Craft - Follow these directions and you can make a graduation cap big enough to wear.
- Flat Marble Photo Magnet Craft - Discover how you can create fun photo magnets using flat glass marbles. The magnet looks like a little bubble that magnifies your picture just a little and shows it off!
- Re-Fashioned Bangle Bracelet Craft - I love this project submitted by Sangeetha from India. She shares her technique for giving new life to a bangle bracelet she had that was broken.
- Kite Mobile Craft - Discover how you can make this neat kite mobile using paper, a wire coat hanger, and a few other supplies.
(Photo © 2012 Sherri Osborn licensed to About.com, Inc.)
How to Recycle Plastic Bags
Despite having reusable bags to use when I have to go shopping, I do sometimes end up with mounds of plastic bags. (Mainly because I have such a horrible memory and forget to bring my reusable bags!) I also save plastic bead bags, produce bags, etc. So, what do you do when you have way too many plastic bags? You make crafts!Believe it or not, you can make a large variety of crafts using plastic bags. You can use crochet techniques to make a plastic bag hat or a fashionable tote bag. You can make some home decor items, such as a wreath or a comfy ped bed. You can find these and many more craft ideas when you browse through this collection of plastic bag crafts. Check out all of the crafts in the collection and then you can even submit your ideas to be published using this simple form.
RELATED:
- Paper Bag Crafts
- Recycling Crafts
- Save Money on Craft Supplies
(Image © 2012 Sherri Osborn licensed to About.com, Inc.)
Fast Craft: How to Grow a Necklace
This week, I am working in my garden, planting the last of my vegetables. That is what inspired this week's fast craft project! Kids, young and old, will love making a necklace that they can watch grow.All you need for this craft is an empty pill bottle (or other small, see-through container), some cotton balls, a piece of yarn about 24-inches long, and a flower or vegetable seed. I chose a green bean seed because it was large and easy to see through the container and it started growing fast. You can read the back of the seed packages to see how fast the seed will grow.
Start off by putting one or two cotton balls into the pill bottle. Sprinkle a little bit of water on the cototn balls, and then place a seed on the cotton balls. Top it off with one more cotton ball. Moisten that cotton ball with a little more water. Tie the center of your piece of yarn around the top of the pill bottle, and then tie the two ends together so you can wear it!
You can wear your necklace and watch it as it changes and grows. When you aren't wearing it, you can easily hang it in a sunny window. Make sure you keep the cotton balls moist, but make sure you don't add too much water. Once the plant ourgrows the pill bottle, you can transplant it into a larger pot or the ground and then add another seed to the necklace!
I hope you enjoy this fast craft. If you have a fun, fast craft to share, please take a moment to submit it using this simple form.
RELATED:
- More Fast Crafts
- Flower and Garden Craft
- Pill Bottle Crafts
(Image © 2012 Sherri Osborn licensed to About.com, Inc.)
Graduation Planning
Graduation is a very special event in a child's life (and also in the life of the parents and other adults in that child's life. Whether it is graduation from preschool, 6th grade, high school, or any other grade, it symbolizes a major accomplishment for that child.Check out my creative ideas to help celebrate this special accomplishment. You can try making these special gradution crafts for parties, gifts, and decorations. You can also submit your graduation crafts to be published here.
RELATED:
- Free Graduation Cards
- Homemade Graduation Gifts
- Submit a Craft
(Image © 2012 Sherri Osborn licensed to About.com, Inc.)
Stepping Stone Tutorial
Home-made stepping stones are a great way to decorate and personalize your garden or yard! Home-made stepping stones make great gifts and are also creative keepsakes if they are made using a kid's hand print, footprint, or even photos.You can run out to a craft store or search online to find kits to help you make stepping stones, but those can be a little expensive. Before you spend the money, read through my garden stepping stone tutorial. I share with you a list of the supplies you will need to make your own stepping stones. This list includes different items you can use for molds, your options when it comes to cement and concrete, and different objects you can use to embellish your stepping stones. You will also find detailed step-by step directions.
If you want to learn how to embed photos into stepping stones, recycle normal household items into stepping stone molds, and how to decide what kind of concrete to use, read through this collection of stepping stone tips. These tips, many shared by visitors, will certainly help you when making your own stepping stones. If you have a helpful hint or tip about making stepping stones, please take a moment to share them for all to read.
You can share your stepping stone photos too! Browse through this collection of photos featuring home-made garden stepping stones made by me and also visitors like you. Once you make your garden garden stepping stones, you can submit your photo to be shared with everyone.
RELATED:
- Garden and Patio Craft Projects
- Outdoor Craft Kits
- Submit a Photo
(Photo © 2012 Sherri Osborn licensed to About.com, Inc.)
Spotlight Crafts - Alien Magnet, Bumble Bees, More
We are already almost half-way through May. Are you looking forward to a Summer break?- Bottle Cap Alien Magnet Craft - Make these magnets for your own refrigerator, a school locker, or to give as gifts!
- Bottle Cap Necklace Pendant Craft - Follow these directions, shared by Pene Hays, and you can create a fabulous pendant for a necklace or even a bracelet using bottle caps.
- Light Bulb Bumble Bee Craft - Find out how to create a cute bumble bee craft using a light bulb and a few other supplies.
- Photo Apron Craft - Jennifer Determan submitted this apron craft. While she helped her kids make this apron as a gift for their grandmothers, this can be a great gift for anyone; especially a father who likes to Bar-B-Que!
- Bath Salt Recipe - Sheryl explains how to make colored bath salts. A fun gift idea.
- Colorful Butterfly Mobile - A visitor named Sassy Gal explains how to make a cute butterfly mobile using tissue paper and chenille stems.
- How to Draw and Color a Mexican Flag - The colors of the Mexican flag represent the countries history and independence. Learn how to color the Mexican Flag and draw the emblem with these tips.
(Photo © 2012 Sherri Osborn licensed to About.com, Inc.)
Fast Craft: Flyswatter Pictures
I decided to post this fast craft because I have been using my flyswatter a lot lately! Of course, you should do this craft with a fly swatter before it is used for it's intended purpose!To make flyswatter pictures, you simply need an unused flyswatter, a piece of paper, some paint, and a paint brush. Use the paint brush to cover one side of the flyswatter with paint; then, press the painted side of the flyswatter onto the paper. That's it!
You can make a flyswatter masterpiece by making several different prints using different colors on your piece of paper. Another idea is, once all of the paint is dry, draw flies onto your picture using a black marker. You can also draw some fly onto the paper before you use the flyswatter to paint it. You can then make the flyswatter print on top of the flies!
I hope you enjoy this fast craft. If you have a fun, fast craft to share, please take a moment to submit it using this simple form.
RELATED:
- More Fast Crafts
- Painting With Kids
- Bug Crafts
(Photo submitted by Candi S.)
Still Time for Mother's Day Planning
You have less than a week to make something special for Mother's Day! If you do not think you have the time to make a great gift, don't worry! Many of the ideas featured here take very little time and you possibly have most of the necessary supplies sitting around your house right now. You can also print out a Mother's Day card and envelope!
RELATED:
Mother's Day Coloring Pages
Mother's Day Crafts for Preschoolers
More Gifts to Make
National Teacher's Day
National Teacher's Day is always observed on Tuesday of the first full week of May. This year, that is on May 8th! It is a day for honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives. Please take a moment to say thanks to a special teacher, you can make this quick and easy thank you card or another gift for your favorite teachers. What will you make for your teacher?
RELATED:
- More School Days Crafts
- More Gifts to Make
- More May Special Days
(Photo Submitted by Debra)
Spotlight Crafts - Duck Craft, Polka Dot Pot, More
I hope you enjoy this week's crafts as much as I do!- Light Bulb Alien Craft - Find out how to create an alien craft using a light bulb and a few other supplies. You can make several of these alien heads and they can invade your house or decorate a party.
- Coffee Filter Flowers - Kathryn explains how she made this great flower using coffee filters.
- How to Marble Tie Dye - Learn how you can tie-dye a shirt or any other item to get a marbles effect.
- Egg Duck Craft - Check out this adorable duck that was made using a plastic Easter egg! This is an easy craft all ages can enjoy. What do you think?
- Polka Dot Pot Craft - You can make these decorative pots in a variety of colors and sizes and use them not only for planting but also to gather small items on a dresser, to hold cooking utensils, or to organize your office supplies.
- CD Sun Catcher Craft - This seems to be an obvious choice since most CDs are metallic and catch/reflect the light well. These make great gifts or party decorations and can be used indoors or out.
- Alligator Clip-On Craft - Follow these directions and you can make an alligator craft using a clothespin.
(Photo © 2012 Sherri Osborn licensed to About.com, Inc.)