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T-Shirt Craft: Make Your Own Valentine’s Day Clothing

February 13, 2012 By 8 Comments

By: Ashley

I’ve been on the look out for simple, fun, and easy crafts that anyone can do… and that anyone can do last minute. I know that I always have these daydreams of getting my Martha Stewart on and having cute, homemade décor for whatever holiday happens to be just around the corner. It never happens though. I’m a procrastinator. I’m also a planner. Odd combination, right? Nevertheless, I’ve been lucky enough to stumble across yet another awesome craft that anyone can do for Valentine’s Day… and that you can do at the last minute.

Stamping With Paint

How to Make a Valentine’s T-Shirt

You will need:

You Will Need

- One pre-washed t-shirt
- Fabric paint in a contrasting color
- Paper doilies (heart-shaped)
- Sponge paint dabbers
- Piece of poster or cardboard

Directions:

1. Lay the shirt out flat. Put the cardboard in between the layers of the shirt so that the paint will not bleed through.

2. Place the heart-shaped doily on the center of the shirt (or use this chance to express some artistic freedom if you’re brave).

3. Dip the sponge into the paint, dab off the excess, and begin stamping the dabber all around the doily. Use the doily as a stencil.

4. Once you have covered the entire doily area with paint, carefully remove the doily. Allow the paint to dry. Remove the cardboard and VOILA! You have a cute Valentine’s Day shirt to wear every year!

Finished ShirtThis was really easy to do and you could make shirts for you, your kids, even your dog if you wanted! If you decide to try it out, leave a comment (better yet a picture) and let us know!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

About Ashley:

Ashley has a background in teaching Kindergarten and working with children K through 8th grade. She is now a SAHM and active with our local MOMS Club chapter. She writes her own blog at Momicles.

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A Duplo LEGO Christmas Tree & LEGO Santa Claus and His Toy Bag

December 14, 2011 By 6 Comments

My kids and husband built Santa and his toy bag, and a Christmas Tree out of Duplo LEGOS.

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How To Make an Heirloom Serving Tray with BabbaBox

December 7, 2011 By 8 Comments

It’s that time of year to make Christmas Presents and I wanted to teach the kids that they could do it themselves. We decided to make a serving tray that will be very memorable for years to come by making and heirloom serving tray.

Gather the Supplies:

A Clear serving tray, glass or plastic
Craft Paint
Paint Brush
Water
Cup
Children’s hands

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Paint your child’s hand with a generous amount of paint.

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Stamp the painted hand on the back of the tray. And write their names backwards.

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Because when you flip the tray over you want to be able to read it.

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Then I let Zoe paint a border all by herself.

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And we ended up with:

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This was all made possible with the BabbaBox.

The whole idea started when Jessica Kim was trying to teach her daughter about the life of a butterfly. She thought by doing a craft together they could learn at the same time- but inevitably Jessica wound up with 400 googly eyes when she only needed 2, 60 pipe cleaners when she only needed 4…you get the idea.She figured there has to be a better way to engage kids and connect with them on another level while teaching them in a fun way.The monthly box arrives at your door with everything a busy parent needs to be able to engage their kids in a fun, age-appropriate way through crafts, digital apps, children’s books and exploring the outdoors.IMG_6184

We received the “Harvest” BabbaBox for review on MomStart.

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Robot Making Crafts with Zoe and Miles: Disney Family Fun Kids Magazine

November 27, 2011 By 11 Comments

We need craft ideas, one because Zoe adores art and crafts two because it rains a lot here. So when Disney Publishing offered to send me a copy of Disney’s new Family Fun Kids magazine I said yes please do send my way.

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From the editors at Disney FamilyFun magazine, Disney FamilyFun Kids celebrates and enhances kids’ creative abilities with ideas, games, and puzzles that they can explore on their own. The magazine is designed to be a tactile product with high quality, family and kid-tested activities. There are no rules – kids can write in it, cut it up or fold pages – and they’re encouraged to do so! 

So to make our robots this is what we did. We got out all our supplies and rounded up some boxes and construction paper.

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How To Make A Robot out of a Box

Directions:

We wrapped up two boxes with construction paper

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Then the kids decorated the boxes

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We put on legs and wings

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And we ended up with these fun box robots.

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We received a few supplies and magazine from Disney Publishing.

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Rainy Day Craft, How To Make Necklaces & Bracelets From Drinking Straws

October 21, 2011 By 27 Comments

It’s raining outside and the kids are grounded. I’m not sure how much of a punishment it is for the kids. It almost feels like more of a punishment to me. We can’t play with friends and Miles has lost half of his toys. So I find myself having to entertain them more than I usually do.

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We decided to make a craft or two day. The first one we made was straw necklaces. It’s real simple and you probably already have everything you need.

How to Make Straw Jewelry

Supplies:

String (we used Christmas Wrapping Ribbon)
Colored Straws
Scissors

Directions:

Cut the straws (Zoe did all of this herself, and Miles did a few)

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Cut the ribbon and tie a not on the end

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Put the cut up straws on the string

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Then you have one very happy girl

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Elmer’s Kids Craft Camp For Preschool & Toddlers Giveaway

July 21, 2011 By 439 Comments

Elmer’s contacted me and asked me to host a very small Kids Craft Camp. Everyone we know is of the Preschool and Toddler age because that is also where we are age wise. So thought and planning had to actually go into our little event. Toddlers need organization, or perhaps this mommy needs organization. Elmer’s actually helped quite a bit with the “organization” part. They sent me an already organized into individual sets camp kit:

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One Adult Kit

· CraftBond Gel Pens
· CraftBond Extra Strength Glue Stick
· CraftBond Tape Runner
IMG_2153· Painters Markers
· X-ACTO Zigzag and Scallop scissor packs
· X-ACTO 8” Scissors
· X-ACTO Punch

5 Kids Kits

· CraftBond Extra Strength Glue Stick
· CraftBond Glue Spots
· Project Popperz Markers
· Mini Bi-Fold Foam Board

Plus they sent me a gift card to get extra supplies needed.

 

 

IMG_2155 You know, stickers, colored paper, more stickers, kid safe markers, and some snacks. Can’t have kids camp without some snacks. Anyways, as I was saying, I still had to be even more organized, crafts with younger children is much easier on my soul if every step is “pre” done. So I had to pick a craft. We looked at three different craft ideas together before I made a choice. Based on what I had with me, we decided to make little summer photo books with the bi-fold foam boards.

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It’s best to have everything pre cut. Say paper shapes, little pieces of ribbon. We like to use pipe cleaners and yarn for a lot of our crafts and Zoe and Miles are becoming quite the experts at making a mess I mean, using glue! So getting all of the supplies ready before hand is a huge help in crafting with preschoolers.

Have smocks ready. We have a lot of baby bibs left over and they make really great smocks. They are the elastic kind and stretch around the neck, fitting most preschoolers.

Make sure your supplies are age appropriate. The packs that Elmer’s sent us were geared for 5 to 6 plus. My kids still get markers all over every piece of their unclothed body so I had to switch out the makers, but everything else was ok for their age. IMG_2159

Lastly, the key is for everyone to have fun. For me doing all the work ahead of time to premeasure everything for each child works best. You may come to my house and think it’s a disaster, but I can’t handle a mess. So whatever I can do to minimize it, I will. Using Elmer’s scissors and X-ACTO products made pre-assembly a breeze for me. I love all the different scissor shapes for scrapbooking.

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The kids decorated the outside front and back. Then, one thing that’s really nice about technology and having enough adults around is that you can take pictures digitally and just print them off right away and add them to the photo book. Then let the kids take the rest home and add their own photos of summer adventures and then they can have the artwork and photos in their room on display. It’s a fun and easy idea. I guess it’s more like a photo collage than a photo book, either way the kids loved the chance to make their own “books”.

 

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Trisha Lynn.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules. We received samples and a gift card to get supplies for our little camp.

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Creativity For Kids Classic Wood Crafts Giveaway

May 31, 2011 By 258 Comments

Oh it’s summer Time, at least it’s almost summer time and we all need something to do to entertain the kids home from school. My own daughter, now that she’s accustomed to going to preschool every day she needs more activity and stimulation. Zoe has always loved arts and crafts even before she went to school, now it’s just a must do. So we’re working on stocking up our do it yourself crafts and Creativity For Kids came to mind.

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I LOVE Creativity For Kids because they have so many different kinds of do it yourself kits, arts and crafts packages and every one of them includes everything you need for hours of entertainment. The Classic Wood Crafts set is no exception and Zoe is SOOOO excited to get started.

This kit (Classic Wood Crafts Kit) is so cool it comes with so many different pieces: (over 400 pieces). Zoe is determined to make a princess and I know we have everything we need to make quite a few princesses.

CWC_contents

· Jumbo wood craft sticks
· Flat wood shapes
· Cotton storage bag
· Dimensional wood shapes
· Assorted wood beads spools
· Craft spoons
· Wooden people
· Eco paints
· 2 Paint brushes
· Feathers
· Chenille stems
· Fine point black marker
· Craft glue
· Cotton cord
· Elastic cord
· Sand paper
· Instructions and ideas
· Contents may vary from those shown or listed

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For ages 5 – 95 looking to have some old fashioned wood bit fun. I remember playing with my sister in her grandfather’s barn and we would use his wood working scraps to make all kinds of things. Creativity for Kids gives you everything you need for creative crafting…and parent’s love the neat and tidy storage bag. Go green! The lid becomes a mess free crafting situation and the box can be reused to display your creative creations. Creativity for Kids is also introducing Eco-Paint. The special formula is earth-friendly and kid approved.

ClassicWoodCrafts

Enter to Win:

Creativity for Kids Classic Wood Crafts (2 winners)

To Enter:

Visit Creativity for Kids and tell me what other kit interests you

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and/or

Win a @Creativity4Kids Classic Wood Crafts Kit @MomStart #Giveaway (2 winners) http://bit.ly/jSVzrq

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This giveaway ends June 20th. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Disclosure – A product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation

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Homemade Outdoor Tree Ornaments

December 22, 2010 By 2 Comments

More green ideas from Summer, Today it’s about getting in the kitchen and making something fun and useful with your kids.

Get the kids involved and make outdoor tree ornaments. During the winter months when our little woodland neighbors have a harder time finding food use a non-coated, pure cotton thread which is biodegradable but can be used by the birds in nests once the food has all been eaten. Thread popcorn, fresh or dried fruit, citrus peel, and nuts or seeds. Choose foods containing no sugars and no additives.

Another form of bird feeder can be made by taking an apple core spread in nut butter or shortening and rolled in bird seed. If you live in an area with sturdy, woody pine cones you can use that instead of an apple core.

clip_image001 My son helping me make string ornaments

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Strings made by me and my son

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Pinecone made by my son at preschool

 

I love these ideas, in fact, Zoe was able to make a bird feeder at a recent party she attended. One of the party activities was to make bird feeders. They had pine cones, and covered them with peanut butter. Than they tossed them in a paper bag along with birdseed and then they had bird feeders. I was surprised at how little of a mess it made. I expected there to be peanut butter and bird seed everywhere, but there wasn’t!

Thank you Summer for the great idea!

About Summer:

Summer is the President of our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living.

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Get a free Halloween e-book

October 26, 2009 By 1 Comment

 

 

Sign up for a craft newsletter and receive a free Favecraft Halloween Ebook

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“You can make this” pillow case giveaway

May 4, 2009 By 35 Comments

YouCanMakeThis_PersonalizedNamePillows_2[1] YouCanMakeThis_PersonalizedNamePillows_1[1]

 

 

 

 

 

 

So after you win the pillow’s I’m giving away, you can enter to win a package to create your own personalized pillow cases.

My stepmother is going to be here and I’ll see if she want to make them and if she does then I’ll post the pictures of the pillows for my children. Don’t they look so cute. I would make them myself but I’m so busy with my blog, and my birthday and mother’s day oh and for her visit. She’ll go crazy if I don’t give her something to do anyways. She loves to clean and stay busy busy busy.

YouCanMakeThis.com has all kinds of patterns that you can download and often has freebies. There is a small fee for all the rest but you don’t have to leave your house to get the patterns and they seem simple enough.

To Enter:

Visit You can make this and tell me what is your favorite pattern.

Extra Entries

Sign up for The You can Make this Newsletter
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Leave a comment for every entry and the giveaway ends May 25th.

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