Cinco De Mayo Craft

Hey, guys!

You know I like to incorporate holiday themes into my crafts, so today I'm going to introduce you to a Cinco De Mayo craft I found online (as I have never made a craft for this holiday before.) What I found was a link on how to make paper sombreros. These are neither difficult nor expensive to make and they allow children to use all of their creativity. I was thinking, if you're going to make these hats with your child anyways, it might be a fun idea throw a Cinco De Mayo party! At the party you can have the kids make paper sombreros and paper mustaches (which I mention below.) And don't forget the Mexican food!

To make a paper sombrero you will need:

Large pieces of construction paper
Scissors
Paint and/or markers/crayons
Any kinds of decorations (Yarn, pom poms, stickers)

http://gmgart.wordpress.com/

Directions:

1) First you will need to draw the shape of a sombrero onto a piece of construction paper. Make sure the drawing is big enough to resemble the size of an actual child-size sombrero.
2) Next, cut out the sombrero.
3) Your last step is to decorate the sombrero.

To add to the "Cinco De Mayo look" I came up with the idea to make paper mustaches. All you have to do to make these is cut the shape of a mustache out of a black piece of construction paper. (Tip: If this is difficult, try drawing two sideways "S"'s which connect at the bottom.) Tape these on to the kids upper lip and you're golden!

Mason Jar Craft

Hey, guys!

Check out this really cool craft I found on Pinterest. It's a mason jar vase. The link below provides clear and easy instructions on how to make this fun craft. Keep in mind Mother's Day is coming up. This would be such an easy project to do with your kids for a Mother's Day gift (and if you are their mother, try making one for a grandmother!) Although the craft is simple, allow them to use their creativity. Instead of filling the jar with one paint, maybe try combining two paint colors, just a suggestion!

http://christinasadventures.com/2011/05/kids-craft-mothers-day-mason-jar-vase.html

Tie Blankets

Hi, guys!

I figured with spring here it's time to get rid of the heavy down comforters and resort to something with a little less material. So, why not use this opportunity to craft with your kids? Tie blankets are the perfect kinds of blankets for this volatile weather, and they're very simple to make. And although they are great to have around the house, they are also great gifts. It might be nice to show your child how to make one of these blankets and encourage them to make one as a gift for a holiday such as Mother's Day, Father's Day, or even a birthday. Whether they are making one for themselves or for somebody else they will have fun choosing a fabric, so don't forget to take them to the store with you!

What you will need:

Two pieces of fleece. For an adult size blanket- 54in. wide, 2 1/2 yards long. For a child size blanket-       42in. wide, 1 3/4 yards long.
Fabric cutting scissors
Ruler

Directions:

1) In a large, clear area lay the fabric down, one piece on top of the other. Make sure the fabric is even.   If it's not, cut it so that it is. (Note that the shape of the fabric is a large, even rectangle.)
2) Measure 5in. in from any corner. Make a cut here that is 5in. deep.
3) Move over 1in. from the incision and make another 5in. cut. Keep doing this until you are 5in. from the opposite end.
4) Once you've finished on one side, use the same instructions for the adjacent side of the blanket. Make sure you remember to make your first incision 5in. from the corner, this way the cuts are even on both sides.
5) After finishing the second side, follow the same steps on the remaining two sides of the blanket.
6) Remove the 5in. pieces of fabric from all four corners.
7) Once all cuts are made, take the two strips of each cut and tie them in a knot.
8) Enjoy your blanket!

I found these pictures online. This is a child-size Cars blanket. That's what is so great about these, they have so many fabric patterns.

http://www.allkindsofbabystuff.com/no-sew-fleece-blanket-pictures2.html

I included this picture of my own tie blanket so that you could see a close-up of the knots. They're very simple, just a single knot.









These blankets are fun to make and are very durable, but you need to watch out because the fleece fabric can be pricey. I like to purchase fabric from Joann Fabric stores which are located in many areas. They have all kinds of prints and frequent sales. Listed below is their website.

http://www.joann.com/fabric/fleece-fabric/

Painting Flower Pots

Hey, guys!

April showers bring May flowers, right? So why not paint some flower pots?

This is so simple, yet so fun! Although a lot of the crafts I post on here are in the interest of the kids, this is one craft I really enjoy, because I love to paint. All you will need for this craft are some flower pots, (any shapes and sizes will work) and some paint and paint brushes. Once you have these things, you're ready to start painting!

If you want to make this a learning experience, which I usually do, allow the child to plant their own plant once the flower pot dries. Make sure they remember to tend to it daily once they do this. Giving them this responsibility will make them feel independent!

Coloring Craft

So, today I want to share a really cool idea with you guys. This craft is very simple and should not cost you any money (as long as you have traditional coloring supplies.)

Basically, you just fold a regular sheet of paper in half, horizontally. Then, you ask the child you're doing this craft with to use their imagination and draw half of a face. It can be any kind of face they want: a human, an animal, a monster, a mix of all three, anything. Once they're done have them flip the paper over so that you can't see what they've drawn. Now, it's your turn! You follow the same directions. Once you've finished your drawing, you guys can unfold the paper and see what kind of face you've created! How cool is this!? Also, if you're working with more than one child, have them do this activity together and see what they come up with. This is a great way to keeps your children entertained and to get their imaginations going!

The pictures below will show you how to divide the paper incase of any confusion.

Birdhouse Craft

Hey, guys!

So, spring is finally here, meaning it's the perfect time for springtime crafts! I figured why not start with a birdhouse? If you don't feel like searching for wood scraps, nails, and a hammer then try this out!

The only materials you will need are:

A milk/juice container

Bird seed

A popsicle stick

Tissue paper/construction paper (really anything to decorate the container.)

Stapler

String

Directions on how to make this simple birdhouse are listed at the site below:

http://rhythmofthehome.com/2010/05/summer-crafts-activities/

Countdown Ring Craft

Hi, guys!

This week Alex and I made a "countdown ring" craft. The rings count down the days until Sunday which is not only Easter, but also Alex's 10th birthday!

For this craft, as you will see in the picture below, Alex and I used any arts and craft supplies we had including: construction paper, markers, crayons, scissors, glue, stickers, and a stapler. Once we had our craft box out, we  cut out strips of paper about 3in wide, 8in long. These will serve as the rings. We each decorated a few rings. He chose to color on his, I decided to glue on paper cut outs. Both of our decorations followed the themes of Easter and birthdays. Some examples of these decorations are Easter eggs and birthday balloons. Once all of our rings were decorated (we only had five since Sunday was five days away at the time) we linked the paper rings together and stapled them into ring shape.

Check out these photos:

This is a great idea for any exciting upcoming holiday or events. Alex and I do this every year for Christmas and he loves it. Normally, we make a chain on December 1st so it's much longer and takes more time. I definitely suggest it to you guys because the one thing Alex looks forward to every morning is pulling a link off the chain, it reminds him of his special day and gets him very excited!