Mommies Magazine

Making Crafts with Your Family

Posted on 31. Dec, 2008 by Crafty Mom.

photo credit: Simply LA

It seems we never have enough hours in a day. And then trying to get the whole family together is next to impossible. And when we do all get together it is normally in front of the TV. And that gives us little opportunity to bond and enjoy each other. But if you can sit down and get creative with each other that makes your quality time priceless.

You may think that crafting as a family not an option, specially if there are many years between your children. But there are some projects that you can do with family members can all enjoy. I have included just a few ideas of crafts the whole family can enjoy together.

~ Fabric painting and tie-dying ~ You can make custom tshirts that the whole family can wear with pride. Tie-dying is easy enough for your younger kids, but the teenagers will also enjoy creating them just as much. Fabric paint is another option when it comes to decorating clothing or fabric. The paint comes in super easy to use bottles that makes it very easy for the young and the old to use.

~ Making Beading Jewelry ~ You can string some beads together and make anything from necklaces, to anklets. Although this project may not be the best for young children because of the risk of them sticking the beads in their mouth and swallowing the beads. You may find that you can also pick up plastic needles that make it much safer for those little hands and larger beads make things much easier. Your older children will probley prefer to use the smaller beads to create something much more stylish.

~ Creating A Family Scrapbook ~ This is a great project for the whole family to participate in. The smaller children can help pick out the pictures while the other kids can help with writing the information next to the photo and attaching the photos and embellishments to the page or paper.

~ Clay Crafting ~ You can create so many things out of clay. You can create beads, figurines and many other objects. Clay is great for about anything including holiday decorations, gifts and decorative containers.

This simple crafts are a great way to get the whole family involved in making something great and having fun making memories. These projects are good for all ages.

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Sun Catcher Christmas Gifts

Posted on 15. Dec, 2008 by Crafty Mom.

photo credit: dAvE Mont.

What mother has not found their fair share of broken crayons all over the house? And where do you normally throw those broken crayons?  In the trash can right?  So this year we decided to collect all the broken crayons we found and create a couple really cool gifts for my daughter to give away as Christmas gifts.

Pleas make sure that you are careful when you start doing this. They melted wax becomes very hot.

We use a warm iron to create sun catchers

My kids just love the beautiful colors that are thrown across the room through sun catchers.  But instead of buying a sun catcher have some fun and make one with your child.

Give your child a pencil sharpener and let them make crayon shavings.

Fold a large sheet of wax paper and sprinkle crayon shavings on half of it.  With a warm iron, run the iron over the wax paper quickly.

Allow the wax paper to cool and then cut it into various shapes.

Make butterflies or flowers with holes in them where you can tape the melted crayon wax sun catcher on the back so the light and colors shine through.

Simple as pie and so much fun.  I will post another crayon waxing craft in a couple days so keep checking back.

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Making A Baby Jar Snow Globe

Posted on 07. Dec, 2008 by Crafty Mom.

photo credit: Attempts at Photography

Remember when traveling you were able to find snow globes at every gas station you stopped at?  People use to collect them as the went from state to state and hold on to them as memories.  It not only helped you remember your visit but it also help you think of winter even in the hotter months.

Of course the snow globes you pick up today don’t look anything like the ones we used to find when we were little.  Now they are fancy and do all links of neat things.

But this year you will be able to help your children make snow globes and maybe even start a Christmas tradition.

Here’s what you need to make one:

* Small glass jar with a tight-fitting lid (baby food jars are great for this).
* Distilled water or water that has been boiled and allowed to cool.
* Glycerin (You should be able to find it in most drug stores or in crafts departments).
* White or silver glitter.  Don’t choose glitter that is too fine – it’ll be too small to fall like snow.
* Small waterproof ornament or toy.
* Clear silicone sealant.  Adults should be the only ones to handle the sealant.
* Small plastic lid such as a film canister lid to elevate the ornament inside the jar.  Florist’s clay would also work.
* Decorative ribbon or fabric to cover the lid.

And here’s how to make your own snow globe:

Wash and dry the baby food jar and lid to be sure they’re completely clean.  Be sure the inside of the lid is clean as well.

Build up some clay or attach the film canister lid inside the lid of the jar.  Attach the ornament, toy, or other miniature to that, building up the base so you can easily see the figurine.  To make sure the toy is at the right height, put the lid on the empty jar and check it out.  Keep adding more clay until you’re happy with how it looks.

Add cold water to the jar, leaving at least ½ inch at the top.  Sprinkle glitter into the jar, approximately ½ teaspoon for the medium to large baby food jars.  Add ½ teaspoon of glycerin so the glitter will float rather than fall.

Line the inside of the lid with silicone sealant and then screw the lid down as hard as you can.  This should make the seal waterproof.  Run a bead of silicone around the outer edge of the lid and let dry overnight, lid side up.

You can make a wooden base for the globe if you like.  If not, decorate the lid with the fabric or ribbon of your choice by hot gluing it to the lid.  Let your globe dry entirely.  Then shake it up and let the snow fall.

Since your children have helped to make them, baby food jar snow globe gifts are great to give to friends and family.  They may not be perfect like those you can buy, but they will be loved for the time and energy you and your child took to make them.

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Create Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Posted on 25. Nov, 2008 by Crafty Mom.

photo credit: David Boyle in DC

Your centerpiece is the main decoration on your Thanksgiving table. Make it special with these ideas. Of course these decorations will also look stunning if you set them on a counter or the mantle over the fire place.

Fall Vegetables

Begin with a pumpkin and gourds. Loosely arrange them on the table or mantle.  Set a natural-color candle on each side of your display. Finish your free form art center piece by sprinkling colorful fall leaves all over and around your center pieces. Make sure they are not too close to the candles, of course.

Fall Leaves

Simply find a large glass bowl and fill it with beautiful fall leaves. Set a candle on each side of the bowl to showcase the leaves. Then, cut leaf shapes out of construction paper and use them as place cards. Of course you could also press small leaves, and glue them to a plain white place card.

Floral Display of Abundance

Make a dried floral arrangement from fall flowers. Gather some of the plastic sticks that the florists use to hold notecards. Stick them into the floral display, but put photos of the things you are thankful for in them, instead. Or, if you don’t have photos, just write words on notecards and display them in the floral arrangement. Some words you may start with are “family”, “friends”, “food”, “laughter”.

Carve A Pumpkin

Yes, you heard right, carve a pumpkin. Of course you don’t want to go with the traditional jack-o-lantern design here. Instead carve some geometrical designs, or some flowers, leaf-shapes etc. on your hollowed out pumpkin. Add a candle inside the carved pumpkin and light it just before your guests arrive.

Pumpkin Candle Holders

Get some small pumpkins and hollow out enough room on the top of the pumpkin to stick a candle in it. Group of few of these candle holders together for a festive center piece. Finish your candle arrangement with a few pieces of native corn placed around your pumpkin candle holders. Give the arrangement more dimension by using different size pumpkins and candles. Use some scented candles to give your room that Holiday smell.

Are you feeling inspired yet by all these ideas? Dig through your Thanksgiving supplies or take a stroll through your local craft store and you will come up with your own versions of these suggestions, or even a creation all of your own.

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Great Crafts To Do With Your Kids For Thanksgiving

Posted on 23. Nov, 2008 by Crafty Mom.

photo credit: DeaPeaJay

Spending time creating Thanksgiving crafts with your kids can turn a holiday that isn’t quite as exciting as getting Halloween candy or Christmas gifts into a fun kid’s day!

Turkey Apple

Turkey apples are a fun craft to make with the kids as well as a healthy snack. You will need an apple, 6 toothpicks, 1 large and 5 miniature marshmallows as well as some raisins and one piece of candy corn for each turkey.

Set the apple stem up on a flat surface. Stick a toothpick in the top part of one side of the apple. Add the large marshmallow to the top of the toothpick. Decorate the face of the turkey with two raisins as eyes and stick the candy corn in upside down into the marshmallow to make the beak.

Thread each of the remaining toothpicks with 3 raisins, and then top it off with one of the miniature marshmallows. These will be the tail feathers of your turkey. Stick the 4 toothpicks evenly spaced on the opposite side of the top of the apple.

Corn Collage

Cut a basic corn shape out of yellow construction paper. Tear little pieces of yellow and purple tissue paper and crumble them into little balls. Glue them on the corn shape to represent kernels of corn. Cut leaf shapes out of green construction paper and glue them behind your ear of corn.

Pilgrim Hat

You need a large paper grocery bag and some construction paper in black and yellow for each child. Fold the rim of the bag over to make a brim for the hat. Then cut a large strip of black construction paper and tape or glue it around the hat. Cut a belt buckle shape out of the yellow construction paper and glue it to the belt in the front of the hat.

Turkey Handprint crafts

This craft is a family tradition in many homes. First, outline your child’s foot once on a piece of brown construction paper. Then, outline her hands twice on red or yellow construction paper. Cut a beak out of orange construction paper.

Of course, if you visit craft stores like Michaels or online craft supply stores, like Oriental Trading, you’ll find thousands of craft ideas for your kids. Oriental Trading offers foam leaves, felt Pilgrim hats, quilts in fall colors, foam turkeys, stickers, craft kits and more.

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EWWWWW Eyeballs

Posted on 29. Oct, 2008 by Crafty Mom.

photo credit: Meryl CA

Now these are great to make for an upcoming Halloween party.  And I am sure you will have tons of people asking you for the recipe for next year.

What you need:

3oz lemon gelatin
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup  pineapple juice
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1 cup mayonnaise

What to do:

Dissolve lemon gelatin in cup water in a double boiler.

Add in mini marshmallows and stir until they are all melted.

Remove from heat and add pineapple juice and cream cheese.

Beat together until smooth.

Next fold in whipped cream and Mayonnaise.

Allow to cool until firm. Using melon baller scoop up to make round balls.

Decorate them suing food coloring and a clean food paintbrush.

Now you have some gross ewwww eyeballs for your Halloween party.

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Free Halloween Recipes and Party Games

Posted on 28. Oct, 2008 by Crafty Mom.

I wanted to give you a special gift from Little hand big heart this Halloween. Have fun and enjoy it!

This report is full of fun Halloween activities, recipes and more.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(click on image or here to download)

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